![Can You Bathe A Rabbit? [Do You Even Need To Clean Them?]](https://peteducate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Can-You-Bathe-A-Rabbit-Do-You-Even-Need-To_-1.png)
If you are a rabbit owner, then you’re going to want to know whether you need to clean and groom them. What about baths; are these required and will they help your rabbit? Needing to know this, I decided to research the topic. I’d like to share this information here with you today.
So, can you bathe a rabbit? You can bathe a rabbit, although will only need to do so during times of illness or where they cannot naturally groom themselves. It is also important you do so in a safe, careful, gentle manner and stress-free environment with specific and rabbit-safe products.
A bath is not something you actually will need to do very often, because rabbits are diligent self groomers!
Of course, there will always be times when they are less willing and able to do so; and if you start to notice feces collecting on their behind – it may be time to intervene.
Let us now explore this much-debated topic further by looking at why rabbits do not require bathing in the traditional sense of the word.
We will then explore how you should bathe your rabbit if the situation requires it and were to arise.
Do Rabbits Need Baths?
Rabbits do not generally need baths; at least in the traditional sense of the word.
If you have ever visited a pet store, you may have seen that they usually have a wide variety of shampoos that often come in charming little bottles.
Naturally, this would make anybody think that all animals require bathing.
However, this is not true for rabbits. They are diligent self groomers.
A rabbit who is happy and healthy takes pride in its appearance. Rabbits will spend a good portion of their day cleaning themselves, and other rabbits nearby.
Generally speaking, baths are unnecessary and could do more harm than good. Rabbits intrinsically hate water.
As such, you should never force your rabbit to bathe as this can be immensely stressful. In worst-case scenarios, it can give them a heart attack.
If you are wondering whether there are any contexts whereby you should bathe your rabbit at all, there are certain instances when you can assist your rabbit to clean themselves.
The main reasons why you would likely need to assist your rabbit’s natural cleaning are:
- Digestive Issues – your rabbit may be feeling unwell and unable to clean the poop from his bottom. They may have lethargy, have a bloated stomach or may be in general pain that grooming exacerbates.
- Obesity – if your rabbit is overweight, it may be the case that their stomach is in the way. In this instance, they may psychically struggle to reach their backside to clean it.
- Arthritis – arthritis will certainly impede your rabbit from being able to groom himself properly. This is likely in elder rabbits.
It is also important to clarify the term of the use ‘bath’ here. This is not where you fill a full tub of water and place your rabbit inside to sit and relax.
Rabbits do not require full baths, they require strategic cleaning and only will do so in contexts like in any of those instances above.
For the most part, this should be done where your rabbit is struggling to clean the poop from its bottom. This is something that you need to ensure stays clean for hygenic as well as health reasons.
So you may need to help your rabbit remove feces and carefully clean its bottom area. In other words, you will be providing your rabbit with a ‘butt bath’.
How To Bathe A Rabbit
As explained in the previous section, you will only ever be required to give your pet rabbit a butt bath. The rest of their coat and fur will be cleaned by the rabbit themselves, with their tongue.
Poop can become very dry as it accumulates on your rabbit’s rear end, so a bath is a gentle way to remove the hardened feces.
Picking it off would be very painful for your rabbit so you should refrain from doing this.
You do want to make sure that the bath is a pleasant and stress-free experience for your rabbit. Make sure that you have a calm demeanor, be very gentle when handling your rabbit, and speak to them. This should help to put them more at ease.
It’s a naturally stressful experience for rabbits, particularly if they are young and are yet to fully trust you, or where they are suffering from illness and want to protect themselves.
Let’s look at how to carefully bathe your rabbit:
Step #1: Get A New Litter Tray
This should be a tray that’s just used exclusively for cleaning your rabbit. You want a sufficiently large enough one, like this Jumbo Tray you can get for a great price on Amazon.
Place a clean towel at the bottom of the tray (the towel is to give your rabbit support and traction), put a couple of inches of lukewarm water in the tray, and then put your rabbit in the water.
Ensure this water is on the cooler side, and never place your rabbit in boiling hot water.
This goes without saying really however can cause some serious pain and damage if it is too held.
It is usually better to edge on the side of caution and opt for cooler water over hotter water.
Step #2: Hold His Front Quarters Out Of The Water
You want to keep your rabbit’s front quarters dry, as it’s only his bottom you are cleaning.
Use your hands to gently swish the water around their bottom, this should help to loosen up the dry poop.
Some owners like to use soap or shampoo when cleaning their rabbits, but if you do so, you must ensure that you are using a safe product designed for pets.
A lot of soaps and shampoos designed for humans include a lot of chemicals and ingredients that can cause irritation and harm to your bunny.
For this reason, you must use a safe, natural product that is safe and gentle for your rabbit.
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#Step 3: Pick The Feces Off
When the area around your rabbit’s bottom is moist, you should easily be able to remove the feces.
Once you have removed it you can pick up your bunny out of the tray, and put them onto a fresh clean towel with their bum facing down.
From there you can gently dry them, but ensure you do so as thoroughly as possible.
Some owners like to use a hairdryer to dry their rabbit’s fur, you can if you wish, but you need to be careful. Make sure that it is on the lowest heat setting and it is not too noisy.
You don’t want your rabbit’s skin to dry out and chaff, as that would be very unpleasant and uncomfortable for them so only hair-dry them briefly.
Once your rabbit is dry, you will notice that they will start grooming their face and ears, as they do enjoy being clean.
Rabbit Grooming
Along with giving your rabbit the occasional butt bath, there are other grooming necessities, that you must manage, such as, brushing their fur, and clipping their nails.
Brushing Your Rabbit’s Fur
When rabbits groom themselves, they do remove a lot of their fur. However, rabbits can ingest an excess of fur, which can accumulate in their intestine, and cause GI stasis.
You sometimes may notice fur in their poop – this is where it has come from.
If your rabbit develops a gastrointestinal blockage, it will be very unpleasant, painful, and dangerous for your rabbit.
You can help prevent GI stasis, by hand-plucking some of the fur that is sticking out, or you could use a soft brush to thoroughly groom his fur.
You could use a rubber brush that would be gentle, yet effective to use on your rabbit’s coat.
In fact, for me, the best option is to get a pair of pet grooming gloves. They make the process a lot easier, more gentle and your rabbit will also enjoy the petting time.
The major benefit of pet grooming gloves is that it automatically collects the fur for easy disposal.
- EASILY REMOVES HAIR - Preen while you pet! These dog and cat brush gloves remove even the toughest knots with ease, without harming your furry friend.
- LARGE COVERAGE - These cat and dog grooming gloves are completely covered in bristles that allow you to easily brush even the most hard-to-reach areas.
- NO DISCOMFORT - Our cat and dog hair remover set will make your grooming routine go from a tedious task to a relaxing experience that both you and your pet will love.
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- HAIR-FREE HOME - By removing your pet’s matted and unwanted fur, these dog and cat grooming gloves take your home from a fur-ridden frustration to a hair-free haven in no time.
Clipping Your Rabbit’s Nails
Rabbits in the wild, build large-scale warrens. As a result, their nails grow rapidly in response to all the digging that must be done.
Your pet rabbit is no different, and its nails will grow at a very quick rate. Unfortunately, they are unable to wear down their nails, as quickly as their wild counterparts.
Therefore, you must frequently clip their nails. To begin clipping your rabbit’s nails, you must wrap their nails up in a towel, resembling a burrito.
This will keep them locked in position and unable to move whilst you attempt to clip their nails. Look out for the quick in the nail, make sure that you clip the nail and not the quick.
Also be sure to get some special pet clippers, as these are angled and generally far more effective for pets. I got mine on Amazon.
These are vital to have, as you will regularly clip their nails. Some rabbits have dark claws, so you may want to add a small torch to your nail clipping routine.
If you were to accidentally nip your rabbit, and they start to bleed, you can apply a product called styptic powder. This will stop bleeding and naturally promote healing.
In Summary
In the traditional sense of the term, rabbits do not need ‘baths’. Even if they do smell like onions!
A rabbit will naturally take care of its coat and groom itself routinely and regularly throughout the day.
However, there may be certain contexts and scenarios where your rabbit needs support.
You should ensure the maintenance of your rabbits hygiene at all times, so regularly washing their behinds and removing feces is a good general approach.
Just make sure you do so safely, gently, and with the use of the right products.
This will ensure the happiness and well-being of your rabbit during this process.
I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets, from traditional pets like dogs and cats, to the more exotic like reptiles and rodents. I currently own a Cockapoo (pictured) called Bailey. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and guidance, based on my vast pet ownership knowledge, experience, and extensive research.