Bathe your Rabbit Safely
In fact, you should not bathe a rabbit in water or get their fur wet if it can be helped, as rabbit fur takes a long time to dry. Moist fur has been linked to many causes of death in rabbits. Among other things, wet fur can cause skin infections and hypothermia.
Other than the inherent risk that water causes to rabbits, bathing itself can be harmful. First, most rabbits are unfamiliar with water. Bathe a rabbit will upset him, and its natural instinct is to leave the bath. Forcing it to stay in water will cause anxiety and stress. At worst, it can lead to death.
Generally, rabbits do not need to be bathed and they are self-cleaning pets. Just like cats, rabbits do the cleaning all on their own. Their owners need very minimal intervention in terms of cleanliness. The few situations that you would need to give your rabbits a bath is when their fur is matted. The common reason for this is when rabbits have built up excrement on their bottom.
How To Give Your Rabbit a Dry Bath
If you want to give your rabbit a dry bath, you will need the following:
- Soft bath towels
- Rubber gloves
- Fine-toothed flea comb
- Pure, unscented cornstarch
- Prepare The Bath
Choose a flat surface where you can place your rabbit. Clean the floor before using it. Cover the flat surface with something soft like a bath towel, to keep your rabbit comfortable. Don’t forget to have your bottle of cornstarch on hand
- Use Gloves
Make sure to put on some rubber gloves. A clean pair of the common, yellow household gloves will work great. Gloves will enable you a better hold of your rabbit.
- Secure Your Rabbit
Secure your rabbit gently but securely. It is better to have someone else hold down the rabbit for you to lessen the chances of strain.
- Put on The Powder
With your other hand, liberally apply the powder on soiled areas of your rabbit’s fur. Then, gently put the powder into the fur, down to the skin. Do it gently and not press too hard. Take your time and repeat the process, than be too gruff that it hurts your rabbit.
- Take off The Debris
As you put the powder into the fur, put it into the clumps of debris as well. Debris surrounded by enough cornstarch should come off easily, either sliding off the fur or breaking apart.
If you can’t take off the debris, use a fine-toothed flea comb. This comb will let you tease away the debris. If the debris doesn’t move from your rabbit’s fur, do not force it. This can harm your rabbit’s fur. Try adding more cornstarch to see if it budges. If not, leave it alone and move on.
- Remove Loose Powder
Pat gently the areas you put powder on to shake off the loose powder.
- Reward Your rabbit
Give your rabbit a treat for its behavior. Clean any loose powder on the floor and put the towels you used in the wash.
When Do Rabbits Need Brushing?
Rabbits need regular brushing, but the regularity depends on the breed, for example, Angora rabbits need daily brushings. On average, rabbits need brushing at least two or three times a week.
Breeds with long fur that are more prone to shedding, should be brushed daily.
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