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Scent Glands

Petitepuppet

Petitepuppet

Young Bun
I feel very stupid but I didnt know my rabbit had scent glands untill last week. Anyway they were pretty yucky and smelly so I gave them a good clean out.

I have just had a wee look at them again the now and they are yucky again but no where as bad as they were before.

What I am wondering is, how often should I be cleaning them?

And what should I be using to do it? Last week I just done it with water.
 
You shouldn't really need to be doing them at all. Bunny should be doing it. Is bun overweight?
 
There may be something else stopping her from cleaning it, for example if her teeth are too long or her mouth is painful. Or if she's not eating quite the right diet and it's making her poop taste funny :mrgreen:
 
I have just had a look at her teeth and they seem since and short to me.

She has constant meadow hay, an egg cup full of burgress junior and dwarf pellets per day and broccoli every 2 days and as a treat she gets a couple slices of carrot.

Would this make her poo taste funny?
 
Is your rabbit neutered/spayed?

I've never heard of rabbits cleaning their own scent glands. I wouldn't imagine they would because they use them to mark their territory so would WANT them to smell.

Generally they should be checked, but only need to be cleaned if the bun really smells, or if there is some sign of infection or irritation.
 
She will be trying to claim territory so is more likely to use her glands.

When she raises her tail, or when she poos and is marking her territory, those are times when she is scenting. If she is strongly claiming her territory, you may even smell it and if her tail is really high, you may be able to see the changes in her scent gland area. Sandy used to do this. She was the only one I smelt and the only one I could ever seen what she was doing with her scent gland area. She would sort of use the muscles around and hold it in a different way when her tail was raised right up. It was both gross and fascinating at the same time. :lol:

Hopefully when she is spayed it will ease, but it doesn't in all rabbits. you mioght find other rabbits around makes it worse, or when you bond, etc.
 
That sounds just like my girl and yes there is often a smell that comes from her.

I will just keep on eye on them from now on and only clean if I feel the smell is getting too bad lol.

Thanks for the help x
 
Sky-O said:
She will be trying to claim territory so is more likely to use her glands.

When she raises her tail, or when she poos and is marking her territory, those are times when she is scenting. If she is strongly claiming her territory, you may even smell it and if her tail is really high, you may be able to see the changes in her scent gland area. Sandy used to do this. She was the only one I smelt and the only one I could ever seen what she was doing with her scent gland area. She would sort of use the muscles around and hold it in a different way when her tail was raised right up. It was both gross and fascinating at the same time. :lol:

Hopefully when she is spayed it will ease, but it doesn't in all rabbits. you mioght find other rabbits around makes it worse, or when you bond, etc.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately Nutmeg and Smudge are neutered and STILL do this. :roll: It's when they can see the other two.
 
I have never cleaned Jimby's scent glands... I have never even seen them, :oops: but I do sniff his bum so I would know if he did smell, which thank goodness he doesnt!! :love:
 
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