bathing my bunny...

I know that "you shouldn't bathe your bunny/rabbit!" thing.. but what if she's really really dirty?

I have a sick bunny who is trying to get well from GI sickness, and her poops are on her butt, and she wouldn't eat, so she was forced to eat (we had to or else she'll die of hunger) and there were oats everywhere her fur.. and it just couldn't be removed by water alone.

What shampoo do you recommend me getting? Like what brand of dog shampoos which I can use to her?

Right now, I couldn't buy her a dog shampoo. for temporary, can I use tearless baby human shampoo? I know it's a bad idea, but will it be better if I wait for like another 2 days before I can give her a bathe.. she's been dirty for like 2 days already (yesterday was just then she was REALLY messy).. I was busy looking for a non-medicated hypo-allergenic pet shampoo.. and really, it's not too easy looking it in my place.

I read about using Mane and Tail.. something an article about rabbit getting a fungus, then mixing betadine with the mane and tail shampoo.. it was said to be non-irritating and mild.. please enlighten me about this.. if I can use either the baby shampoo or the Mane and tail, then I can bathe her today..

You can use cooking cornflour for a 'dry' bath - it's the stuff used for thickening sauces. Massage some into the dirty fur and because it has a silky consistency the dirt will loosen and brush out. Better than getting her wet if she's already ill I think - hope it works

You can get bunny wipes, they are just like baby wipes, maybe this would be more suitable than stressing her out by bathing her if she's already ill. I bathed Charlie once in rabbit shampoo, I was only supposed to do his feet but he managed to drench us both, I haven't done it since though and probably never will as he didn't like it.

Has she been to the vet, they'll be able to give her what she needs?

Maybe just comb out the dirt, cornflour sounds good too.

Sarah86 said:

You can get bunny wipes, they are just like baby wipes, maybe this would be more suitable than stressing her out by bathing her if she's already ill. I bathed Charlie once in rabbit shampoo, I was only supposed to do his feet but he managed to drench us both, I haven't done it since though and probably never will as he didn't like it.

Click to expand...

Yes that's a good idea too - I've used baby wipes or simply a facecloth/washcloth/flannel (not sure what you call them) wet with warm water with baby shampoo in, and wrung out till it's just moist not dripping.

Oh, so it's okay if I use baby wipes dipped in the human baby shampoo? and just moist her not really "wet" her? But I have problems dealing with that, how do I know if the shampoo is still not in her fur? What if she licks it off? I know it's my responsibility to wipe it thoroughly, but I am just trying to point out what might happen accidentally (that is if I wasn't able to wipe out all the shampoo in) or should I not really worry about her licking little of it?

I am off to buy cornflour now.. our kitchen ran out unfortunately, and off to buy baby shampoo too.. my process will be like dry bath her first, to help remove the dirt, then moist her.. sounds okay?

That sounds like a good plan If you dissolve a small blob of baby shampoo (about as big as a coin) in a basin full of warm water and swoosh it all around with your hand it will be diluted enough to not need rinsing off - that's what I use for my guinea pigs. I put about a few inches of water in the bathroom sink, with a small blob of johnson's baby shampoo and swoosh it till it's dissolved

thanks

uhm.. I was not sure.. I got the johnsons original baby shampoo.. the yellow one. http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/product.do?id=47

I saw the blue one, the baby bath.. I want to get it because it says soap-free and hypo-allergenic..

are these two both safe? and which do you think is better to use? well, the blue one is more fragant hehe

Yes, they're quite safe, I used to use them with my guinea pigs.

I use the yellow, but I think either will be fine diluted - in fact the blue's probably better so I might get some now you mention it