Rabbit who cant clean his bottom

I have a dutch rabbit who is 14 weeks old. He was the runt of the litter and is a very odd shape, short legs, big bottom and longer fur than a normal dutch.
He lives indoors and when he was 6 or 7 weeks I had to extract hay which was up his nose, not short pieces, they were 7-8cm long. This only happened 3 times and seems resolved.
My problem is that because of his shape he cannot reach to clean his bottom and I have to bathe him in warm water to clean him. I have trimmed the fur underneath to ease the problem but even once clean he cannot keep himself clean.
I stopped his greens but it has made no difference as he still produces the soft poos although he also passes normal droppings as well. As it is normal to pass the soft re-eatable poos is there anything else I can do or should I rely on my cleaning assistance. I am more worried with the warmer months and flystrike. :!:
Thanks for any help

he needs to eat the soft poo, or else he wont be getting the right dietary intake, I wonder if Jaypot can offer you any advice, she has some disabled bunns and might know a trick to try

Have sent Jaypot a PM, thanx

the soft poos are the sticky poos, which is normal. If he can't reach them, he could poos on a spot, and turn around and eat them. Otherwise, you may have to pick up some of them and put next to a dish and see how it goes.

But if they are really soft poos, meaning they don't form the sticky shape but totally soft, then he didn't eat enough hay, and you have to encourage him to eat more hay

Hi Louloumembers - he does have to eat his soft poos and you may have to feed them to him as we have to do this for a number of buns :?
I would also try him with probiotic in his water for a couple of weeks to see if there is a change in his poops.
I would strongly recommend that you have him x-rayed to see what the damage is to his body as it is the wrong shape and you know it is different. This would throw a lot of light on the situation and you would know what was instore for him in the long run. He wouldn't have to be sedated for the x-rays and I really do think you would be doing him a great favour by finding out if anything is going on in the inside as well as the deformities on the outside
I would not bathe him every day as this weather is so cold - but I would use baby wipes a couple of times a day to clean him up. You could also try dry bathing him with cornflour - just rub him with it and it will dry any poops that are stuck to him - they then just peel off and come of really easily
For any smells that are lingering on him you could put a dusting of bicarbonate of soda on him as long as he is very dry
Keeping him on vetbed will also help him as this will draw the wee away from him and keep him dry - I swear by vetbed
If there is any more that you think I could help you with then please let me know. How is he in himself? Does he manage to get around quite well?
I really would recommend the x-rays as that will help throw a lot of light on the situation.
Please give him snuggles from his Auntie Jay - and a gentle kiss too
What is his name?

Here is Tiny. Since I posted this he has been much better, I have removed the sawdust and just given him hay on one side and paper on the other. He has had a clean bottom since Saturday and so I hope this has done the trick. He is very lively indoors and seems fine. I wonder if he is a little overweight and have reduced his food a bit.
Thanx for your help Jaypot. If any problems persist I will get him checked out at the vet.

Awwwww he looks just like th 1st ever bunster I had as a child... I was about 4 and I chose his name............. Mr Rabbit!!

loulouembers said:

Here is Tiny. Since I posted this he has been much better, I have removed the sawdust and just given him hay on one side and paper on the other. He has had a clean bottom since Saturday and so I hope this has done the trick. He is very lively indoors and seems fine. I wonder if he is a little overweight and have reduced his food a bit.
Thanx for your help Jaypot. If any problems persist I will get him checked out at the vet.

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He is gorgeous x

ooh just noticed louloumember that you are in brighton!

thats my old stomping ground (moved ooop north about 3 years ago).

which vet do you use?

He is very sweet. How is his behaviour indoor vs. a large rabbit?

Someone told me larger rabbit (10 lb. +) makes better household pet than smaller rabbit. But I like dutch rabbit as they looks smart. That someone (a rabbit breeder) also said smaller rabbit like dutch rabbit damages a lot more than large rabbit.

I have to say it was a naughty dutch who chewed through the Playstation cable and the air pipe tube on my other halfs tropical tank. But I have a blue rex who constantly pees on my other half and the sofa and chews my jeans so couldnt really say which is the lesser little devil!
Luckily Tiny cant reach lots of tempting things - washing etc - or jump on the sofa so I only have one to watch!