Baby smells

[kirbyultra]

Do baby bunnies generally smell... a little strange? My Kirby has never smelled like anything (fresh as a daisy) and I sniff him all over. With Toby, I can smell he's just a bit smelly, a little like urine.

He's 80-90% of the way litter box trained with poops, 100% of the time he's peeing in the box. I am changing his box daily to complement his coccidia treatment.

I noticed when I was at the shelter picking up Kirby that all the spayed and neutered adult rabbits smelled like nothing, but all the young rescues (6 months or less) were a tad on the funky side. I assumed it was part hormones, since the young ones were the only ones not neutered, and part litter box training issues since they were new rescues.

Toby's testicles haven't even descended yet so, I don't think it could be hormones or any sort of male bahavior. He's very clean with his urine so I don't really think it could be that... do babies just smell a little weird?

 

[Maureen Las]

I don't recall babies smelling different ; is there any way you can think to describe it more specifically...

 

[kirbyultra]

I dont know how to describe it, really. It is just kind of funky/stinky but only if you get real close... Like urine, but not quit as strong. He smells like that all over, not just near the bum.

On a different note completely, are rabbits happy when they "lip smack" ? I was petting Toby and Kirby last night and both of them were making crunching noises in their mouths but they weren't eating anything...

 

[polly]

part hormones part that esp bucks spray everything and anything they can Lol well not all of them but a lot of them.
neutering takes away smell a lot! oh also they have a habit of peeing on themselves if you turn them over and look around their lower tummy the fur gets into tangles from the wee

 

[kirbyultra]

I just made Toby stand up to check if he was stinkier underneath... but nope... looks clean, smells about the same. Also, the scent glands are clean, probably because he's not hormonal yet. It's a mystery... why my baby bun smells funny.

I can understand that the 3 buns (6 months old) at the smelled smelled funny because they're old enough to be hormonal and messy with urine though.

 

[polly]

how long have you had him? sometimes I find my babies smell funky and its cause of mum licking them all the time. I also smell it on my bonded pairs must be the saliva. Mind you we dyanmite all our rabbits so then they smell lovely ( its a spray to help stop them getting fleas, mites etc just in case u were wondering)

 

[kirbyultra]

I've had toby 2 weeks. He was in the store a week before that. Nobody has licked him but me LOL

 

[Maureen Las]

Sometimes when I have adopted a rabbit that is from our shelter that has lived at Petco ( in those big glass octagons) I will notice that they havean unpleasnat odor (probably just not clean smelling).

After they have been here a few weeks in a more airy environment they get that good bunny smell that is natural

Maybe the pets shop odor hasn't worn off yet..........

 

[kirbyultra]

You might be right. I'll keep sniffing him and see if it wears off. It's really deep in his fur. I really have to stick my nose in him we're cuddling to smell it.

 

[kirbyultra]

I betcha angieluv was right again! Toby no longer smells weird! I sniff him through and through when he walks all over me while I am lying down. He smells like "nothing" just like Kirby. I guess Toby had residue pet store smell.

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

I think you answered your own question. Coccidia has a very distinctive "funky" odor. What are you treating it with? Most vets use either Sulfatrim or Albon. Neither is very effective but if I had to choose one of those two, it would be Albon. If your vet has access to Marquis (Ponauril).....it's a horse wormer and one I am using to treat EC....that might work even better. Fact is, the only real cure for coccidia is a strong immune system.

Certain intestinal parasites...particularly hookworms....can present a pronounced odor. Low quality pellets or an over abundance of proteins can also lead to odors.

But if this rabbit has coccidia....that is the most likely source of your odor concern.

Randy

 

[kirbyultra]

Hi Randy -- that's interesting. I never thought it would be the coccidia causing Toby's peculiar smell. 10 days of Albon for my poor little baby bun. He really is a strong boy. He was tiny when I got him and he was presenting poop that was clearly coccidia related. His poop started looking better immediately after better nutrition and care, as well as treatment. He is fresh as a daisy now. I suppose that also means his coccidia has cleared itself up.

 

[KimberlilyKC]

Don't think anyone answered about the lip-smacking noise. I'm not so sure about lip-smacking, but if it was accompanied by a sort of teeth chattering that sounds almost like purring, then yes, that does indicate happiness.

 

[kirbyultra]

yay!