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Clearing a mucky bum on a very scared and strong rabbit

Squizz

Squizz

Alpha Buck
Hi, Just after any advice / tips please.

Poppy is a fairly large dutch cross bun. We got her from a rescue when she was quite young, but she has always been very timid and hates being touched. we haven't worried too much as the rabbit she is paired with loves her and she loves him so she doesn't really need us....but this is a problem now that she is poorly and I need to treat her.

She has a really mucky bum, we have already had 2 trips to the vets to have it clipped and she has had a course of antibiotics. I thought it was better, but noticed today she had hay stuck to her bum, managed to catch her & she is a mess. I tried to clear her up, but it near impossible. My other rabbits trance out and let me do anything, but not her. I tried putting a small towel over her head but that didn't make much difference. I will get her to the vets for more treatment, but in the meantime I really want to get her cleaned up.

Any tips? also, any ideas what is causing this? Her teeth are fine. She roams the garden 6 -8 hours a day so gets plenty of exercise & grass & she has a&P pellets +fresh veg.

Thanks in advance
 
Perhaps you might want to limit her diet exclusively to hay for the time being. At least that would go someway to eliminating diet as the cause.

As for the bun-bum cleaning, if possible enlist help. Mr. Nasty will let me pick him up for inspection, but struggles if I try to clean him. The only way I have managed to do this by myself is by wedging him between my legs head first and lifting his rear-end very gently.
 
I used to clean my mucky bun in the bath. She was incontinent so needed cleaning regularly. I put a towel on the floor of the bath, then covered it with a few cm of lukewarm water. Then put bunny in the bath and allow them to splash around, the towel is so they don't slip. You can reach under and tease some of the muck out whilst they're in the water. Once clean, pull them out and try thoroughly with a towel. You can also use the cool setting on a hairdryer, but on no account let them go outside whilst still wet.

I would be having a look at what's causing the mucky bum. If you're going to the vets again have a chat, but I would be thinking about cutting out greens. Not the pellets though as domestic bunnies do get things from them that wildies get from a varied plant diet instead. Plus if you cut too many things out at once you won't know what's causing the problem! If she is running about in the garden she'll also be eating things there so it's possible she's just eating too much wet food.
 
I also have a very strong rabbit, and although he isnt scared he hates being handled, and at 3.6kg he can put up a hell of a fight.

Usually I would just get a washing up bowl with steep sides, or a small high-sided storage box , and dunk them in whilst doing a quick wash of their bum, with my hand under and between their front legs so they cant jump, which the high sides of the box helps prevent too. The box/bowl is also small enough so that they cant go forwards or backwards more than a few cm, so that helps keep them still.

If I need him to stay still for a while, or if I need my small but extremely flighty and nervous girl Anna to stay still, I get someone to hold the rabbit secure in a bunny burito, making sure to secure their legs with the towel so they cant kick, and then I kneel in front and move bits of the towel in order to get to the bits I need. I find it helps if the rabbit is in a sitting position on their knee, as that helps them feel supported.
 
We inherited Murphys sticky bum problems when we rescued him and although he is slightly better he still gets a messy bum. I used to do him with pet shampoo and baby wipes but it took ages and was stressful for him. Then I paid to have him shaved at vets and held him whilst nurse shaved him, after watching her I can now shave him at home, my husband holds him and I shave him, it takes about two weeks for fur to grow back round his bits but he has been so much better and he doesnt get so stressed.
 
Rabbits shouldn't really need cleaning up regularly unless they are ill.
I would look at the diet - lots and lots of hay (should be 80-90% of diet) and gradual reduction of pellets to an eggcupful a day.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the shallow bath. although I can forsee it being carnage! She is very anti-handling.

She is a greedy rabbit, but her diet hasn't changed so I would be surprised if that was the problem. She has constant access to nice fresh hay. I've got no idea whats causing it - hopefully the vet will have some ideas!
 
You say that she is a greedy rabbit. Is she overweight at all? If so this could be the reason for having a mucky bum. She just can't reach round that farto keep herself clean.
 
Squizz said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the shallow bath. although I can forsee it being carnage! She is very anti-handling.

She is a greedy rabbit, but her diet hasn't changed so I would be surprised if that was the problem. She has constant access to nice fresh hay. I've got no idea whats causing it - hopefully the vet will have some ideas!
Click to expand...

Her diet may not have changed but her gut may have, I have a rabbit that used to be overweight when given a large eggcup of adult pellets a day, now even though he gets 1 and a half handfuls of junior pellets and a scoop of profibre pellets a day he is underweight.

I'd put her on hay only diet till her bum clears up, then introduce her normal foods one at a time very slowly - with the flies out now its not worth the risk. You may find that she is okay when you reintroduce the foods, or you may instead be able to pinpoint which ones are causing her problems.
 
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