Bath Time!

My rabbit is 6 months old and desperately needs a bath. She likes to sit in her litter box while she eats her hay. Everytime she runs past me on the floor, I get a big whiff of pee. No petstores around me sell soap or shampoo for small animals (which is rediculous) I have dove soap without the beads. I will only be cleaning her feet, tummy, and private areas. Is this okay? I really don't want to get her sick or have her skin dry out from the soap. I used warm water only before and it did nothing.

Butt baths ONLY. a full bath can potentially kill your rabbit and it has happened to members.of this forum before.
If you feel you must use shampoo try hypoallergenic tear free baby shampoo. There shouldnt be commerciL soap for small animals as that would encourage bathing which is bad.
Sounds like she needs a grate on her litter box so shes not sitting directly in her own pee.

Agree about getting a grate for the litter box!

Another possible alternative to the grate idea is to top the litter with hay. I do this 2-3 times per day. It keeps them off of wet litter.

I give my boys a little baby shampoo bubble bath. It is mild and not heavily fragranced. Then after a minute or two of soaking and scrubbing, I dip them in the fresh water bucket for a rinse and then into a towel to dry. I also blow dry them when we are finished, but it may take the bunny some time to get used to the noise the dryer makes.

In between baths, I use a spray bottle to mist the dirty area and then a wash cloth to buff their fur dry.

I really see no reason for rabbits to receive regular baths -- even if they are shallow baths. Rabbits clean themselves unless too old or obese ( or injured somehow). But a normal healthy rabbit on a good diet (no poopy bum) should be able to clean himself.
Even a plain water bath, if given regularly, can dry out bunny's delicate skin.

Yes it's true, my bunnies never needed a bath in their lives until recently and they are almost 6 years old. They started having mobility problems and stopped using their litter boxes. Now one bunny can't stand up anymore and the other soils his bedding so I give pretty frequent butt baths these days.

Here's a really good link about butt baths for rabbits that I recommend. It is for disabled rabbits and it covers just about everything. http://www.disabledrabbits.com/baths--cleaning.html

But really I think best thing to do is figure out a better litter box for him. I use pine shavings then top it with Barley straw which the rabbits don't really eat. Then put just a bit of hay for them to chew on at the front. They like to sit in their litter box but the pee and poo falls through the straw and it keeps them really clean, their feet are nice and white.

I use dry shampoo on rabbits and it works great. Also, Oster makes a pet wipe that is really good and is similar to a baby wipe but it's for pets. I have bathed rabbits before and had no problems. Everything I read says not to bathe. I use my own judgement and do what's best for my animal. I always make sure to dry them completely. Good luck.

Yeah, it's best to avoid baths if you can. Bunnies have really sensitive skin and even the gentlest of shampoos can dry out their skin. But, there are times that it is necessary to prevent urine scald.

I personally have had success with organic pet shampoos. The one brand that specifically comes to mind is Pawganics. It's all natural and no harsh chemicals. It's also reasonably priced if you can find it. I've used it on rabbits and guinea pigs and have never had an issue with it. They aren't heavily scented either, which is nice.