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Forum DIET & CARE Need help finding scent glands?

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    • dashdaniel216
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        Hello!!

        So i’ve had my rabbit for almost 4 years, and just this week she began smelling funky, I googled it, and learned it was her scent glands!

        Now, I’ve never once cleaned her scent glands, and didn’t even know they were a thing until this week!!! Now I feel terrible, and can’t find them? Would it be best for me to bring her to someone who knows what they’re doing? Or locate and clean them myself? 

        Any help is really appreciated!


      • jerseygirl
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        22338 posts Send Private Message

          There’s a little about scent glands here https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/21/PID/940/Default.aspx
          And you might find this video useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x9dbSUdomg

          If you have another person to help, you could get them to hold your rabbits back against their chest, supporting their bottom, so you can check the glands freely.
          Some things I do is WEAR GLOVES because smell is hard to get off your skin. Lol. I also dip the q-tip in some mineral oil (medicine aisle at grocery stores) if the waxy stuff is particularly hard. It seems to help get it away from their skin.

          If you are still noticing she is producing a smell after the glands are cleaned, could she be doing some territorial droppings? These are like normal rabbit poop but have a slight sheen to them and they smell. (Not to be confused with cecal droppings which are super shiny and smell).
          Or perhaps its her urine?


        • MiNinoJack
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            Cleaning scent glands is a thing? There is no way he’ll let me do that.

            If I don’t clean these every month is that ok? My rescue covered everything and this was never mentioned.


          • jerseygirl
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              Posted By MiNinoJack on 6/20/2016 8:12 AM

              Cleaning scent glands is a thing? There is no way he’ll let me do that.

              If I don’t clean these every month is that ok? My rescue covered everything and this was never mentioned.

              You don’t need clean them every month. That’s more a guide to check them monthly. Though mine go a lot longer then that!   I tend to check them if I am handling them for some other reason like grooming, getting mats out of fur or cutting off soiled fur.  You’ll find some rabbits just never need their scent glands cleaned. 

              My guys had theirs done recently.   I prefer to do them all on same day and get it over with. 2 that normally don’t have a build up did this time. And the other 3 were pretty good. 


            • MiNinoJack
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                Thanks! Surprisingly he lets me check is genital area (he’s neutered). Sometimes when I’m petting him I’ll run a hand down there to make sure he’s not wet or has poopy butt. He doesn’t flinch at all, but I can’t pick him up. He makes it hard even for vets. Thanks for the info on this! Is checking the glands something the vet could help with maybe during a nail clipping?


              • jerseygirl
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                  Is checking the glands something the vet could help with maybe during a nail clipping?

                  Definitely. Especially if you’re already having to restrain him.Your vet might be of the opinion it’s not something you need to worry about too much but at least you’ll know where they are if you want to check in the future.

                  There was a member recently that posted about how they check their rabbits hind end while the bun was laying down. I’ll try find it. I don’t think mine would let me but maybe Jack would let you try that.


                • MiNinoJack
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                    Thanks! I didn’t mean to hijack your thread dashdaniel! You just brought something to my attention I didn’t know before. 

                    I’m honestly terrified of trying to pickup Jack at all – especially after Azerane’s accident with Bandit. I know I’m going to have to pick him up someday, but I’m dreading it. He’s so resistant. I’ll probably let the vet handle all of this stuff.


                  • jerseygirl
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                      Perhaps you could get him used to being handled by holding him for very short periods of time then giving a treat right after. My oldest bun has always been quite wary of hands. He came to me aged 2 and I couldn’t pick him up like I did my other rabbit Jersey. So for him, I would nudge him to jump into litter box (some may prefer using a carrier) then I’d put that up on a bench or my washing machine. From there, I could block any exit with my body and scoop him up directly to my chest. So it was only a minimal lift, not all the way from floor up to my chest. When it was time for him to go back to his area, I would carry him in the box again. He much preferred all 4 feet on a solid surface. The only warning I’d give with this is watch out for dare devil buns that want to jump from the box to the floor! A hand on the back may be needed. If you feel like they are going to jump (from carrier, box, basket or your arms) squat down in a hurry. At least then the distance they leap wont be so great.
                      Some rabbits do better with their eyes being covered when they are being picked up. I suppose the world doesn’t feel like it is spinning that way.


                    • Azerane
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                        I never cleaned out scent glands Bandit was only smelly once for about a week, and I think that was mostly to do with the fact that he wasn’t neutered yet. After that, no issues. I guess he cleaned them out himself or something, I don’t know, lol.

                        Don’t be afraid to handle Jack, just take it slow. When I first got Bandit he was an absolute nightmare to pick up and handle, but because at that stage he was living part outside in a hutch, and part inside, I had to be able to handle him. After that situation ended, I worked more on him accepting being picked up. I found a position that I felt comfortable/confident with and started lifting only a very short distance off the ground (only a couple inches) and putting him straight back down again. Which I then increased to holding him up a short time. Lots of little sessions like that allowed me to pick him up for longer periods of time and higher up until I could pick him up almost any time. What happened was terrible, and it is the sort of thing that could happen to anyone, but I don’t think it’s made me afraid of handling rabbits, just more aware.


                      • MiNinoJack
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                          Don’t be afraid to handle Jack, just take it slow. When I first got Bandit he was an absolute nightmare to pick up and handle, but because at that stage he was living part outside in a hutch, and part inside, I had to be able to handle him. After that situation ended, I worked more on him accepting being picked up. I found a position that I felt comfortable/confident with and started lifting only a very short distance off the ground (only a couple inches) and putting him straight back down again. Which I then increased to holding him up a short time. Lots of little sessions like that allowed me to pick him up for longer periods of time and higher up until I could pick him up almost any time. What happened was terrible, and it is the sort of thing that could happen to anyone, but I don’t think it’s made me afraid of handling rabbits, just more aware.

                          So the reason I brought you up and the awful situation that happened to you and Bandit is that you obviously know what you’re doing when it comes to bunnies and if it can happen to you, it certainly can happen to me. You give such great advice on here, and I am so sorry for the accident

                          Thanks for you the ideas both Azerane and Jerseygirl. I started a new thread, because I know that this something I need to work on and I will try out your suggestions.

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                      Forum DIET & CARE Need help finding scent glands?