So, you've been blessed with a bunny whose fur just keeps growing and growing? Need help keeping him from looking like Cousin It? Here's what you do...
About once a week, comb through his fur with a small flea comb. This will help keep small tangles from becoming full-fledged mats. If you find a mat, work it out gently. It helps to hold the base of the mat (near the bunny's skin) while you work. That will help prevent you from pulling against the bunny's delicate skin.
Some mats are so bad, they need to be cut out. Again, keep your fingers on the base of the mat as you work. Your fingers must be between the bunny's skin and the scissors at all times to prevent injury. We use cuticle scissors because they are small, easy to handle with one hand and have rounded edges for safety.
These same cuticle scissors can be used to give the bunny a once a month "Buzz" cut. Keeping your fingers between the skin and scissors, trim the bunny's fur evenly all around. Keeping the fur short will help keep it from matting.
Depending on your bunny's temperament, you will either want to spread these actions out over several days or just get them all over with at once. Your bunny will let you know.
Oh, the joy of Poopy Butt! Whether from over-production of cecals, illness, difficulty with self-grooming, etc., if you have a bunny with poopy butt, you will probably smell it before you see it!
It is a good idea to check your bunny thoroughly at least once a week. Check her hind-quarters carefully and remove any cecals or poops which may be stuck there. Problems in this area often indicate general health problems, so get your bunny to the vet for a checkup if something has changed.
For those with chronic poopy butt from over-production of cecals, try gradually changing the bunny's diet to see if that helps reduce the problem.
Be sure to clean the bunny's butt thoroughly, removing all foreign particles. You may need to snip dried-on matter with cuticle scissors. Be sure to keep your fingers between the bunny's skin and the scissors at all times. In some cases, it is worth a trip to the vet to get the bunny's butt shaved regularly. That helps prevent dirty fur from picking up even more cecals, etc.
If you need to, bathe the bunny gently with warm water to loosen the material so you can easily remove it. Remember, her fur is very delicate, so be very gentle with it!
Scent Glands
The Scent glands are located on either side of the bunny's genital area. This is where the skunky smell comes from when your bunny is scared or angry. Sometimes, these glands can become clogged. They can be cleaned with a q-tip. Do it gently, making sure to bring stuff out, not push it in. Baby oil can sometimes help loosen the waxy material inside.
Nails
Keep your bunny's nails trimmed about once every two months. Be sure not to cut into the quick (the red part of the nail) or your bunny will bleed. For dark-nailed bunnies, a flashlight helps illuminate the quick to help prevent accidents. If you get blood, you need to stop the flow. Use cornstarch or a styptic powder. After it stops bleeding, keep the area clean to avoid infection.
Ears
Check your bunny's ears regularly. If they get a sooty black coating on the inside, he's probably got ear mites which need to be treated by a vet. Waxy buildup can be removed gently with a q-tip, but be careful not to get stuff into the bunny's ear canal. Best bet is ask the vet to do it.
They'll live longer and be happier.
©2005 DennABun Sable D. Bunny, Webmistress: sable@dennabun.com