Best Way To Clean Mucky Bunny Bums Please??

HARLEY is a scrumptious fluffy cinnamon butterfly lop and at the moment he has a mucky bum which needs a good clean - he is a real wriggler and struggles and kicks when you try to pick him up - any tips please???

You could try wrapping him in a towel and have his bottom accessible to clean, warm soapy water or small amount of antibacterial hand wash like hibiscrub, I use a hairdryer (cool setting).

suzibunbun said:

HARLEY is a scrumptious fluffy cinnamon butterfly lop and at the moment he has a mucky bum which needs a good clean - he is a real wriggler and struggles and kicks when you try to pick him up - any tips please???

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Just plain warm water using a bottom bath, damp flannel or cotton wool, then dry thoroughly. If bun is an outdoor bun then he needs to be FULLY dry right down to his skin before going back outside in this cold weather.

HOWEVER it is MOST important that you get to the bottom of WHY bun has a mucky bum? Dental issues, mobility issues and an incorrect diet are the most common reasons so a vet check up first off would be the best idea. :wave:

I fully understand - Harleys teeth are fine, so is his mobility and he eats the same as all the other 10 buns - plenty of meadow hay, science selective and fruit and veg in the evening - he has always been fine previously - I think it is something to do with the weather recently - however I know to keep an eye on all these things, so thanks! Is there such a thing as a 'bottom bath?' :?

prettylupin said:

Just plain warm water using a bottom bath, damp flannel or cotton wool, then dry thoroughly. If bun is an outdoor bun then he needs to be FULLY dry right down to his skin before going back outside in this cold weather.

HOWEVER it is MOST important that you get to the bottom of WHY bun has a mucky bum? Dental issues, mobility issues and an incorrect diet are the most common reasons so a vet check up first off would be the best idea. :wave:

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suzibunbun said:

I fully understand - Harleys teeth are fine, so is his mobility and he eats the same as all the other 10 buns - plenty of meadow hay, science selective and fruit and veg in the evening - he has always been fine previously - I think it is something to do with the weather recently - however I know to keep an eye on all these things, so thanks! Is there such a thing as a 'bottom bath?' :?

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Weather change although this can upset buns in certain ways it is unlikely to cause an acute caecal dysbiosis as you describe above. There are many possible reasons a bun can suddenly get a mucky bum, usually it is dietary related and not all rabbits can tolerate the same type of diet, gut hypersensitivity is not uncommon, especially in dwarf lops. I would certainly cut out his fruit and veg for a few days and increase the amount of hay he eats. However, hidden pain can cause dysbiosis so a vet examination should always be the first port of call before assuming it is dietary related, if it doesn't clear up in a day or two.

A bottom bath simply means to stand bunny in a shallow bowl/sink of water and using your hands gently wash the rear only keeping the rest of bunny as dry as possible.

I know how you feel Mr Snow is also a dwarf lop and always has a mucky bum. I have tried all sorts with him, gradually changing pellets, only a little fruit and veg, there is always hay available and he is a good hay eater. Everything else seems fine with him.

He also hates being picked up and having his bum cleaned. I usually lay him on his back, hold his chest with one hand and clean off what I can with the other hand using kitchen roll. At bum bath time I stand him in the bathroom sink, back legs only with one hand to bath and the other holding him around the chest area, I usually get as wet as him! I have to change the water about 3 times. I towel him dry then leave him on the bathroom floor on dry towels with the radiator on on till he is fully dry.

He always has dried poo on him in winter as he likes to sleep in the litter tray :roll: I don't bath him as much in the winter as he is unlikely to get fly strike due to the cold weather. I also carefully trim off what I can with scissors too, but I'm not to keen on doing this as I am scared about catching his skin. It's easier if you can get someone to hold the bun down, holding the chest and sholder area while bun is on their back on your knee giving to 2 hands free to work on the poo.

I had one bun who was good as gold when his bum needed cleaning and would just sit in a washing-up bowl, but another one hated it. I found that if I laid a towel in shallow water in the bath then as he hopped up and down it would loosen the poo without me having to man-handle him too much.

When I clean my dwarf loos bum, I usually get a warm bowl of water and a sponge and gentely wipe her bottom another thing I use now she is friendly is flour and water mixed together to form a paste then use a cheap toothbrush to put it on the stains on the tail, leave it on overnight this encourages her to lick herself clean then I use a brush to brush out the left over paste, leaving her bun nice and White. hope this helps

snip snip. i have hairdressing scissors for the job and gently cut off anything i can. then i try to keep the hair round the belly and bum a bit shorter, so that there is little to stick to. seems to work. but, got to say, be cautious if you're snipping. i only do it if i can see hair to snip, i don't do it if i'm not sure what's underneath!

SORTED!!!! Now the bad weather has improved, I checked Harley's butt again and it was really in need of doing so I put an inch of warm water in the bath with a bunny blanket/cloth on the bottom and put him in - he actually seemed to enjoy it really!!!:shock:I put some some bunny shampoo cleaner in my hand and tackled his matted pooey butt (he's very fluffy round that area!!ahhhh!!) Chunks fell off and I just get rinsing and rubbing till it all disappeared - easy really!!:shock: I lifted him out onto some old towels and rubbed him and cuddled him on the bathroom floor till he was almost dry - he's back out now in a clean hutch smelling as gorgeous as his little face is! Don't know what the fuss was about:roll::rollefinitely the best idea 'in the bath' as they can't escape and you don't get tooooo wet!!

Definitely a good idea too - I have been doing a bit of this (scary!!) will trim Harley if this happens again (hope he doesn't get a chill on his butt!!!)

happybun said:

snip snip. i have hairdressing scissors for the job and gently cut off anything i can. then i try to keep the hair round the belly and bum a bit shorter, so that there is little to stick to. seems to work. but, got to say, be cautious if you're snipping. i only do it if i can see hair to snip, i don't do it if i'm not sure what's underneath!

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