Rescue rabbit has a dirty bottom

[BB8]

Hello, yesterday I adopted a bunny (I think he’s a french lop) from my local animal shelter. He was littered with fleas and flea dirt. On the way to his new home he was in a cardboard box with shredded paper, and he peed a lot in the box and when he got home I noticed his bottom has urine stains. I’m not if it’s because the shredded paper didn’t absorb it very well or if it was stained from before he arrived at the shelter. He has some dried urine above his tail and some under his thighs. He also had some dried poop stuck on the bottom of the back feet, but I just picked those off. He was neutered earlier the same day and isn’t supposed to be wet. 

What would be the best way to clean him? I was thinking about just using scissors or pet clippers to just cut off the dried urine stained fur but I wasn’t sure if this is recommended?

And also what flea comb do you recommend for rabbits? I have one I use for my dog but with my bunny it removed very little hair and almost no fleas or flea dirt. He’s on Revolution right now and I would like to brush away the dead fleas and the icky dirt.

Thanks! 

P.S Just to add he’s a really great bunny and was very good at taking his medicine

[binkieBun]

Thank you for helping a rescued rabbit.

I have worked with lots of shelter rabbits in this condition. Yes, cut off fur that is matted fur or if it has poop stuck to it.  For areas that has pee stains, if its not too much, let it shed off naturally. For really bad pee stains, cut if off. Don’t over do the cutting where the rabbit is too bald and freezing. For the flea problem, I recommend seeing a vet for medication. It is probably worth the trip to the vet anyways to to get an overall yearly assessment done. 

Also – I have heard its not a good idea to give rabbits a shower because they can go into shock by the fear of water. However, I know in really bad situations its needed. Use your judgement to decide, and see how the rabbit is taking it you want to try it. Definitely blow dry the fur otherwise the fur will matte and clump easily.

[Sirius&Luna]

French lops are adorable! Congrats on your new arrival.

If he has just been neutered I definitely wouldn’t bath him. Clean him up as best you can with a damp flannel or towel, and make sure he is dried properly after. Once he’s in a clean environment he’ll probably do better at keeping himself clean too.

Since you’ve just got him, try and leave him in a calm and quiet area and not disturb him too much, so he has some time to settle in. It’s good to give him a box to hide in too.

With the fleas, there’s only one type of flea medication that is safe for rabbits (but I can’t remember which! If you search on here you’ll find other posts). I would also recommend a vet check up though, as sadly it doesn’t sound like he was cared for very well before you got him.

Have you had a rabbit before? If not, then the info section of this website is a great place to learn about best rabbit diets etc. And of course, keep asking questions

[BB8]

Hello, thanks binkieBun and Sirius&Luna for responding! He’s doing a lot better now!
When I was trimming the soiled hair I noticed it was a lot worst than at first glance. A lot more matted but I got what I could off him.
The good thing is that he loves to be pet and brushed! Hops right over to me and relaxes
He is on flea medicine right now, the vet gave him Revolution. The problem I’m having is my flea comb isn’t working for his fur type, it isn’t catching any of the dead fleas or flea dirt! I bought a different one today to try out.

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