• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Tips for cleaning glands

diane7

diane7

New Kit
Hi I have just gone to clean my bunny’s glands which I was advised to by the RSPCA to do once a week.
The female was fine but the male didn’t like it one little bit, is it really necessary and if so have you any tips.

Many thanks

:wave:
 
diane7 said:
Hi I have just gone to clean my bunny’s glands which I was advised to by the RSPCA to do once a week.
The female was fine but the male didn’t like it one little bit, is it really necessary and if so have you any tips.

Many thanks

:wave:
Click to expand...

I have read that you should clean their glands once a week also. I have put my bunnie in a very shallow bath or you can hold them under a tap, but the water must be cool.
 
I was wondering about this too.

Actually, i didn't even know that one of my bunnies was a female. Luckily, she was fixed today, before she got pregnant.
 
Sorry to sound a little thick, but where are the glands(I have a ruff idea what area) what am I looking for.:oops:
 
Huh? Clean the glants once a week? First time I hear this and I have been keeping rabbits for about 10 years now...
 
Hmmmm, I have never done it either.:roll: What am I looking for.:oops:

Edit - just looked at the link and I don't recall seeing any gunky stuff to be cleaned.
 
I'm also a member of the "never done this" club. As it's so stinky, wouldn't you be able to smell if and when it needs doing?
 
I figured they'd be like dogs since dogs have scent glands too which sometimes need to be cleaned. I can't see a rabbit needing this once a week unless it has a problem with them, otherwise how would they cope in the wild? :?

I can't say i've done this for Fiver and i do check his "bits" now and again to make sure of no poo or anything unusual and have never seen gunky stuff.

I don't fancy doing it much and tbh i doubt he'd let me do it, i hope you don't have to do it once a week :S
 
Ive never done this, and t.b.h. i think it would stress kermit out no end! So i think ill leave it, unless someone comes back here and tells me its a definate must!
 
Hello
I asked my vet to clean Eric and Ernies scent glands last night and she didn't think it was needed.
I also asked her to give them both a tummy trim (hairy little tummies) and she said it was best to leave it as it was, as they were good at keeping themselves clean, so I would assume they are o.k

But I will happly take advice here too, if you think it was necessary to clean the glands. I would just need someone to come and do it for me as Eric would not take too kindly to having it done!!! (It's very private down there - thank you very much!!:lol::lol::lol:)
 
I've never cleaned their glands before. The vet cleaned them once for our doggie when he had a bad tum tum, and he didn't like it at all. He screamed and yelped and I suppose the bunnies wont like it either...
 
I also never clean my current buns on the scent glands.

w/ 1 of my bridge bun, Little Happy, he wasn't neuter, so I do clean his scent glands every once in a while. But w/ Bernie, his balls has been removed, there is nothing there, so I still have to clean it?
 
I wouldn't run the rabbit under a tap for this job - this will more likely stress them out and you'd need to make sure they were completely dried off too.

Unless there is a particular problem with excess secretions from the glands, you shouldn't really need to clean them every week. I check them over every week, but really they don't need cleaning routinely.

If you do need to do this, just use a moistened cotton bud tip to take the excess out, but be careful cos their skin is really thin. You might need a peg for your nose too!!
 
My 6 year old female bun needs hers doing about twice a week as she struggles to clean herself properly as shes old and has EC, but my 6 month old buck is fine and does it himself, I think it all depends on the bun :)
 
Once a week, for a normal rabbit, is excessive and I would never advise running them under a tap or bum bathing to do it....the secretion has a waxy texture and needs to be removed with a little pressure, it would repel water.

I wouldn't be suprised if the more you did it the quicker they filled up again given their actual purpose.

I think I probably have to do mine twice a year at most and thats only if they look impacted. To do this I trance them and use a damp cotton bud. It takes all of about a minute to do both glands.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BevBunny
Lost/abandoned bunny (let’s call it Norman)
Replies
15
Views
330
bunny momma
bunny momma
Cocoandpickles
general advice for new baby
Replies
8
Views
256
Cocoandpickles
Cocoandpickles
E
Rabbit attacked by fox
Replies
19
Views
471
bunny momma
bunny momma
Back
Top