Rabbits do not require routine bathing and in fact frequent washing, either with or without shampoo, strips the rabbit's fur of its natural oils, which helps to keep the rabbit's coat in good condition. Bathing is also extremely stressful for rabbits and has many potential and serious dangers.
Bathing them can even be harmful, since they tend to panic in water and may fracture a limb or their spine if they thrash around. Wet rabbits can also catch a chill and suffer from pneumonia, respiratory infections, hypothermia, and other life-threatening conditions.
It is always best to prevent your rabbit from getting too wet, as he is a delicate animal and doesn't even need to be washed by his human keepers for reasons of hygiene (at most, some localised baths could be useful).
Fill a bathroom sink to about 2.5″ depth with lukewarm water. Mix in about a tablespoon of shampoo, and mix well. Being firm and gentle so that the bunny cannot jump and injure himself, lower his rear end into the lukewarm shampoo/water, and gently lave the solution onto the soiled areas until they are clean.
Whenever your rabbit pees or poops outside the litter box, you want to make sure you thoroughly clean it up. Sweep or vacuum up the excess poops, mop up the pee, and use a pet-safe cleaner to disinfect the area.
You might have heard that rabbits will immediately go into shock if they touch water, but that's honestly very rare. The more realistic dangers are hypothermia and skin infections, but these can often be prevented if the rabbit is dried quickly and thoroughly.
Bathing is Bad for Rabbits' Fur
Wet rabbit fur also clumps, which means that it can be very difficult to get your rabbit's coat completely dry following a bath. Moisture can also cause rabbit fur to dry into mats.
Rabbit urine can be removed from most surfaces using pure white vinegar or a diluted white vinegar solution. Tough or dried stains may need some time to soak, or they will require the use of stronger chemical cleaners.
Drying your rabbit
You can towel dry the rabbit, gently rubbing the fur to remove as much of the excess water as possible. Be very careful as rabbit skin tears very easily. Use a hair dryer on a warm, but not hot and on a gentle setting to carefully dry the rabbit.
Many bunnies enjoy cuddles and affection
Bunnies are super-soft, and many will love cuddling with you as much as you love cuddling with them. Once a bunny is comfortable in their new home, they may claim you as their own by rubbing their chin on you to mark their territory.
High in sugar, apples should only be fed to rabbits as a treat. Also high in sugar, it's safe for rabbits to eat bananas occasionally. Rabbits have a sweet tooth, so grapes are great as a treat.
Dampen your rabbit's ears with a wet cloth or a fine mist (if they're comfortable with you doing this). They lose heat through their ears so this will speed up the cooling process.
Rabbits have scent glands located next to their anus. These secrete a tar-like substance that has a skunk-like smell to it. If your rabbit can't clean themselves properly then these will get clogged, causing your rabbit to smell. In these cases you'll have to clean out the scent glands manually.
So, can rabbits eat strawberries? Strawberries are non-toxic and fed in very small quantities are unlikely to cause harm. However, there are plenty of veggie treats that are a more suitable choice, so save the strawberries for yourself and reach for more bunny-friendly options for your pet's daily portion of fresh veg.
If you blast your bunny with a jet of water this could not only be harmful if you catch areas around the eyes, nose or ears, it could also be stressful and your rabbit could develop aggressive behavior towards you or become antisocial and timid.
Nope! Another question that people often ask is whether rabbits sleep mostly during the day or at night. And the answer is neither. They are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dusk and dawn.
While rabbits can carry parasites like tapeworm and roundworm, their waste is not known to transmit any diseases to humans.
Caring for your pet rabbit
It is important that you understand all the requirements for caring for a rabbit before you buy one. Rabbits generally live for 5 to 8 years depending on their environment and breed, but they can live for as long as 12 years.
The best way to gain your rabbits' trust is by simply spending lots of time being near them, while allowing your bunnies to approach you in their own time. By sitting quietly with them in a safe enclosure, you'll show your rabbits that you aren't to be feared and that you can be trusted.