How do I help this guy get clean? (Pics)

I brought this pathetic looking buck home from the flea market today. It looks like he was probably shoved in with other rabbits, peed on and had his fur pulled out. He looks healthy otherwise. So you think he can take care of this himself with good care otherwise or should I bathe him? Instill need to give him a couple days to settle but I hate having a rabbit that doesn't look cared for.

If anybody has an idea on breed let me know!! I'm assuming he's just a mutt. I'm thinking broken chocolate color?

He doesn't look dirty enough that I would risk putting him through a bath, which can be very stressful on a bun. He's very pretty.

Quarantine, quarantine, quarantine! :nuke:

I think he may hate you for a while if you bathe him :lol: But I have used a warm damp not wet wash cloth on bunns that were sprayed before with no problem. Just like a petting motion to take off the worst of it. I had one buck that could shoot about six feet, pretty accurately too. all three of my does were "targets" :? It kind of stimulated them to groom themselves too..very pretty boy. I want a broken bunny so badly..

Make a thick paste with baking soda and a little water. Rub it into the fur. Sometimes people use toothbrushes to scrub sections of a dog with the paste. Let it dry while trying to keep the animal from licking it out of their fur. Food works well. Thoroughly rub/brush the animal to get it back out and wipe down with a damp cloth to minimize how much baking soda is ingested.

Thank you all for the advice, I misted him lightly this afternoon with some cool water (it's pretty hot here) like I do my others and that seemed to stimulate his grooming.

I just can't imagine his conditions to get this dirty...I couldn't leave this guy there - the guy picked him up by the skin on his spine and threw him into a cardboard box.

:surprised: Man that was not very nice of him. Though I have had some babies (destined for the pot soon) that I have to do that to. Otherwise the try to bite and scratch the heck out of me. :evil:

Pretty easy to get a rabbit that dirty. I stick a doe between 2 bucks once and she was yellow the next morning. I had a creme d'argent who always looked rather scruffy and dirty in the colony no matter how recently it was cleaned or how good of condition she was in otherwise. She was a bit embarassing to let people see but she just kept popping out the litters without losing body weight so I guess she was fine. Maybe just a crappy groomer. My champagne d'argent were a little like that too. They always had urine stains on their hindquarters cause they'd flop where ever and not move even when stuff was spilled on them.

Picking up by the scruff and back skin is done with some more aggressive breeds like the checkered giants. It is somewhat debatable but having been torn up by those huge monsters I can see the reason. Some people do take it too far. I always found it kind of odd when I took my large breeds like the champagnes and the american sables to show and there were people there all decked out with their arms covered, gloves on, etc.. scruffing their rabbits on to the table. The one time I was standing there with a doe really related to theirs and she was stretched out across my bare arm sleeping while we waited to be called. :lol:

I just had my first experience bathing a rabbit last night. I'll never do it again if possible. I have 3 French Angoras and 2 of them had major problems with their back feet getting severely stained from urine. My cage design added to the problem but their grooming habits were not up to par as 1 of them kept her feet clean. One of the 2 rabbits corrected their behavior and her feet are fine now. My buck however isn't learning and his feet were very bad. I was moving him into a bigger cage and decided to try and bath his feet. Using a sprayer was not working as he is big and was kicking hard. We put him in the tub with an inch or so of water and a folded towel for him to stand on. He handled it well. I was very happy he tolerated the blow drying really well which took a long time. Despite being pleased with the outcome, it's not worth the risk of the stress.

I'd advise you to correct the problem that caused the rabbit to become dirty (which you have) and then just let nature take it's course. I had a Lionhead I bought from a flea market that was in bad shape when I got him. He fur was dirty and his back half was matted. I brushed him regularly and he steadily improved. He is now my softest Lionhead and has wonderful fur.

Mist lightly with a half & half vinegar water solution and brush lightly with a soft slicker or pumice stone. Repeat daily until clean

I have a few temporary does that are varying degrees of psycho. I grew them out basically to give me a litter or two, until I could get some new does. I have to pick them up by the scruff and back skin.

Thankfully, I don't need the psychos any more, so they'll be in the freezer once their babies are grown out.

I do think I was a little sympathy-blinded by this guy! I'll admit I've never seen a rabbit handled that way, even though I scruff mine every time I take them out. I am hoping he makes a quick turnaround appearance wise

I do need to learn to quit some of the sentimental stuff considering this guy could end up in the crock pot once filled out :?

Almost all commercial growers I have worked with have "scruffed" their rabbits, [and many others as well, ] I don't think it causes the rabbit a lot of discomfort , and probably no discomfort until they get large. Those "breeders" and " fanciers " who have a lot of time on their hands to "socialize" their rabbits can pick them up , and carry them cradled in their arms, [and that is wonderful]
I do not have that much time, -- I grab a hand full of loose skin on the shoulders and move the young about as I need to, [and that is not very much, from doe cage to butcher or grow-out cages] I pick up the does the same, except I put the other hand under their butt to support them, When I am picking up my older " pets" , I will put one hand under their chest, the other under their butt, and carry them that way as long as they are cooperative. I am sure the older rabbits like the last method better then the first, but in the end the option is theirs.

I have no problem with scruffing and that's now I handle my rabbits and I do not cuddle or carry them around. However to see one picked up by the skin close to the kidney area of their back seems unnecessary especially when collecting by the scruff is just as easy (he was out on a table at the time). This was simply my issue here and I'm not trying to start an argument. I had to cull a doe recently that I basically had to handle by the ears to get her to not try and rip my skin off, so I know non-traditional handling is sometimes necessary.

I too, am guilty of the "grab and toss"! lol

And that rabbit doesn't look bad (dirt wise) to me. Granted his feet are a bit stained, but half my rabbits that have white on them look like that on a regular basis and I keep my rabbits really well.

I wouldn't do anything to "get him clean". I would just let him groom himself. Looks like he was in a growout pen with other rabbits and got peed on. No biggie. Get some weight on him and send him to freezer camp.

He's pretty darn cute!

STRrabbits":3ub3z0pu said:

I brought this pathetic looking buck home from the flea market today. It looks like he was probably shoved in with other rabbits, peed on and had his fur pulled out. He looks healthy otherwise. So you think he can take care of this himself with good care otherwise or should I bathe him? Instill need to give him a couple days to settle but I hate having a rabbit that doesn't look cared for.

If anybody has an idea on breed let me know!! I'm assuming he's just a mutt. I'm thinking broken chocolate color?

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Give him a warm water bath or a wet towel clean, and then keep him with you in the house like your baby and he will look clean and will also be very happy and will love you a lot too. Rabbits when they come to our door, they need us but we also need them, but we don't know that. So give him your company and have his company and all will be fine. You may find this astounding, but this rabbit will resolve the problems in your life which you could not resolve before, but only if you don't keep him in a cage but with you. What usually happens often times is we begin to start seeing pets as problems in our life, and then we compound the problems in our life rather than resolving them, by not giving our pets adequate care. Let this not happen to you. If we take care of all our responsibilities in life and take care of dependents then we don't remain dependent upon some situation/problem that won't resolve or go away. All problems go away when we begin to take care of responsibilities, because then we inadvertently take care of our own problems and they sit resolved.

Unicorn":3q3mp7v5 said:

Give him a warm water bath or a wet towel clean.

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NO baths unless ABSOLUTELY NESSECARY!!!

Giving a rabbit a bath (like mentioned before) can stress them out, and it can sometimes be compared to giving a cat a bath, they can fight, but they could break their back. The bunny doesn't at all look like he needs a bath. just a good brush and a tongue will do the trick.

Can I have what Unicorn's on? Please?

Bucks are dirty, disgusting creatures. They spray, and then rub themselves in their spray. I loathe the day I have a light/white buck, because I know I am going to hate how yellow he is all the time.

Personally, I would leave him be, occasionally mist with water to get him grooming but otherwise wait it out, and hope that when he molts, the fur will no longer be stained. But I also wouldn't hold my breath, because he may like the yellow look.

Just to throw this out for anyone considering baths::

It's not a good thing to do for rabbits, they can die of shock. :weep:

HollandHops":2pochay7 said:

Just to throw this out for anyone considering baths::

It's not a good thing to do for rabbits, they can die of shock. :weep:

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JMHO - "I disagree"


how-to-butt-bath-an-aggressive-rabbit-t21087.html
I did not see a thred on this -[I probly missed it]-so I thought I would add one
- When Rabbits get sick, or have a feed change too suddenly they may get a "poopy butt" -- or when rabbits get bit on the genitals [or some other problem], they may get urine soaked on the back end , legs or feet. [Urine Scald]This needs to be cleaned up ASAP as this is very painful and will lead to more severe problems.
When rabbits are not feeling good they may be aggresive [some are aggressive anyway]
First put on a long sleeved jacket,in case you get bit [a mad rabbit can remove your nipple, or bite your arm] then, - put your hand on the rabbits shoulders, and push it firmly against the floor [don't smash it] next take your other hand and slide it under the the rabbits chest behind the front legs, - rock the rabbit backwards sliding your hand that is on the shoulders back to suport the butt,firmly pin the rabbits head between your bicep and side [just above your elbow] the rabbits nose will be pointing up, and make sure the ears are hanging down . Run lukewarm water on the urine scald, or poopy part [just the part that needs cleaned, not the whole rabbit] if the poop is hard you can speed up the process by using a little regular blue Dawn dish soap [not anti-bacterial] add 1/2 tsp of soap to 2 cups of water, and put a little on the poopy part [just on the poop not the whole rabbit] when the poop is soft enough to easily remove without pulling out hair, gently clean off the poop, and rinse very well, - next -use a dry fluffy wash cloth and gently press/ squeeze the wet parts to remove as much of the water as possible, then blow-dry the rabbit completely [the rabbit must be all the way dry when you are done.-and be careful not to burn the rabbit]
-If the rabbit struggles and starts to get loose-- just take your free hand and put it on the rabbits chest ,below the front legs [so it can't bite you], --and push it back and re-pin the rabbits head with your arm
If the rabbit has sores gently apply A+D , or Desitin ointment to the raw areas, use a light coat, not a thick coat of ointment.
Check your rabbit 1 or 2 x a day and apply more ointment or clean as necessary for a while to make sure the raw spots are protected while healing.


sarah8001 wrote:
I recently bathed my buck's butt. He's not hostile, but he found the whole situation to be undignified and distasteful. I bathed him in the bathtub (no sink large enough) and found that giving him a wadded up towel to stand on helped. That way his front feet didn't really get wet. It also gave him traction on the enamel surface so he felt more secure. If you're rabbit's not a biter you could try that.


If your rabbit is not a biter, that sounds like a good way to clean them, -
- I butt bath all rabbits the same way, [except the pining the head with my arm part], the ones who don't bite like to watch what I am doing --and I let them as long as they are good.
by holding them on their back with the butt down hill, it is easy to just get the dirty parts wet, so the drying is not such a long ordeal . [I butt bath 5 to 10/ day where I work]

-- Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:08 pm --

people with rabbits should invest in a blow-dryer

I agree that it is more detrimental to have a rabbit try and clean its own poopy or urine soaked butt and in such cases bathing should be attempted BUT cautiously. You can effectively bathe a rabbit in an inch of water - kinda like a sponge bath and NOT a full body soak- if you do frequent water changes