His ears are very delicate and he is not always able to get rid of the droplets of water by shaking his head. If he is very wet, take him inside the house, cover him up and dry him with a towel for a few minutes: he will feel safe and will not get sick.
The fear rabbits experience when dunked into water is overwhelming. The intense cold temperature and paralyzing anxiety from their surroundings can shock their system, and sometimes, in extreme cases, even lead to heart attack. The risk of scaring a rabbit to death is too great.
Please do not give your bunny a full body bath.
This can be extremely traumatic for a rabbit and can put them into shock; many rabbits have died from this kind of trauma. While you may have heard of rabbits who like to swim, most rabbits do not tolerate being submerged in water, and the shock of it can be deadly.
All rabbits can swim as it's a basic survival instinct. Most pet rabbits prefer to stay on dry land, but there are exceptions to the rule. Never force your rabbit to go into the water as it can cause extreme shock. If your rabbit does enjoy swimming, there are health benefits to this activity.
Hydration, in particular, is pivotal to your pet's survival. Without regular access to fresh drinking water, her health will suffer. Going for 24 hours without drinking water will be fatal for most rabbits. Not drinking can lead to complete organ failure.
Most rabbits also dislike water. But more importantly, baths are also dangerous for rabbits, and sometimes even fatal. Wet fur can lead to hypothermia or a respiratory infection; hot water or blow-dryers can scald their skin. Water in their ears can lead to ear infections.
Their fur usually protects them very well, but they lose that shield when they are wet. For this reason, rabbits will often have severe skin irritation that could even lead to an infection. Rabbit skin is also delicate enough when wet that it can tear more easily.
RHDV2 is a highly contagious virus that can spread quickly among rabbit populations. But poses no human health risk. RHD causes sudden death in rabbits and spreads through direct contact between live rabbits or exposure to contaminated materials (carcasses, pelts, food, water, and forage, etc.)
His ears are very delicate and he is not always able to get rid of the droplets of water by shaking his head. If he is very wet, take him inside the house, cover him up and dry him with a towel for a few minutes: he will feel safe and will not get sick. Using a hairdryer on him is strictly forbidden!
When a rabbit goes into shock, their body will become still or limp. The heart rate will be slow and difficult to detect and the rabbit will have pale white gums as a result of circulatory problems. Rabbits in shock will also have very cold ears because their body temperature is plummeting.
A rabbit's tail and hindquarters must always be dry. If your rabbit is damp around the rear, they are experiencing difficulty urinating. A strong smell of ammonia also denotes health issues. These are warning signs that your rabbit is urinating on their own skin, which can lead to scalding.
It's not a good idea to let the rabbit's body air dry, since the longer the rabbit is wet, the higher the risk of a problem developing. Use a hair dryer on a warm, low setting (not the cool or hot setting) and make a few passes over the wet part of the rabbit's behind. Continue until the fur there is completely dry.
Although rabbits are herbivorous, some fruits and vegetables can cause fatal reactions. These include rhubarb, avocado, allium-type vegetables, and iceberg lettuce.
Signs that a rabbit is near death include refusing to eat, an unusual level of lethargy, difficulty breathing, or a sudden change in vital signs. A rabbit should have a body temperature between 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as a heart rate between 180 and 250 beats per minute.
Likewise buttercups, foxgloves, primrose, delphiniums/larkspur, columbine (aquilegia) hellebore, comfrey, poppy, periwinkle, monkshood, rhubarb, nightshade, ivy, privet, holly and yew are all reasonably common garden plants and all are toxic.
Stress can cause issues in rabbits with: The heart: in extreme situations causing heart attack and death. The gut: causing ileus/gut stasis (where the guts stop moving properly) and/or stomach ulcers (painful and life-threatening damage to the lining of the stomach).
Try sprinkling dried sulfur around or on your plants. Rabbits also dislike the smell of onions, so try planting these around your garden to further deter the furry creatures. To discourage pesky rabbits, try dusting your plants with plain talcum powder.
Spritz water
Rabbits lose heat through their ears, so misting them might help to keep your bunnies cooler. Fill up a spray bottle with cool (not icy) water, and then gently spritz the fleshy parts of your rabbits' ears – making sure not to get water into the ear canal itself.
While small animals, such as rabbits are prone to pneumonia, rain does not cause it. However, if rabbits are housed in cramped conditions, or if they're unable to escape the cold and the rain, they may suffer from chronic stress. This can make them more prone to respiratory conditions, such as pneumonia.
How often do I need to clean my rabbit hutch? For the ideal rabbit environment, the hutch should be cleaned at least once a day, by removing any shavings or bedding that are wet and dirty, removing any uneaten fresh food and cleaning the food and water containers before refilling them.
Rabbits groom themselves like cats do, and don't need to be bathed. The only exception to this is when rabbits with “poopy butt” may need to have a butt bath, which only involves cleaning the rabbit's genitals and hind quarters. We have a great video that shows you how to do this.
Tail-wagging
If you notice your rabbit wagging her little tail, she's not showing you she's happy, she's doing this as a sign of defiance. If you're putting her back inside her run after a fun garden roaming session and she wags her tail, she's back-talking you: 'I don't want to go in yet!
Normally when a rabbit urinates, they stand in a particular way to prevent urine from soaking into their fur. If a rabbit is sick or sore, they may not be able to stand like this properly and get themselves covered in their own wee. This is more common under their tummies or around their genital areas.
Often a rabbit in pain will sit hunched up, unwilling to move. A rabbit that sits hunched up, with eyes half closed, and firm teeth grinding is likely in pain and needs a vet check form filled out and supervisor notified.