Cleaning a rabbit?

[Lily]

So according to my parents I share my rabbit with my sister (also known as I take care of her, fight for her rights, and do everything for her pretty much and she sometimes comes and annoys her) the thing is my sister NEVER washes her hands which I find to be the most disgusting thing in the world. So every time my sister interacts with her I go absolutely crazy. I often will cry for about 20 minutes and just not pet her for a while (she isn’t a huge fan of snuggles luckily) if she does want snuggles too I’ll wash my hands after but my hands are already dryer than the desert and it’s bad to wash them more. So I’m wondering if there is any way to clean your bunny. With a toy or object I’ll often wash them in the sink or with a Clorox whipe or if it was almost any other animal I would probably give them a bath but I know those are all dangerous for rabbits. So is there any way to actually sanitize a rabbit? Hand wipes maybe? (Probably not) I seriously need to know though because this is causing problems for me and telling my sister Just to wash her hands seems stupid to my parents and her so that will never work. (She also never listens to rules, i have a hand wash rule but she never listens to it)

[Mikey]

Rabbits clean themselves and their fur has natural oils on it that help keep them clean as well. There is nothing to worry about Please dont use wipes or bathe your rabbit because youre nervous about germs. Your bun is better off without those.

[sarahthegemini]

Unless your sister regularly has her hands in faecal matter or poisons, I don’t see the problem with her not washing her hands before petting the bun?

[Deleted User]

Maybe you could use fragrance free baby wipes? That might be mild enough to use on a rabbit, but ultimately you should ask a vet what is safe to use.. I’m a little confused but were you saying that you wipe your rabbit with Clorox wipes? Those really are not suitable to use on a rabbit, as they contain a fair amount of chemicals. A rabbit could ingest these chemicals when grooming themselves and it could be harmful for them. Also, those wipes have agents that dry out the skin. I wouldn’t use them on your rabbit.

Like sarah said, unless she has visibly soiled hands or contact with contaminants such as fecal matter, she shouldn’t have to wash her hands.

[Wick & Fable]

Don’t get in the habit of wiping your rabbit — not even baby wipes. Your rabbit will clean itself. Think about it this way: Rabbits eat their own poop, then proceed to clean themselves with that same mouth, yet somehow, rabbits end up with nice, shiny, poo-free coats. It’s because they’re good at it! Don’t try to hinder the process unless your rabbit gets attacked by a goop monster!!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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