Normal rabbits do not need regular bathing, and it is imperative that you never bathe your rabbits unless medically necessary.
You also may find alternatives to bathing like using wet paper towels or towels, which are safer and less intrusive for the rabbit.
This is because they may enter a hypothermic state, they can fight back and break their spine, or enter a panic state causing extreme stress.
Bathing your rabbits may be necessary when these have a disease or physical disability that prevents them for either cleaning themselves, lifting their bottom, or overall they have messy stools that stick to their hair and must be cleaned.
If you need to bathe your rabbit, be mindful of how they may behave when handled, and ensure you only wet the necessary area and no more.
It is recommended that you blow dry your rabbit with cold air or tap them with paper towels instead of rubbing a towel as this can rip off the healthy fur.
If you want to learn more about why you must not clean your rabbits or how to do it properly, you can find resources here:
Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund’s information sheet about bathing bunnies.
Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund’s information sheet about dirty and sticky bottoms.
The Educated Rabbit’s information sheet about rear end paralysed rabbits and how to clean them.
Medicines for rabbits include animal and human medicines.
Human medicines are not good for rabbits, but in low doses and in a very difficult time, these can help them stabilise before the veterinary check, making them possible life-savers in harsh moments.
Some human medicines, although good for us, could hurt or kill our pets, so antibiotics like amoxicillin or clindamycin are not encouraged.
The House Rabbit Society provides an extensive list of which antibiotics are OK and which are bad, find it at the bottom of the entry alongside the references.
For pain killers, you could count on many things.
The main painkiller given to rabbits from vets is meloxicam, also known as metacam, meloxidyl, amongst other names.
Although paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin can be effective, they also carry on the danger of stomach ulcers, so these three should only be given if a vet recommended them.
For gases, people normally recommend baby simethicone drops. These can be diluted in a bit of water for easier intake.
The good thing about baby simethicone is that it commonly comes in very low dosages, so it’s better for the rabbit.
Regardless, the previous sentiment continues: No medicine should be administered without veterinary knowledge and approval, and less so if the medicine is for humans.
The other important part of rabbit medicine is the medicine administration.
Bishops Stortford Veterinary Hospital provides a quick guide with each possible form of medicine.
Tablets and capsules are rarely seen nowadays, especially due to how difficult it can be for the rabbits to eat them.
The main way of administering these is to force feed them to the rabbit.
There are other ways, like how some people do with dogs, by hiding the pill or capsule within food, but these things rarely end up working.
Pastes are easier to administer, as these can be put in the mouth and are hard to spit out.
They can even be applied on top of fur so the rabbit licks it while grooming.
I don’t have experiences with pastes, but maybe these could be mixed with other sweet pastes to reduce rejection.
Liquids are very common, but hard to administer, this is because we must use a syringe to administer them, and rabbits commonly dislike having a syringe in their mouth.
It’s also difficult due to the liquid being able to escape the mouth.
Using a syringe, it is very important that we ensure the rabbit swallows it and does not breath it in, as this can cause issues like pneumonia, especially with oily medications.
Some liquid formulas can be mixed with foods, but these have to be thoroughly mixed to ensure that the rabbit eats it whole, as they are known to separate the food they like from the one they do not like.
The main takeaway of liquid formulas is that most of them do not taste good.
Many people wet the tip of the syringe with some fruit jam or sweet liquid to ensure the rabbit enjoys, both the flavour and having a syringe in their mouth, a bit more.
For syringe feeding and use of a syringe, please refer to our syringe feeding guide just below.
If you want to learn more about medicine for rabbits you can see:
The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund’s information sheet on Meloxicam.
The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund’s page on Pain Management for Rabbits.
Bishops Stortford Veterinary Hospital’s explanation on Giving Medicines to rabbits.
VetHelpDirect’s post on What Painkillers Rabbits Can Have.
Here you can find the House Rabbit Society’s Antibiotics for rabbits guide and extensive list.
Syringe feeding or hand feeding is done when your rabbit can’t eat solid foods or does not want to eat.
It can also help to restart the GI tract if it was in stasis.
A special paste is prepared to ensure all the necessary nutrients and fibre are ingested.
There is a common brand acclaimed by the public called “Critical Care”, which has a high market price in Europe as it is transported from the US.
Critical care ensures most vitamins and fibre are present and also gives the paste a special flavour so the rabbit enjoys eating it.
You can though create your own, less effective, paste by crushing pellets and mixing them with water until these become a paste, but these are less effective than the known formulas.
Syringe feeding is done by allowing the paste inside a syringe to be released at the sides of the mouth, being careful that you are not pointing at the throat, as this can hurt your rabbit as they can breathe it.
Spoon feeding can also be done, but you may find it a bit harder.
The theory for spoon feeding is the same: laying the paste inside the mouth.
It is important to ensure the rabbit is chewing and swallowing.
The chance of getting the paste inside their lungs is one of the many reasons why being tranquil and ensuring the rabbit is calm are so important.
Feedings should be done a minimum of four times a day with a quantity of 8-12ml/kg within these four feedings.
More feedings may be necessary depending on the rabbit’s willingness to swallow and their preferences.
It is important that all the necessary tools and items required for the feeding are ready before the process begins.
This may involve a second person if necessary.
There are two main ways of holding rabbits to use a syringe in them, and this may also be useful for medicine:
Manual way: Surround your rabbit with your non-dominant arm, so it can’t back up, use your chest to hold them in place (without pressing in the rabbit), and while you slowly use your non-dominant hand to raise their head, use your other free hand to shove the syringe in the side of their mouth so you can avoid the incisors.
This is easier said than done, the rabbit will move, bite, shake its head, and do everything that’s in its power to ensure that syringe leaves their mouth.
Rabbit burrito: Rabbits that are hard to manage and immobilise can be easily wrapped into towels to ensure co-operation.
Placing them on top and middle of a towel with their head at the edge of the longer end, and fold the towel securely from head to bottom using the leftover to cover the bottom and the back, ensuring that both front and hind legs are encased.
Some people recommend damping or coating the syringe with fruits or juices so the rabbit has an incentive to keep the syringe in their mouth.
If you want to learn more about syringe feeding, please see:
Unusual Pet Vets’ PDF on Syringe Feeding Rabbits or Guinea Pigs.
The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund’s guide on Syringe feeding.
See how I try to lift the right lip up to get the syringe around his incisors.
This syringe had water.
Being transported around is a tough thing for rabbits, as they normally get very stressed.
Depending on how necessary it is for their presence to be with you, you have different options:
Leaving your rabbit behind: Whether in your house being taken care of someone you trust or somewhere where you know that there rabbit is safe. This may be a trustee’s house or somewhere providing boarding services.
Taking your rabbit along: This is the hard, slow, and stressful part, and depending on distance and the rabbit you must be extremely prepared for every situation.
Has your rabbit enough room to feel comfortable or are they in a small space?
Have you provided them with food and water?
Will the rabbit be too hot?
Will I be able to clean any possible messes?
Do I have the required documents?
Can I ensure my rabbit’s safety?
What if I must make a vet stop?
What is the shortest route?
What if the rabbit stops eating or drinking?
All of these questions must be answered and easily recallable for everyone’s safety and ease of mind.
If you are going to travel in public transport, including buses or planes, you also have to think about the environment and possible stressors, as well as understanding how the rabbit must feel.
They will not be feeling well discovering a new place after hours of loud travel.
You must ensure you prepare correctly in advance, especially because you will prefer to have your rabbits close, and they will feel better too, by or under your seat, rather than in the cargo.
Some airlines and companies do not provide these services for rabbits, or have an only cargo policy, so you will have to ensure to contact the airline and understand their requirements.
If there is no way to ensure the rabbit can be near you, and must go in the cargo, please have in mind that they have a very different experience of the flight, as the cargo is normally not pressurised and extremely noisy.
There are special carriers for cargo travel, and you may need to get these.
These are partly beneficial as they are bigger than normal carries, which give the rabbit some room to move.
You will have to carry medical and care supplies just in case.
You can train your rabbit so they better endure the stress by, throughout the month prior to travelling, spending at least an hour in various car rides.
If you want to learn more about transport and travel with rabbits, and are as scared as me of taking your rabbit in a flight, you can visit:
The RSPCA’s PDF guide on transportation advice for rabbit owners.
The Educated Rabbit’s page on Transporting Rabbits.
The Educated Rabbit’s page on Travelling with Rabbits.
The House Rabbit Society’s page on Vacations and Travel.
Create an account to use certain features and to register as a shelter.
