I know I shouldn’t Have But I Did

[BUNNYFOOFOO823]

So, as you all know I was fostering a pair of bonded rabbits while my TigerLily got bonded to this adorable Hotot boy, well last night I got home to pee all over my alcove walls and freshly cleaned carpet

So i took them back and brought my two home, theyre doing good I think they mimic eachother and hump a little bit so far no fighting Thank God!

But the male rabbit smelled AWFUL! Just AWFUL! And when my husband got home he was not too happy He said it was imperative we bathe him I explained we shouldnt but he said it was either try the bath or he needs to go. Guys, seriously the stink was like 10day old rotting lettuce and soil and pee all mixed together.

So i put him in the tub and eddy poured lukewarm cups of water over his hindquarters and we used Bunny Bath the shampoo from petco. He stayed relaxed and stretched out a bit and seemed tolerant.

We made it as fast as possible while still being thorough and did not wet him from the neck up.

We towel dried him with two towel and then used the low setting on the hair dryer. We groomed him after and towel dried again and repeated the process for like an hour or so to make sure he was dry dry dry.

We let him loose in his new home to explore and he did fine, no binkies today but he cme to us for pets and discovered the joy that are papaya tablets.

He seems fine to me but now of course the worry wart in me is scared if i caused him damage that could kill him

Has anyone else bathed a bunny successfully? Please share.

 

 

 

[jerseygirl]

A bath is sometimes necessary and probably was in this case. Don’t feel badly, sounds like he was in good hands. The bunny bathing thing is just something you don’t want to be doing all the time. With house rabbits and proper care, it’s not likely you’ll have to.

Hope you can get urine out of your carpets!

[BUNNYFOOFOO823]

Thanks Jerseygirl, I think I actually have been able to get a lot of the urine out, I had some good carpet products here and have been moisting them and patting them down to absorb the smell and color out. It doesn’t smell now unless i go right up to it and stick my nose on it. I am hoping with time and maybe some resolve that it will be completely gone.

[RabbitPam]

You bathed him very well, and shouldn’t worry about it at all.
It’s from the neck up that’s the are to be most cautious about and you handled that perfectly, ie. left him dry there.

In 8 years I had to bathe Spockie frequently. By that I mean it probably added up to once or twice a year due to a brief episode of poopy butt.
Only in the last 6 months, when he lost abilities in his back legs and was incontinent, that I bathed him frequently, ie. around once a week. It was a dip in the sink, a swoosh with a wet washcloth and mild shampoo around his hindquarters, and a towel dry. He actually seemed to like it (kissed my hand that held him) because he was unable to sit up to do it himself. A bunny WANTS to be clean, and with other clean bunnies, thus all that grooming. So I am quite sure your little guy was very pleased with the result. I didn’t use the blow dryer very long (he’d run from it in his cage) but then I’d see him grooming what parts of himself he could reach and he never caught a chill. Since it’s warm where I live, I just made sure the AC wasn’t blowing on him.

On the other hand, I have had Sammy for 2 months now, she’s 4 months old, and I have never bathed her. She’s pristine. So it’s as needed only, but boy, stinky bunny is definitely needed! (And I bet TigerLily will be a lot more interested in bonding with him now that he smells sweet again.)
I feel badly for the other two, who had a taste of a clean environment.

[Cassi&Charlie]

He sounds fine so I wouldn’t worry.

I had to bathe charlie once when he ran outside in the rain and slipped in a mud puddle, got completely drenched then ran inside all over my cream carpets lol. He coped & I just did the same as you. Sometimes it’s necessary and I think as long as you don’t make a habit out of it unless like rabbitpam you have too.

Congrats on your new bunny!

[Beka27]

bathing is definitely to be done ONLY AS NEEDED. in this case, i think it was needed. the concern is when people are bathing their bunnies just to bathe them, when they really don’t need it. bunnies, just like cats, are very good at grooming themselves, but sometimes things are just beyond their ability, especially when it comes to conditions they are kept in.

i think i told you about when i got my Max right? over the the summer i rescued him from a woman who ran a shelter from her home. wonderful woman, beautiful bunnies. she had 15-20 that were in a warren-like group. she housed them indoors at night (or in less than ideal weather), but during the day they had access to a safe, outdoor area. outside they would poop and pee wherever, inside they were perfectly box-trained. when it went to get Max, i held him. his dirty lil feet messed up my shirt, but i didn’t care, i loved him from the moment i laid eyes on him. when we were driving home with him, Mike expressed concerns about fleas since he was kept outside at times. we agreed that even tho it’s not an ideal thing to do, i would give him a bath when we got home.

it started as just a foot bath. his feet were dirty… i had to wash betw/ his toes and this “gritty dirt” floated to the bottom of my tub. i checked his fur in the bathtub, and i didn’t see anything, but i gave him a quick scrub thru the rest of his fur just in case. i only used warm water. i dried him toroughly and then brushed him very well. his fur that was klind of dull before, was shined up instantly. i still saw no fleas, but i decided to house him in another room in Meadow’s old petstore cage overnight (with a plastic bottom and litterbox) to make sure his litter habits were good and that i did not see any fleas or anything on him.

his feet stayed brown for a few months afterwards. they were stained and i knew it would not all comes off right away. but over the months his new fur has come in, and his feet are now a pristine white, just like Meadow who has never stepped foot outside.

i think you absolutely did the right thing. rescuing is not always easy or perfect in the situation, but i’m glad you did it. i would try and groom him with a brush frequently over the next couple weeks and see if you can brush out some loose fur.

i am very concerned about the rescue where you got this bun, and the pair before him. i think you said the owner is a friend? if she is a friend, is it possible for you to express your concerns to her? i would like to have the feedback if it were me. i’m also worried about others who might be adopting from her. spayed and neutered house rabbits are supposed to be virtually odorless, and if she’s marketing them as great house rabbits, i think some adopters will be very disappointed when they get their bun(s) home. she may want to rethink her approach to the rescue, or find other indoor accomodations…

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yup sounds like you did a fine job. We had to bath Rupert when he came from the HS as he was filthy and had a pee matt (he’d been there six months but I guess they didn’t clean him). He was actually a different color after!

I have to bum bathe Rupert sometimes, and had to for Kokanee when she was ill.

I think you did the right thing, and the blowdrying would keep the chill off. Beka’s right the concern it, they’re like cats and don’t generally need it. But if they do, then you gotta!

[BUNNYFOOFOO823]

thanks everyone! I worry alot about my buns. I definitely dont plan on bathing him again I think he smells great now and his feet are actually white! Not yellow! lol

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