Are baths dangerous for your bunny? Can a small bath kill your rabbit? But you haven’t seen calm bunnies taking a bath in pictures, is that a myth?
Giving baths to your rabbits can be dangerous and can even sometimes lead to death. Rabbits groom themselves and don’t need to be bathed. Bathing them can give them shock and kill them.
Are you freaking out hearing? Well, don’t worry because in this article we will be discussing all that bath does to rabbits and how to help your rabbits that are in shock.
Let us hop straight in…
Rabbit Bath Death
Rabbits are very delicate creatures and small errors on our part can be fatal and even kill them. As a responsible pet owner there are many “don’ts” you should know about rabbits, one of them is giving your rabbit a simple bath.
Rabbits are naturally clean animals. They self-clean like cats and don’t need to be bathed. They constantly dry groom them- both wild and domestic rabbits. The idea of being immersed in a pool of water to be bathed is extremely foreign to them.
Since the idea of taking a bath is not natural to them, they fear it. immersion into water will cause stress on the animal, which can quickly lead to shock, which may ultimately result in death.
You should not give rabbits a bath until it is absolutely necessary. It is recommended to spot clean your rabbit’s backside because it will get dirty from sitting in the litter box.
But you have to be careful and follow instructions properly because one small mistake can be fatal to your furry friend. You can slowly try giving your bunny a dry bath.
Many assume that since rabbits sit idle during a bath, it is safe for them. This is not because they enjoy the bath but because of their fear of baths. You should not risk the life of your rabbit to find out if they enjoy baths or not.
Giving rabbits a bath can lead to shock, heart attack, hypothermia, injury, and skin irritation.
Can A Bath Kill A Bunny?
Baths are very dangerous for rabbits and can even kill your rabbit. Giving a bath comes with serious health risks for your rabbit. Wet fur can lead to hypothermia or a shock which can be fatal for your rabbit.
Bathing a bunny can lead to Hypothermia. Bunnies have exceptionally thick fur. At the point when it gets wet it requires an extremely long time to dry.
Regardless of whether you attempt to dry your bunny after the shower, it’s hard to be totally intensive.
A rabbit has thick fur to cover and keep them warm, they mainly utilize their ears to manage their temperature.
Having wet fur for any extensive stretch of time upsets their capacity to self-control their internal heat level and they become in danger of creating hypothermia.
rabbits can also injure themselves during a shower. sometimes this is because they could slip and fall. Bunny feet don’t excel on smooth surfaces.
The lower part of a tub or sink is difficult for your rabbit to get their balance, and they might harm themselves assuming that they slip attempting to bounce around.
rabbits could likewise harm themselves assuming they get terrified and begin flailing uncontrollably. They could incidentally harm themselves (or you). Rabbits likewise have extremely amazing rear legs matched with a frail back.
When they get scared, they could kick sufficient that they turn or crack their spine causing paralysis.
rabbit skin is exceptionally fragile and touchy. Washing can without much of a stretch disturb a rabbit’s skin and cause a rash or contamination. The water strips away the normal oils on your bunny’s body and leaves them with dry, unprotected skin.
A rabbit’s skin is likewise more handily harmed when it is wet. So a little cut on wet skin could bring about a substantially more genuine and difficult injury.in case of such a situation, you have to visit the vet immediately.
Rabbits won’t necessarily die because of a bath but it is a strong possibility. We strongly recommend you not to bathe your rabbits.
Do Rabbits Go Into Shock When Wet?
Rabbits are very fragile and sensitive animals. Small things can cause shock for them and being wet is one among them. When they get wet they go into a state of shock from the fear of death.
The shock of being wet can trigger heart attack and stress which can even kill your furry friend. While going into a shock, they can hurt themselves as well causing injuries and bone fractures.
A rabbit’s blood pressure and heart rate can drop drastically during a shock. This can be very fatal for your rabbit.
Is It Bad For Bunnies To Get Wet?
Getting wet is extremely dangerous for bunnies. You should never intentionally get your rabbit wet. Never in any circumstance should the bunny be submerged fully in water.
Getting wet can cause great distress in bunnies inducing a heart attack, stress, shocks, hypothermia, and more. It can even be more fatal and lead to death.
Rabbit’s fur tends to clump together if got wet making the drying down a very lengthy process. If you wait for the fur to get naturally dried then it can lead to hypothermia for your rabbit. So it is important that as a responsible pet owner, you step in.
For drying your rabbit you’ll need to towel dry the rabbit first. It is important that you use a completely dry cloth. You can also use a paper towel.
You have to keep in mind that you use softer cloth and not clothes that will cause irritation to your rabbit’s fur.
After towel drying your rabbit, you’ll have to blow-dry the rabbit’s fur. While blow-drying you have to make sure not to overheat the dryer because that can cause scathing in rabbit’s skin. Make sure you put the blow dryer on the lowest setting.
Extreme care should be given while drying your rabbit. You have to make sure you don’t rub the towel hard on the rabbit’s skin.
While blow-drying you have to make sure that the rabbit gets used to the noise first before bringing it close to the rabbit. You have to take short breaks during the blow-drying to keep the rabbit warm.
You can also spot clean the rabbit. Spot cleaning refers to cleaning only a small part of your rabbit that has extreme dirt. Use a hypo-allergenic, non-medicated shampoo.
Shampoo commonly used by humans, even those that are made for sensitive skin, is often not suitable for rabbits.
To spot clean you can wet the area that has to be cleaned. This way the rabbit is not coming into contact with a large amount of water so it won’t freak out. Apply the shampoo and gently cleanse the area.
You have to make that the container or sink you are bathing the rabbit is not slippery. If slippery, keep a towel on the surface. After cleaning the spot, you have dry the rabbit with a dry towel.
You have to make sure you don’t introduce the rabbit to a big pool of water while spot cleaning them and remember to be gentle and careful with them.
What Are The Signs Of A Rabbit In Shock?
While in a state of shock, the body of rabbits completely shuts down. This is because they get so terrified. Their body temperature drops to a fatal level and they become unresponsive. In some rabbits, this will only last for a little time but it can also last for hours.
While many bunnies can recuperate from shock assuming they are given consideration and comfort, this condition can likewise be deadly for your rabbits.
The signs of shock include:
Weak Pulse. There will be a sudden drop in the pulse rate of your rabbit. Sometimes you won’t be able to feel the pulse of the rabbit.
Rapid breathing. The rabbit will be breathing fast as the rabbit will be panicking and hyperventilating.
Hypothermia. The rabbit’s body temperature will drop under 100℉. This is a clear sign that your rabbit is going into a shock.
Weak limbs. The rabbit will not respond to your touches.
Dull eyes. The rabbit’s eyes will have an overlooked look. It will show up as though they aren’t looking at anything around them.
What To Do During Shock?
During shock, you will be prompted to go to the vet immediately but a car ride will only freak out the rabbit more. So it is important to give initial care before taking the rabbit to the vet.
Warm Towel
If your rabbit is in shock, the first step is to warm your rabbit. You can use a warm towel to keep around them. You should not wrap them in it as that can be more stressful.
Warm Water Bottle
You can use a warm water bottle and place it near your rabbit. Make sure the bottle is not really hot. Do not submerge your rabbit in the water.
Heating Pad
You can use heating pads to keep near your rabbit. Make sure you don’t overheat them as it will burn the rabbit fur.
Calm Your Rabbit
You have to calm your rabbit by talking to it soothingly. Trust me, this will help a lot. It will make the rabbit feel safer.
Frequently Asked Question
Do bunnies like water?
Rabbits do not like water, they do not like to be wet and should never be given a bath, allowed to swim, or fully submerged in water. This will immediately stress them out and may cause medical problems.
How often should you bathe your rabbit?
You don’t have to bathe your rabbit as they are self groomers. You only have to very occasionally spot clean them for stubborn dirt.
Final Words
Bathing or submerging your rabbit in water can be very dangerous and fatal for them. It can leave them in a state of shock leading them to death. You have to be very careful while bathing your rabbit.
If your rabbit is showing any signs of shock then immediately do the above-mentioned first care and then visit the vet.
We hope this article helped you with all your queries. Do comment down below for any more questions.
