Poopy Bum, won’t let me clean it!

[angelachristin]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here I think.  I have a 1-year-old mini lop that I got from the shelter almost 3 weeks ago.  He has been totally fine up until today and even went to the local rabbit vet on Friday for a checkup and they said he looked extremely healthy and perfect, teeth are fine, he weighs 3.5 pounds and is a good size, not overweight.

 Well today he gets out of his litter box and has a clump of mushy yucky poop in there and he has poop all over his bum and one of his feet but he WILL NOT let me clean him…he just keeps running away.  I haven’t ever picked him up yet because I haven’t needed to and don’t want to traumatize him.  

He only eats unlimited hay (timothy and oat hay), water, and greens.  Usually 1 cup for breakfast and 1 cup for dinner, a mixture of carrot tops, collard greens, bok choy, parsley, cilantro.  What he had this morning was bok choy, cilantro, and carrot tops.  He doesn’t eat any pellets because the shelter told me he didn’t need them.  The vet told me maybe to start giving him 1/8 of a cup or so, but I haven’t gotten any yet.  He gets an occasional baby carrot, but he probably hasn’t had one since Friday.  So I don’t know what is causing this and I don’t know how to clean his bottom because he really does not want me to! 

 

[Sarita]

Here is a very good article that will give you some different suggestions on cleaning him:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/buttbath.html 

[angelachristin]

I can’t get him to stay still, I don’t want him to get hurt…it says to turn him over, like that’s going to happen???

[Enzo's Mommy]

Get him used to being handled. This way he will feel more comfortable in your arms. Little by little you need to condition him to being groomed by you.

[angelachristin]

He sits in my lap and lets me brush him, he just really does not want me to pick him up or touch his bum or feet. His bum is actually clean now, he cleaned it up himself and most of his foot, but there is one little patch on his back leg where a piece of hay is stuck there and he keeps trying to thump me off if I touch his foot or leg. He is really a lovely and friendly boy and he will hop right to me, sit on me and ask for pets and he licks me and stuff.

[Enzo's Mommy]

This has happened to my bunny before! I just lifted him up firmly and used a wet paper towel or baby wipe and pulled it off quickly! I would try and relax him as I was holding him by talking to him or pausing when I noticed he was uncomfortable. He is more used to me touching his feet now. He still does not like too much touching there or on his front paws, but with time he is at least OKAY with cleaning sometimes.

[Roberta]

This sounds all too familiar… My little Blossom has mastered the art of sitting in her own cecals. Being part white angora this is not a good look.
Generally I have to hold her under the kitchen tap whilst running it gently so it is just warm. (bunrittoed with her head under the towel) this weekend just passed we had to go the full butt bath. (an inch of warm water in the kitchen sink) It had to be soaked to loosen it from the fur and on the third water change I washed her bottom with some epi-soothe creme rinse for sensitive skin (its a pet shampoo recommended by my local rescue) Blossom was the only one not soaking wet from head to tail, even the towels got drag into the sink and saturated.
It takes practice and the little monsters get to know when you are coming to get them with the intention cleaning a grotty botty. It took me two days to corner Blossom in a way that she did not have a chance to work herself into a complete state of the vapours.

[Monkeybun]

Yep, time, patience.. practice. It’s the only way to get him used to being handled. And you really do need to get him used to it. You need to be able to brush him, trim his nails, and of course, be able to get him in an emergency without chasing him around.

[Author]

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