Bathing Rabbits

[sarazwagerman]

I was wondering if anyone has bathed their bunnies. I had bought some Four Paws Bunny Bath. It is made to shampoo and deoderize your bunny. It also has aloe vera in it. The bottle says it prevents skin irritation. I paid $6.29 fora 6fl oz bottle. Is it really worth it and is it good for them? If I do bathe them what do I need to watch for? Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Maureen Las]

There isn't any need to bathe a bunny unless he is ill and needs a butt bath or something. bathing is not recommended for rabbits,,,way to stressful. They keep themselves clean.Products like that are sold for compnies to make money. Return it if you still have the receipt.
i know your intentions were to take the best care of your rabbit

 

[sarazwagerman]

Well, I can't really return it beause I've already used it. I noticed it was stressful for them so I wasn't going to do it again unless it was needed. Thanks for the help.

 

[kherrmann3]

I have the Four Paws bun bath too. I bought it when I first got Toby (almost four years ago!). I've found that it's easiest to bathe buns in the human-tub. I put 1-2 inches of water in the tub and mix some of the shampoo into the water. I just let Toby splash around in the water and massage any gunk out of his fur. Then I just rinse the already wet areas with fresh water from a separate bucket/container. I've had to give Toby full-body baths before (he was encrusted with stuff that he found in the kitchen :?) and I just avoid their face and ears with the shampoo. I hope that helps?

 

[tonyshuman]

I always say that bunnies are "spot clean only." It's most important that they don't catch a cold after a bath, that's why you avoid the ears, like kherrmann said. Keep an eye out for sneezing, mucus, etc. We've all made mistakes with our bunnies, good thing you now know!

 

[Maureen Las]

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/buttbath.html
Do NOT immerse the entire body of a rabbit in water for a bath...:shock:
Spot clean!!!!!

 

[sarazwagerman]

Thanks for the help. Now that I know I'm going to keep the Bunny Bath for emergency uses only. I did notice that it was way to stressful for them. Now if I could only get them to use their litter pan...

 

[Maureen Las]

I have done butt baths with my rabbit who had renal failure because i thought nothing could ever get the filth off him...I also sat with him trying to dry him with a hairdryer.
The only point I'm trying to make is that unless a bun has extreme medical problems that would create a situation where he HAD TO BE WASHED I would never chance it.
If their undercoat gets wet they will chill. and if they are sick anyway it would only exacerbate the situation

sometimes I have broken down and given a butt bath but I have never given a healthy bun a bath just to make him cleaner.

there is a big difference/

there is nothing wrong with you for thinking you should give a bun a bath becaue products are sold to do it.

but the more knowledgeable that you become the more that you will know that it isn't necessary most of the time ....

 

[Leaf]

Isn't aloe vera toxic to rabbits if ingested?