Can you give your pet rabbit a bath?

Answer 1

No, you shouldn't give your rabbit a bath. See the links below for more information.

Healthy rabbits bathe themselves, although you should brush them regularly so that they don't consume a lot of fur (fur balls can be deadly for rabbits). If your rabbit needs a bath, something is wrong! You should find out what's wrong and treat it, otherwise the problem will return. Bring your bunny to a vet who has experience and knowledge in rabbits.

If you wash the rabbit/bunny, it could get very sick and can cause disabilities or death. Bathing a bunny can be dangerous! Risks include:

• You can upset and stress her, causing her to panic and injure herself or go into shock
• Soaps and shampoos can irritate her skin, leading to infection
• Water in the ears can lead to infection
• The fur will take a long time to dry, which could lead to hypothermia in cold/windy weather
• You can burn her skin with a hair dryer

If bathing is necessary, treat the cause:

If the problem is environmental (the rabbit got into something), put up some defences and make sure it doesn't happen again. You have to control your bunny's environment with rabbit proofing. (See below for related link.)

If the rabbit is making its own mess (poor grooming, diarrhoea, etc.) or you don't know where the mess came from, bring him/her to a rabbit-savvy vet.

Try a dry spot-bath first. This involves rubbing unscented baby cornstarch powder into the messy area and working out the messy bits. (Read more in the related link below, "Bunny Butt Bath.") Do not use commercial dry pet baths or leave-in cleansers/conditioners, or baby powder or anything with talc.

Try wet spot-bathing extremely dirty areas next (feet, scut, etc.). If you use a hair dryer, use it on low heat so you don't overheat the bunny, and keep it at least 12 inches from her body. Don't use it on her head, ears or privates.

For serious messes: In these cases, do it in a small sink in warm water, so long as the tap isn't in the way (this could easily cause an injury if the rabbit panics). Or you can use a baby bath or something similar. A regular bathtub is not a good idea: the large size and slippery surface can panic a rabbit, and the tall sides prevent you from holding the rabbit securely. DO NOT EVER immerse the entire bunny in water; the water level should never be higher than belly level. Instead, let bunny stand on hind feet while you support her upper body from the front. Slowly let her put all four paws into water. Use a cup to soak and rinse body. Rinse thoroughly. This information came from the related link below.

The hair dryer can also be dangerous: it can burn the rabbit, stress your bunny out and put her into shock. Towel drying your rabbit is much preferred to a hair dryer.

Make sure you rinse all the shampoo out of your rabbit's coat and dry it thoroughly before returning it to its cage. This is an excellent opportunity to cuddle. Do not use shampoo meant for humans: even baby shampoo can harm a rabbit's sensitive skin! Use only good quality shampoos made for rabbits or, failing that, cats. Oatmeal shampoos can be good. Look for natural ingredients. (See related link "Rabbit Butt Bath" below.)

Flea baths are not necessary unless your rabbit has been outside in an infected area or around other animals with fleas. If a flea bath is necessary, it should be administered by a vet.Some products that are safe for cats and dogs are toxic to rabbits, so you shouldn't just buy something from the store and use it on your bunny.

More Answers

Some rabbits are fine with baths, but others can die hours after a first bath because it's so traumatic for them.

If your rabbit is a bit stinky, try cleaning his cage more often. The problem could also be medical (as discussed above).

Some rabbits enjoy baths, especially on hot days, and they don't have any problems with them. The key, as always, is to know your rabbit.

you can, but you need a special shampoo that you get from the vet. my experince: bunny lost her hair but then got the special bunny shampoo and she did not lose any more hair. my bunny grew back the lost hair too.

yes you can give a bunny a bath but you have to have special soap it cost about $25 and if you dont have that kind of money to spend on bunny saop then you can just rinse the bunny with some soap but you have to dry off the bunny off really good or it can die from the coldness

Only bathe a Rabbit that cannot bathe itself.

You can bathe your bunny by using baby bath or cat or puppy wash. You must make sure that all soap is rinsed out VERY well. Do not put bunny outside until you are sure it is completely DRY. You must always hold the bunny's head above water and don't get soap in its eyes or ears.

yes, you can give a bunny a bath. But if your talking about giving a baby, or young bunny a bath, then no. I suggest giving an adult bunny one. The best place to bathe a bunny is probably a laundry sink. Use a small hose connected to the sinks's spout. Then use some rabbit shampoo if that exists, or you can try using some gentle dog shampoo. Then, thouroly dry them with a soft thin towel, or a small blowdryer set on low.

If you have a really calm and good natured bunny it is okay. My bunny is really calm, but this is what I did: I just got a washo cloth wet and wiped her down with that. Then (this is the most imortanat part) you have to rub her down with a towel to get some of the wetness off. Then, you a haird dryer (ON LOW, COOL HEAT) and get the bunny completely dry. Actyally to be honest, it's not really necesary to give the bunny a bath unless he/she is super dirty. in fact, i would not recommend it.

Yes it helps to get all of the loose fur off of them and it makes them more comfortable. Just make sure you have a warm place to put them while their fur dries. Don't use a blow dryer because it can dry out their skin and cause them to scratch it open.

YES I BELEVE THAT I CAN TAKE A BUNNY A BATH

Yes they can get baths but you have to be carefully they go crazy. Remove evrything you have on your bath tub. Also buy them shampoo at the PETSTORE not your shampoo because if it gets into their eyes it could really burn because they don't have any tear duks. At the PETSTORE ask them for bunny shampoo and they will give you a bottle with a bunny on it , and it has to say "Safe for Rabbit/Bunny" and you are good to go.

Yes you can give rabbits baths. You just have to make sure the water is not too cold or too warm. Also, you have to make sure you dry them decently.

yes

no you can't

No.. you cannot bath them as you would do to a dog. They are very sensitive like cats. Most bunnys hate water, like cats. I know my bunny is terrified of water. It is no use to bathe them they clean themselves by grooming. They are one of the most cleanest house pets i could imagine, right below a cat.

i would not bath rabbits in winter and i would not bath them as they bathe them self :)

Yes but you really don't have to because rabbits bathe themselves.

No. They lick themselves and get clean.

NO!!! never give a rabbit a bath!! if u do the rabbits fer will

get re-ct and mess itself up because of the wet water and sope

[hope this helps] =]
I don't think you do, but if they do sorry about that.
Yes you can bath bunnies, you should bath them at least once a month and it's very simple to bath bunnies but you have got to be careful that no water or shampoo gets in their eyes if this does happen they will show their teeth as this is a sign of anger and they will soon calm down after being stroked and talked to off a familiar face/scent.

Answer 2

It's not a good idea to bathe rabbits. Mostly, rabbits bathe themselves. Baths can be very dangerous for rabbits!

If your rabbit needs a bath, you must follow very specific procedures so that you keep your rabbit safe. See the related questions and links below for details.

If your rabbit needs a bath, you must also find out why because this is not normal or healthy. If it's a simple case of the rabbit got into something messy (like mud), make sure it never happens again. If you don't know why the rabbit is dirty (if the rabbit isn't keeping itself clean), then you must bring the rabbit to a vet because something is very wrong.
yes i think you can cause sometimes it gets to hot in a house that they need to cool them selfves of but they can't and that's why i think rabbits should get baths sometimes.
you normally wouldn't bathe your rabbit but if you did it the same as washing your dog only be sure not to get the rabbit's head wet.

Answer 3

Dirty paws is probably not a good enough reason to give a rabbit a bath. Baths can be dangerous for rabbits and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Whether or not you should bathe your rabbit depends on how dirty the paws are. If you need to bathe rabbits, you should follow certain precautions and guidelines to make sure you keep the rabbit safe. Since it's just the paws that are dirty, try a "spot bath" with a washcloth instead of a full-on bath. A "dry bath" might also work, and it's the safest method so you should try that first.

See the related question below for details and links.

If your rabbit's paws are are stained yellow (urine):

- Look for other signs of ill-health, and if you see any, bring the rabbit to a vet.

- Stained yellow paws are usually a sign that the rabbit's habitat isn't appropriate. Maybe it's too small, or you're not cleaning it enough. If your rabbit's paws are yellow, do research into rabbit care and make any necessary adjustments.

If your rabbit's paws are covered in feces:

- Your rabbit is sick. See the vet as soon as possible.

If your rabbit's paws are just covered in mud or something:

- Watch the rabbit's health and behaviour for the next week or so, and if you notice signs of ill-health, bring the rabbit to a vet.

Answer 4

No, you can't give your rabbit a shower. Rabbits don't appreciate baths or showers. Even if they get extremely dirty they should not need a shower. Rabbits are one of the cleanest animals on the planet, thus, not needing baths or showers.

If your rabbit is messy, something is wrong. This is usually a sign that the rabbit is very ill. You should bring him or her to a vet for a physical exam as soon as possible.

If you do need to clean your messy bunny, you must be very careful. Getting wet can be very stressful for rabbits. Never give your bunny a shower: instead, give a "spot bath" with a cloth. There are many risks with bathing a rabbit, so you have to do research and make sure you're being as safe and possible. See the related question below for details and links.

If the rabbit is overheating, they need cool water on the ears to relieve this. To prevent heatstroke in the summer keep a damp towel on top of the cage and freeze a small ceramic tile to place in the cage as well. There are many things you can do to keep a bunny cool in the summer. See the related question below for details and links.

Other Answers

A bath, yes. But a shower? You can try, but bathing is easier.

If you want to give them a shower or keep them clean a few baby wipes do wonders.

No, rabbits should never be wet, they will become very sick if not dried properly from even a slight walk in the rain.

Answer 5

Yes, but they don't like it and it can be dangerous. They can die from being bathed too much; even once can make them ill or injured. That's why it's widely recommended not to bathe your rabbit. Rabbits can clean themselves very well. If your rabbit needs a bath for some reason, you must take specific precautions so that the rabbit stays safe. See the related question below for more details.

Answer 6

Lionhead rabbits are like other pet rabbits when it comes to care and behaviour. Rabbits are generally clean animals and they don't need baths; if your rabbit is dirty, something is wrong! See the related question below for more information about bathing rabbits (it applies to Lionheads, too).

Answer 7

well bunnies don't really like water though you can try and spray it with a hose or hold it in a buket full of COLD water

hope this heped

Answer 8

yes you can