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Cleaning the genital scent glands, Do you do this??????

maisydaisystar

Alpha Buck
Having checked that my female rabbit had a clean bottom, now that the flies are about, I noticed she had dark brown, almost black hard crusty lumps, either side of her genitals, I have come across this before with another rabbit I had in the 90's, I never knew what it was, but cleaned and removed it, as I did with the female I have now
After searching the internet, this is what I found, Just wondering how many of you out there are aware of this????????? As I have never heard it spoken of on the forum. And should I check my male rabbit too???? Or is it just females that have this??????


In addition to the scent glands under their chins, rabbits also have much more powerful scent glands on both sides of their genitals. This area needs to be checked and will probably always need cleaning. Sometimes you'll find just a few moist flakes from dried skin, but more often you'll find a very dark brown, hard, waxy type of build-up. Either of these can be easily removed with a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide. If this substance is not cleaned and is allowed to remain, the area could become infected.

The rabbit may have to be turned on its back to do this. Keep one hand pressed firmly on the stomach so that he/she cannot suddenly flip over and injure their back. Use your fingers to find the genitals and then to separate the area directly adjacent to the genitals. When you find the scent glands and separate the overlapping skin, the dark substance will become visible.
If your rabbit ever has a "skunky" smell -- it's time for a cleaning!
 
Yep, this is one of the things I look at when I do my bottom checks and if necessary then I clean them out.

Not needed very often luckily.
 
oh yes the dirty job that most dont know about , i clean the does more often than the bucks dont know why they seem to get more stinky ;) . I also think age has a lot do do with it ;)
 
Yes, I've always checked that area and cleaned as necessary particularly when the rabbit is a bit fat and cannot reach them... it becomes hard, so as the skin is very very very thin inside, one has to be careful not to pull it in the process. I just moister to make the substance soft before cleaning. It's normal in both sex neutred and uneutered.. I quite like the smell of it :lol: it's so typical of rabbits that scent...
 
How often do you guys clean it?

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I really appreciate the info on this thread. My mind wasn't thinking, as I should have know the answer. My bridge bun Goofball was spay, and I did clean her gland sometime after that.

So I should have known, but it was at least 1 yr. ago and I totally forgotten spay or not, it makes no difference. Somehow I thought once they are spay, there is no hormone, and no scent. Anyhoo today I clean both buns thoroughly. And I feel guilty as the dirt on Minnie has been there for 1 yr. and 8 mth., and there is a huge amt. of dirt, whereas Bernie, just some amt. of dirt, and he hasn't been clean for 1 yr. and 3 mth.
 
I don't think it's good to do it too often as it is a natural fonction provided the rabbit can clean the hard part itself.. I do it irregularly when it appears that it needs to be done... when it's hard and coming out the edge. I did it recently but I had not done it for months.....
 
I only do it if it smells really bad (in a way that might attract flies) or is obviously blocked up. Some of them have never needed doing but my worse one is Fiver whose are done about 2-3 times a year.
 
I have just read thru 3 rabbit medicine book on scent glands. They talk about where it is. But none of these books talk about How the stinky hard substance is formed.

And assuming that substance is used to mark territory, how exactly do they "deposit" that substance on the ground?
 
I know this is an old thread, but I can't find a lot of information about this elsewhere online. Can you really use hydrogen peroxide to clean the glands? Is that safe?
Thanks!
 
I know this is an old thread, but I can't find a lot of information about this elsewhere online. Can you really use hydrogen peroxide to clean the glands? Is that safe?
Thanks!

I wouldn't. I've occasionally had to do a couple of my buns and I just use warm water and one of those little round cleansing pads and just gently wipe the hard waxy stuff away.
 
I really enjoy picking it out LOL!!!! But then I'm weird as I always love squeezing spots or anything that's full of pus!!
 
I've never done that either. Doughnut doesn't smell of anything. Since she's been ill and wet she does sometimes until she's dry again and then smells of nothing again!
 
I do the little Nethies, it smells unpleasant, vey musky. Underneath the skin is always healthy.
I wonder if rabbits vary with this, as the two boys and Ruby do not seem to have this.
Maybe it is like ear wax, some people have loads some people have none:?
 
Thanks guys, this is a new one on me! It's something I've totally overlooked but since checking Manglewurzel as she's developed a runny bum (the first time for her!) I've found this and now know what to do, cheers :thumb:
 
I really enjoy picking it out LOL!!!! But then I'm weird as I always love squeezing spots or anything that's full of pus!!

eeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

With my old rabbit Aloha, his pee stunk! Kept him outdoors as a result...later on discovered how to clean the glands and he and his litter trays didn't smell any more. Never had to do it with my other rabbit Proket.

I used cotton buds, warm water and a tiny bit of hibiscrub. Worked really well.
 
Even with Harry who got a bit smelly (bless him) I didn't have to do this...

I don't do it on Ludo either, he smells lovely and his underneath is nice and clean.

If it did need doing I wouldn't use anything other than warm water and cotton wool.

If it was a difficult job then it'd be a trip to the vet nurse, I can think of better things to do than washing bunny bits.
 
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