millie

[electro-weezle]

hi everyone, i was just wondering what i should do about my rabbit millie, is is a white rabbit & therefore can get very dirty!!! =S

 

she gets alot of poo stuck around her butt & her fur can get quite untidy & discoloured around her butt/ feet area but im not realli sure what to do about it!

 

she can be a bit nervous when i pick her up as she sits dead still & her heartbeat increases, she is generally not nervous otherwise so this is not a problem, but i dont want to put her through any unecesary stress! ive tried before to use lukewarm water & small animal shampoo to clean around the area, but she isnt keen on this & wriggles & gets scared and it freaks me out!! i have also tried the ‘bunny burrito’ but have found this dosent really work for me! im not really worried because she dosent show any signs of being in pain, shes just a bit mucky!!, but obviously it would be good to sort it out!

 

also, does anyone have and grooming tips because she just dosent like sitting still!!!

 

thankyou,

 

jenny xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Beka27]

your buns are very cute! welcome here by the way! i love the brown bun’s ear flopped on top of Millie! it’s like a bunny hug!

other people know more about “bunny butt baths” than i do. you want to wet the rabbit as little as possible b/c they can get very sick if kept wet.   there will probably always be a bit of discoloration, this is common with white buns.  what is in the cage or enclosure?  do you use bedding?  or just litter in a litterbox?  some hay in the box might help her keep her feet off of the wet litter, or more frequent box changes may be in order.

you might want to investigate the actual causes of why that’s happening in the first place.

what kind of food do your buns get?

what kind of pellets are you feeding and how much per day?

what kind of greens and how much per day?

do they have unlimited timothy hay at all times?

what kind of treats do you use if any and how many treats per day or per week?

[RabbitPam]

Hi, electro-weezle,
I get a big kick out of the fact that you have an all-white bunny and a rainbow post! LOL Very pretty.

It probably is a combination of what she’s eating and her litter/housing arrangement. Does she groom herself back there easily? Beka’s list of questions are good to answer to find your best next move. Off the top of my head I thought of the white CareFresh litter that I used to use. It seemed to have less dust and the changes needed in the litter pan were more visible (good for my allergies, but more expensive unfortunately). Has she been to the vet lately just to rule out any tummy disorders?

Wriggling is part of the (haha) fun. Spot cleaning as you described sounds like a good way to do it. It may be that you might end up doing a back 1/2 bath to get her really clean once, then see if both of you can maintain it more easily after that. The experts will advise more. You have a very cute couple!

[electro-weezle]

thankyou! very helpful posts,

millie has unlimited hay, she has normally about a handful of supa rabbit excel ( which i think is just basic rabbit pellets) in the morning & 2 handfuls in the evening,

i dont generally feed her anything else apart from occasional treats like vegetables, cheerios, or a rabbit treat – nothing which i think could upset her tummy, i just used hay in her litterbox, (should i be using a litter?) & i dont think it is the enclosure she is kept in because its kept fairly clean, i may just need 2 be more aware of removing all the poos! yayyyy lol

im glad 2 hear that its common to have some discolouration because i was thinking omg how on earth am i going to get that fur back to white!!! so from what i gather, its normal for bunnies to wriggle a bit & not be too happy about it :L & i should probably just go ahead & try to clean millie again!!!

 

[Beka27]

it looks like your diet may be causing the problems. rabbits need at least 2-3 cups of veggies per day. it seems you are feeding waaaay too many pellets. only about 1/8-1/2 cup of pellets per day for a five pound adult bunny (over one year old). cheerios are a no-no for rabbits.

litter in the litterbox will help with absorbing the urine. a layer of hay over the top is a good idea to get her using the box regularly.

 

here are some diet links

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/treat.html

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-4/pellets.html

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53  <—– this is the Binky Bunny Bunny Info page.  it has info about all kinds of different topics, diet, bunny-proofing, housing, littertraining, etc.

[Alicia Conklin]

A good litter that I found that helps keep things fresh is carefresh (there is also usually store brands made of the same stuff too that is sometimes cheaper…the one I have now is from walmart and called “critter care”)  it is bunches of cellulose fiber and so the pee gets absorbed and I’ve noticed most the poops fall right through the gaps in the bunches.   I then put hay over top so that he wants to go in there….and that doesn’t seem to prevent it from still dropping through.  Tucker is a black bunny but he has silver on the bottoms of his feet and his tail is white underneath and using the carefresh he always seems to have a nice clean behind

 

[electro-weezle]

woah! i will definatly cut down on pellets then, although i am confused as i have lots of friends with rabbits & they generally seem to feed their rabbits a similair amount of pellets?! :S, and i have one friend that said to me her rabbit only eats untill its full, so his bowl is full all the time & her rabbit seems healthy & isnt at all overweight, but this is obviously just a misconception… thankyou for your advice beka27,

i have let my rabbit out on grass before & millie has got ‘poopy butt’ teehee it makes me laff everytime i write that :L, is it still ok to feed green vegetables?!? i also heard that leafy vegetables like lettuce can upset there tummies??!, i will also make sure to get some litter next time im at the pet shop, thnx TuckerBunz

 

 

[Alicia Conklin]

I think it’s common to think that bunnies just need pellets..I had rabbits as a kid and that’s all we ever fed and I always filled his bowl to the brim each day! Also each rabbit is different…so while one bun might be able to tolerate that…another will not be able to and will get poopy butt or something worse.

They can have leafy veggies and they can have lettuce but not iceberg. There is a list on this site under bunny info and then diet.

[Beka27]

i’m happy to help! there is a lot involved in house rabbit care and it’s a common misconception that pellets are the ideal bunny diet. they originally were made for production rabbits to add meat on, but a domestic rabbit’s diet should be primarily hay and veggies. you need to add one type of veggie at a time and monitor for adverse effects like poopy butt. if you go to the links i put up there are lists of good and bad veggies. you will want to eventually be feeding at least 3 different kinds per day. you might want to direct your friends to this site or those other links as well. when was the last time your bun has been examined by a vet? a vet will be able to offer more guidance on your bun specifically and how many pellets they think she should have per day.

here is another link… it is the bunny food pyramid and this highlights the ideal bunny diet in a very straightforward way… just copy and paste…

http://www.fosterbunnies.com/food.htm

[electro-weezle]

i think the last time millie went to the vet was to have a check up and her toenails clipped about a month ago, she does have regulary check ups, her VHD & mxymatosis jabs etc so theres no worried when it comes to check ups and there were no problems last time we went, i looked at the links and will start to introduce some veggies & give her less pellets and will tell my friends.

[babybunsmum]

oh do i know how you feel!  i’ve been a bunny mom for a while & it wasn’t until discovering this site & my awesome rabbit-savvy vet that i learned about proper healthy diets for buns.  check out the diet page on this website under bunny info… it’s great & matches what my vet has reccommended.   i agree that reducing the pellets & adding daily greens will help.  your buns will likely not be too pleased to have their pellets reduced so make sure they have unlimited hay to munch on to fill up.  once the hay consumption increases the poops will get much better!  my baby buns always had mushy poops which stuck to her bottom & to the floor where she hangs out but since i adjusted her diet i rarely – if ever – see any traces of mushy poop. 

[babybunsmum]

forgot to add… verrrry gorgeous bun buns you have!  i love the ear hat too

[electro-weezle]

thankyou!
unfortunatley hoolio (the bunny sooty fawn bunny in the pic) has passed away
i just have millie atm, however i have had four rabbits in total, hamish, hoolio, millie & moomin and i was absolutely amazed at how close you get to your rabbits!
ive had hamsters, guinea pigs, cats and recently my sister bought a horse… the list goes on and when i got my first rabbit (hamish), i couldnt belive how close i got to it!
they really are amazing animals and they have such different characters!
hamish was gorgeous because he was reali laid back, would snuggle into my neck & fall asleep, hoolio was such a character, woud jump up on your lap & lick your face & run around binkying like a puppy! moomin was just so gorgeous REALLY cute & was a really new experience for me as i onli ever had mini lops & millie is just beautiful (shes like a little marshmallow she has pink eyes & ears and a snowy white body, and shes realli cheeky!

there we go, ive ranted on about how cute my bunnies are :L tee hee i could go on all day

[Beka27]

i’m sorry to hear about your buns that have passed. isn’t it awesome how each and every one of them are completely different personalities?! oh i saw your signature just now… lil psycho… lol! i’m surprised your vet has not suggested daily greens for Millie. how old is Millie, is she spayed?

[electro-weezle]

lol! its was very sad , but looking back on it im just glad i was lucky enough to have them when i did ,
all my vet asked is if we use the rabbit ‘mix’ or the pellets, although did say the diet should be based on hay, he never really discussed greens,
millie is roughly a year i would say, i could find her date of birth as i have it written down but i dont know it atm, she isnt spayed, we considered it when she got older & started humping moomin but then she calmed down so we never looked into it further,
i wrote *lil phsyco* – LOL as she has a tendency to run around very fast when she gets excited and when your sitting on the floor with her and nip you or nudge you on the back, also if you read a magazine near her she likes to come over and investigate & try her hardest to tear it up :L as i said, shes very cheeky!

[Beka27]

are you planning on having her spayed? rabbits have an 85% chance of developing cancer by age 3-5 (i’ve seen different sources say different ages) if they are not spayed. if she is spayed, chances are she will live for at least 10-12 years. do you mind my asking: how long did your other rabbits live? do you know what the cause of death was in their cases?

[RabbitPam]

Also keep in mind that with diet, like personality, the bunnies have different taste preferences. Some are crazy about hay, others prefer some kinds over others and some are stubborn about eating it at all. But it’s the best thing for them. You can also try a different pellet with a better content, such as those made with timothy hay right in them. The more you give treats or too many greens (rather than a balanced diet of all 3) the more they will prefer the tasty food over the dryer hay. I’ve always felt that you are quite safe with Romaine lettuce as a staple. It’s a nice dark leafy green. Do check out the links above. The list of other possible fresh veggies is really amazing!

People here have strongly recommended Papaya Tablets as a once a day treat. Their bunnies seem to go wild for them, and it acts as a regulator for digestion. You can even train Millie to associate the tablet treat with a behavior, such as hopping into her cage at bedtime when she learns there’ll be a tablet for her there.

As was mentioned, just be sure to introduce changes in diet slowly, one change at a time, or the poopy butt will continue.

[Scarlet_Rose]

I just wanted to stop by and say hi and welcome electro-weezle!  You’ve got some wonderful input from a bunch of members already and I’ve really nothing to add.  For a list of bunny-safe veggies take a look here: https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=144 

I do realize you are across the pond, so please ask if you are not sure what anything is as you may have a different name or term for it. 

[Gravehearted]

hi electro-weezle,

I’d second Beka’s suggestion to cut back the pellets and cutting way back on treats. Bunnies under 7 months get unlimited alfalfa pellets – but bunnies older than 7 months should be getting a timothy based pellet in limited quantities. The general rule is 1/4 cup per 5 pounds of bunnay. Pellets are kinda like a convenience food, and aren’t what is best to make up a bulk of the diet. The most important thing is grass hay – like timothy, oat, orchard or brome. Alfalfa should only be fed to babies. Greens are very important as well – I follow the 2 cups of greens a day per bunny.

I think the thing to keep in mind is that bunnies have very sensitive tummies and it’s very easy for them to get out of whack. Pellets, treats, fruits are all things that can lead to problems in overabundance. Most store brand rabbit treats are very high in sugar. I skip them and opt for the the oxbow papaya tablets that rabbitpam recommended or freeze dried unsweetened fruit in very small quantities. Anything like cereals, nuts, sweetened dried fruit or yogurt drops should be avoided.

In the meantime, the cornstarch bath will help. Water baths are very traumatic for bunnies and should be avoided if possible.

[BinkyBunny]

Welcome electro-weezle! You’ve received great advice. I have a white bunny and he stays white, so I think that once you get him on a diet change, and put litter in his litterbox then the yellow will wear off, and millie will stay white.

Also, when you make changes, be sure to do so on a gradual basis. For example, if you get new pellets, with lower fat, and high fiber, then just be sure to wean out the old over a months time.

And with greens. Introduce just one at a time each week. You may have a bunny with a sensitive digestive system, and so you just have to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Keep us updated with how things go.

[electro-weezle]

hi, thanks for all the comment, i wasnt planning on having millie spayed, do you know if there is a big chance that she could die during the operation and is she too old now, and is it worth putting her through the trauma? 

today i fed millie a smaller amount of pellets, i also gave her some green pepper which was on the vegetables list & she seemed to like it so thats all good =] and made sure she had lots of hay to substitute! i have noticed that she is quite stubborn about eating hay so im going to buy timothy hay to try as ive read that they prefer it?

also, what is a cornstarch bath?

 

[Sage Cat]

Hey electro-weezle – quite a little zoo you have there!

BTW – the House Rabbit Society sez that cheerios are OKAY for buns to have as a treat.

My white bun stays very white – I’m sure yours will be in no time!

My little fuzz balls really love red leaf lettuce, parsley & cilantro – all easy on the bunny tummy.

Good Luck!

[electro-weezle]

also –
the vet weighed up the situation with the bunnies & told us the cause of death was linked between them, it was most probably an uncommon virus. & also, i buy the pellets from my vet & it is meant for adult bunnies – the vet reccomended it so im pretty sure its fine for millie.

[electro-weezle]

gdgd about the cheerios – (i only ever gave millie one once in a while so it couldnt have done much damage anyway) but im planning on printing the vegetables list off and buying some to test out & getting some timothy hay to see whether she prefers it.

[Beka27]

spaying is absolutely worth it if you have a knowledgable vet and the risk is very small. she is not too old, but some prefer to do the surgery before 2 or 3 years old. the risk is much higher that she’ll die without it.

[rabbitsmba]

There is always a risk with any surgical proceedure but when you factor in the 80% chance of her developing reproductive cancers by age 5, it’s a health – and life – saver.

The most important thing is to find a vet that is rabbit-savvy. Many of the rabbits that die during a spay/neuter do so because the vet isn’t experienced enough, doesn’t know enough, or used the wrong type of anaesthetic (rabbits need a different gas from dogs and cats). Perhaps some of our other members from “across the pond” can recommend a few for you.

[electro-weezle]

i think i will book millie into the vet because im pretty sure shes due a vaccinaton so il ask about it then

[RabbitPam]

Corn starch is used to dry out a bunnies butt and feet if they are getting soiled and moist more than they should. I was never exactly sure how to use it, so just dabbed it on like you would with a powder puff. It absorbs moisture and dries out the places where it is applied.
Someone else probably knows the best way to do a full corn starch bath.

[skunklionshow]

I believe that some of our English members can give more specifics about pellet brands and vet options.   So I will defer to them for that input.  Some bunnies can get pellet dependent, so you may need to force the veggie hay issue.  I know that most of the rabbits from our therapy program had little veggie experience, so it was a process to teach them.  However now, all my guys LOVE their veggies and hay.  I guess I’m wondering if your bunny vet has more experience w/ buns as farm animals rather than house pets?  Just a thought b/c their education may be similar w/ overall husbandry, but dietary/ spay/neuter  issues may not be their forte. 

I have 2 white cats.  Phoebe is obese, so her rear is always disgusting.  I get her bum shaved occasionally so everything doesn’t “stick”…so gross!  W/ white pets you definately notice the slightest bit of yuck or smudge.  Trigger, our former therapy bun (RIP) was a white mini rex.  His paws were filthy from running around on the school building.  We never bathed them, unless he got really gross.  Then we would spot clean the bottoms of feet. 

I agree that the litterbox may be part of the issue b/c it could be potty stains.  Hope that helps.  PS she’s a gorgeous girl!

[JodiM]

Welcome Electro-Weezle!! You’ve gotten soo much great info.
This is a great site to come to for advice!

[electro-weezle]

hey everyone thanks for all the advice =]

[BinkyBunny]

When searching for a vet to spay, be sure to make sure they know what they are doing.  For example, if they say they fast a bunny prior to surgery, then run away – (also be sure that is not just a misinformed receptionist, but if the vet actually requests fasting, then they are not a rabbit savvy vet)

 

Here is a great HRS link to an article on how to find a rabbit savvy vet – (includes the screening questions you should ask, and provides you with the answers that the vets SHOULD respond with) http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

[electro-weezle]

can i just be clear, do 80% of female rabbits get cancer?… or is the risk of her getting cancer minimised by 80% if she has the operation?

because i dont want her to go through if theres not much chance of her getting cancer in the first place just to minimise the alredy small risk if you see what i mean?

anyway, ive spoken to the vet, but my mum has basically said to me that its stupid & i shouldnt get her spayed because it isnt fair on her to be put through the stress & how many people do i know thats had their rabbits spayed just because they could get cancer, and its annoying because she dosent know a thing about rabbits so how should she know! ugh its really frustrating, but if i can find out about the chances ^^^ then i can tell her the statistics for certain

[Beka27]

what does you mum have to do with it?  she’s your rabbit.  it’s your choice. 

she will be in some discomfort for about 5-7 days. she will be 100% healed in about 3-4 weeks. i do not think it is too much stress at all. it is more stressful to have the hormones and false pregnancies that can result from being intact.

as i understand it, everything that could become cancerous is removed, so the risk is basically completely eliminated. if not done… 8 out of 10 rabbits will get cancer and will die (oftentimes even WITH expensive surgeries/vet care). it’s more of a guarantee that she will get cancer.

you have every right not to get her spayed… but i think that if you do the research and consult with experienced rabbit vets, you will realize it is the best thing you could possibly do for her. besides the fact she could then have a hus-bun if you chose to. if you think of her as being a disposable pet, then by all means, don’t get it done. save yourself the cash. but if you consider her a full-fledged member of the family as we do our buns, do what is best for her. you won’t regret it, i promise.

[BinkyBunny]

Double Ditto what Beka has told you.

Also, here are some helpful links helping to educate those around you.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=489&S=5&SourceID=43

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/spay.shtml

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Articles/Spay%20and%20Neuter.htm

 

Note: the last article also discusses the stress of unspayed females – something to consider:

Here is a snippet from the above article:

In general, stress is a major problem in all species. Rabbits are no exception; in fact, they appear to be more susceptible to stress. Stress decreases the immune system’s ability to cope. Stressed bunnies are more likely to get an infection. Most of the illnesses our bunnies tend to get are considered opportunistic infections, infections that are caused by a drop in the body’s ability to fight off that infection. Maintaining a low level of stress plays a large role in warding off many types of bacterial infections. Unfixed rabbits are permanently “on” sexually. This state creates a substantial amount of the stress on their system and makes them more susceptible to illness.

 

[electro-weezle]

Thanks for the advice & the links, but id just like to make it clear that i dont in any way see her as a “disposable pet”, i love her lots and would be distraught if anything happened to her, (sorry if the comment i made above sounded harsh – i didnt phrase what i meant very well so i just want to make it clear that millies health is my priority – thats why im asking questions)

i just wanted to make absolutely sure that it would be the best thing for millie – so i dont feel doubtful when it seems like everyone at home is against the idea. And get some fact i can tell my mum to try and make my her see the whole thing with a more open mind… so that if i choose to spay millie, i dont go about it with my mum telling me im doing the wrong thing for her, – but i see your point – she is my rabbit & whether my mum comes round to the idea or not – its my choice in the end.

[kralspace]

Hi ew! welcome, that is a beautiful bunnie you have.

I got my girl, Pringles, when she was very young, and as she got close to puberty I was worried about the surgery, too. Then she began having false pregnancies and boy did that change.

She went on rampages, would rip the carpet up under any furniture she could get under. Rip out fur, drag anything she could find into her ‘den’. Housecoats, undies, screw drivers, hay, she wasn’t picky. If I was missing anything, I knew where to find it. But to reach under there was risking a finger, her mood swings were something to behold…..and run from.

By the time her appointment came around, I was ready to do it myself with a steak knife—-JUST KIDDING OF COURSE. I did feel better taking her all the way to Dallas to a highly recommended vet than by letting the one local vet who did a rabbit everynow and then.

Her personality is back to the lovely bun we brought home. She was always stressed out thinking there were babies on the way, tired, cranky. Now she can just concentrate on regular old mischief!

Kathy

[Sage Cat]

Hey There – Have you tried to give Millie a cornstarch bath or anything yet? If so – How did it go?

Great little example from Karlspace on what a difference spaying can make. IMO it is just great to know you could get a Hus-Bun for her some day if she is spayed – they are so happy with another bunny around.

It is, however, very frustrating when your family tells you things are stupid! Let us know what happens.

[kralspace]

I forgot to add, my Pringles was going into the false pregnancies when her companion was only a stuffed bunny!!! lol

[electro-weezle]

i did try cleaning her, i couldnt find cornstarch so i used water and some bunny shampoo – went absolutely fine – she wasnt too scared and didnt get in a stress with me ( thanks for the advice everyone!) :L she came over for cuddles afterwards,

and i spoke to my mum – told her everything i know and told her that it seriously reduces the risk of cancer – and i think shes coming round to the idea, she still has her views even though i said what shes saying is stupid when you weigh up stress & the small chance of death against all the other possibilities – but shes said that shes ok with it if i pay! i phoned the vets the other day to find out about it & they seem to be pretty clued up they mentioned the fact that they have to use a different type of anasthetic to a cat or a dog so they seem responsible!

im getting all excited thinking i could possibly get her a companion but only if i move house which is 50/50 atm *sigh*. But obvo only if getting her spayed calms her down & stops humping etc… coz in the past when shes had moomin, her female companion shes grown distant and less friendly towards us & been humping moomin for dominance which was annoying for moomin & quite stressful for me trying to keep them togethor but without her bugging him. So if i do get her spayed – (which is quite likely now if all goes well at home!), fingers crossed she will calm down alot so i can start a bunny colony! :L

[Beka27]

bunny colony!!!! lol! i’m glad your mom is leaving it up to you. humping is a natural behavior to determine dominance. with altered buns it should only last a short time (week or two) and then they should be able to live peacefully with little to no humping at all. if you choose to get her a companion (later on down the road) many rescues have already altered buns, which is the best route to go. the easiest match-up is male and female, both altered. but like i said, you don’t need to worry about this right now.

[babybunsmum]

you’ve already gotten lots of great advice about spays but i thought i’d share my personal experience with you.  maybe it’ll also help your mom understand why spays are such a good idea.

my bun baby – a nearly 8 yr old lop – was never spayed.  last year she needed to have a lump surgically removed from her belly which was biopsied & confirmed to be a mammary tumor (breast cancer).  prior to her surgery this lump was very large & had started to crack & bleed.  something had to be done.  i spent close to $1,000 on her vet bills for this but what really upsets me still is to know that it could have been avoided had she been spayed.  she is now too old to be spayed.  and she is at very high risk for developing uterine cancer. 

my bun pinky – a 1yr old new zealand white – was spayed shortly after i adopted her in april of this year.   the spay cost was far less than the cost for baby’s surgery.  and already pinky has had behavioural changes that are wonderful for all of us!  she doesn’t leave puddles or stray poops to mark like baby does - easier to clean up after and she makes a great cuddle buddy on the couch.  but more importantly for her, she is not hormonal anymore which means she is not frantic when i sweep in her room (she hated the scent on the broom since i sweep baby’s room with it too) and she is not always trying to dominate the dog.  she’s just more relaxed.

some people in my family think i go overboard with animal care.  it’s not worth my while to explain that it’s a better life for the animal to those who think animals belong on a farm & don’t value having a pet.  when they thought spaying pinky was ridiculous i explained it this way… it just makes good financial sense.  otherwise i’d likely be faced with an expensive surgery / treatments later on since adopting the animal means i took the financial responsibility to keep them healthy.  they understood this reasoning.

i’m not saying your mom fits into this category… just mentioning what i’m up against.  and i’m a grown woman who’s financially independant!

[Author]

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