How to Bathe a Rabbit

Brush the rabbit to remove dirt. Most rabbits love to be brushed, and it’s a great way to keep their coat clean. Buy a rabbit-specific comb (usually with smaller, tighter teeth than a dog comb). Every few days, hold the rabbit gently and brush the coat. Focus on areas that are covered with grass or dirt. Once done, wash the brush and let it dry.

• The rabbit should be kept gently still. Not all rabbits like to be groomed. If your rabbit is startled or scared while brushing, you should stop and try again later.
• Long-haired rabbit breeds require more intensive care. It is recommended to trim the hair short until it is about 3 cm or a little more to avoid tangles. This will help reduce shedding and keep the coat cleaner.

Locally clean the rabbit when necessary. If your rabbit has just jumped into a puddle, you can clean it up by cleaning the dirty spot. Fortunately, you can clean a separate area of hair for your rabbit without using water. This is more appropriate, as many rabbits go into shock when they get wet. Sprinkle a little cornstarch on the dirty spot and use a bristle brush to brush away the dirt. Continue repeating until the hair is completely clean.

• Even if the rabbit is completely submerged in mud, you should still use this dry bath method instead of submerging the rabbit in water. Proceed in sections, carefully removing the mud mass, combing, and using cornstarch to remove small dirt particles.
• If absolutely necessary, you should only use water to clean a small area of hair. Moisten the washcloth with warm water and dab it on the rabbit’s fur; You should not let the water get to their skin. Once that hair is clean, you can use a hair dryer, turn on the lowest heat setting and dry the hair gently. Normally, the body temperature of rabbits is between 38-39 degrees Celsius. Because rabbit skin is very thin, and rabbits themselves are sensitive to temperature, you should never use a dryer with a temperature higher than that.” warm”, and continuously check the heat of the air blowing from the dryer onto the rabbit’s skin.

Use a mat splitter if the rabbit’s fur is tangled. If the rabbit’s fur is tangled, the best tool to solve the problem is a hair remover. This provides gentle debugging without harming the rabbit. Avoid using scissors; Rabbits often wiggle, and you may accidentally injure them while using scissors. ^[1]

Trim the rabbit’s nails. This step is necessary if your rabbit spends most of its time indoors. When rabbits do not have the opportunity to shorten their claws by digging in the soil, the claws can grow long and pointed. Use nail clippers or scissors to care for your rabbit’s nails, or ask your vet to do this during your next visit.

• The rabbit’s nails should not be cut off. Rabbits are very susceptible to infections and the loss of their claws will cause the rabbit’s paws to become infected. ^[2]
• You need to make sure the rabbit’s living space is always clean and dry to promote the health of the feet.

Do not immerse the rabbit in water. It is worth repeating over and over again that the act can cause hypothermia or shock, both of which lead to death. Some bunnies have special personalities and don’t mind getting wet; Some rabbit owners are even surprised to find that their pet rabbit loves to swim. However, if your rabbit doesn’t show any signs of liking water, it’s best not to get it wet. Rabbits are very sensitive and even a single bath can leave permanent damage. ^[3]