Nails and Scent glands

[jerseygirl]

Watched this video yesterday of rabbit having nails trimmed and scent glands cleaned.  Filmed at Rabbit Havens 2008 Bunnyfest.  Don’t know if link been posted before but thought might be useful for those at a loss of what to do. Scent gland clean a bit “Eww!” but good to see all the same. I’ve checked scent glands but not have to clean yet.  Does that seem norm for 1 yr old bunny?

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=vldSCV9qY3c&feature=related

[BunnyLiz]

Thank you Jersey! I was hoping someone would post a video! Maybe ill give it a go in a few weeks, im still not forgiven for nail trims yet so.. for my well being ill wait awhile lol

[bunnytowne]

The glands getting dirty depends on the buns.  Some are dirtier and stinkier than others. Some are always clean and dont’ smell as bad.  I have had to get a tweezer in there b4 cause a squishy poo it looked like got up in there. Eeeee.  Poor bun was probably glad to be cleaned and rid of that. Some buns are clean but just stink anyways.

I think they excrete something like a wax maybe.  That again depends on the bun and how much he excretes as to how dirty or clean will be.

OK take a big breath and 1 2 3 go clean quick. 

Oh this sucks.  I hit submit and I get an error page on dear.  I dont’ want to have to write this out again.  OK keep trying.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ewww they do stink!! I put toilet tissue in my nose to do them Some get build up quicker or slower then others -no worries!

[PeppersMama]

how in the world does she get the bun to stay upside down like that and move it around and play with its privates and not have it struggle??? Pepper only trances for like 45 seconds and then he flips out! i dont think i could ever do that.

[bunnytowne]

you may try talking softly and petting bun’s cheeks for a little bit..  That might help them relax more and stay under a little longer. Hopefully.

[jerseygirl]

I think it helps to frequently handle them and get them used to it. Bun in video may not even be tranced! You can pick them up maybe once a week and just touch bottom of their feet to help them get used to sensation. Or put on back more often as a trial, then reward after. I find Jersey has gotten better at it. I’ve trimmed nails with her face down too and she stayed put after a while. Just keep calming them in between snips I guess!

BT, I hear you! I had lots of trouble on site last night. 11pm Australian time. Think comp was playing funny business thou!

[Scarlet_Rose]

PeppersMama, it takes a lot of repetition getting some rabbits used to being on their back – most do not like it because it exposes them to predators and so their wriggle free instinct kicks into full force. Have you tried just practicing putting Pepper on his back once a day without actually doing something like cleaning scent glands, trimming nails etc.? I’ve had to use this method before with my squirmy bunny ^Trixie^ and after about 2 1/2 weeks of non-stop practice she finally got used it and make it a positive experince by talking in soft tones and offering a reward afterwards.

As for scent glands, some bunnies excrete more smelly-skunk ick than others. And yes that is a technical term for us bunny-owners.

[Cassi&Charlie]

After a year and a hlf or more of having Charlie, I still have never had to clean his glands cause everytime I check them, they’re always clean.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Then you my friend are very lucky not to be subjected to the funky skunky odor that comes about from cleaning scent glands. I’m jealous!

[MimzMum]

Pip’s glands are terribly messy. (My vet tried to tell me that bunnies should be able to clean their own glands.) I really have to try to get her tranced, although she doesn’t do that well. In any case, it’s a two person job in my house. If only there was some other way to do it other than turning them over. Mimzy WILL NOT be put upside down by me anymore, he squirms and flails and I am so worried I’ll hurt his back. Plus he’s a nipper. If he gets really frustrated with you, you’ll get bit.

I wish giving bunnies butt baths would help take care of this. I may have to start doing that with Pip as she seems to have a little something clinging to her fanny all the time, no matter what I feed her.

[PeppersMama]

i have only tried to trance him twice, but i wasnt trying to do anything i just wanted to see if he would. both times were about 45 seconds and he was done. i start him out on my chest and then pet his head and slowly lower him to my lap upside down. if that makes sense. ill try the practicing thing and see if he gets used to it. hes better with being picked up because he knows he gets a treat after, so hopefully this will work the same way. thanks!

[Bob]

I cleaned both my buns just a couple days ago and it wasn’t too bad at all. Thankfully, we’ve been handling them a LOT since they were about 3 weeks old and they’re cradled on their backs with their feet handled every day. Makes both jobs of nails and glands much more pleasant for the both of us!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I was able to get Fern on her back and stay there for a while but I couldn’t find her anal gland! I was poking and prodding down there for a while with Fern being an angel and everything but I could not find it! Either I could not find it or it was clean. Poor Fern probably thought it was torture having her genitals poked with a Q-tip. She was surprisingly good once I had her head under my arm and once I let her go she showed her discomfort by digging my bed insanely. How do you find their anal glands?

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Oh never mind, I looked on a couple sites on how to find the scent glands and I used my test subject (Fern) and I finally found her scent glands, they were clean though.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Good job! I know they can be very hard to find at first, but once you know, you don’t forget.

[Cassi&Charlie]

I had a hard time finding charlie’s cause he’s so darned fluffy, everything was covered by fur!

[MimzMum]

lolz…My bunnies’ glands just kind of pop out at me…unfortunately. >_<

I haven’t tried to do this with Fiver yet. Kind of afraid to, actually. 0_o

[Lightchick]

Finally got around to watching this video… EEEeeewww!

Is that rabbit drugged?! Mine would NEVER tolerate that… Flipped over, turned around, poked, and poked and poked again…all while loosely holding the bun with 1 arm! I have to clutch mine with both arms or away-they-go!

I’ve looked on Lizzy (as best I can with her squirming and trying to kill me with her death-glare), and can’t find them. Nothing “pops” up. Just fur.

I can’t get Robbie onto his back. If you all check out my Halloween thread, you may notice the ugly scratch on the back of my hand…that’s from trying. Thought he should learn to tolerate being turned over. The result of experiment #1 in trancing Robbie was bloodshed on my part! After he flailed and escaped 3 times, I finally got him flipped over for about 5 seconds, before I decided to let him go before he started flailing (and kicking! he kicks HARD!) again (trying to end on a good note…).

If they don’t shape up, they’re going to have to endure the 45 min each-way car-ride to the Bunny Bunch once a month so Caroline can do it for me! (I can’t do nails, either. And I try to get my BF to help, but I don’t trust him to man the clippers, and he’s a softy and lets the bun go on the first squirm. Some big-bad EMT/firefighter he is! Beat up and bossed around by a 5lb furball…)

[jerseygirl]

Lightchick, if you do attempt to find the glands again, one of the BF’s full face masks might come in handy!
I recall trying to find them first time. I found bare patch of skin 1/2 way between genital mound and hind leg. “Huh! Doesn’t look quite right but must be it. Looks clean. Glad got that over and done with.” I was WAY off!

[MimzMum]

Yeah, that’s what kind of made me gripe about my vet, she opened up Pip’s glands just by looking at her bottom (I was worried she might have urine scald, thankfully was wrong) but WHOA! Smel-ly! And I even asked the vet if she would clean them and she says, in this offhand manner, “Oh they should be cleaning those themselves…” and put her back in her carrier. I’m sitting there like…Um, hello? You had them right there and you could’ve taken care of it, what’s the problem?

Yeesh. Am I the only one between the two of us who has the bronze to do the deed? Kinda sad, really.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

^^ Not only that, but I don’t believe they can clean them themselves!

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