Can rabbits "swim"

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maxysmummy

maxysmummy

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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAzmCEC3xQA&feature=related[/ame]

found this vid and it looks quite concerning to me... if you cant bathe a rabbit surely you shouldnt put one in the pool? is this ok? if it is i live close to the beach and maybe my rabs would like swimming? my instinct says no but just posting to check with you guys
 
maxysmummy wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAzmCEC3xQA&feature=related

found this vid and it looks quite concerning to me... if you cant bathe a rabbit surely you shouldnt put one in the pool? is this ok? if it is i live close to the beach and maybe my rabs would like swimming? my instinct says no but just posting to check with you guys
Click to expand...

[align=center]I don't think it's alright... that rabbit seems used to it (or just in panic mode and trying to keep calm to stay afloat).. and I feel like a normal rabbit would panic and get water in their nose/ears... It just doesn't seem safe to me. :confused2:

I wouldn't do it- especially somewhere so open like a beach where you have less control over them than in a small space like "Baxter". One thing goes wrong and :(
 
I have had a couple rabbits who enjoy playing in their water dish. I wouldn't force a rabbit to swim, but I have heard of house rabbits before who liked to hop in the shop or bath tub occasionally. lol If they do it by choice, it should be fine.
 
I think some rabbits like a little water to pad about in. Mine have had to have a few butt baths in their lives and I really don't think either particularly enjoyed it (they enjoyed the warm towell and treats after though!!! :) ).

However. This rabbit looks utterly paralysed with fear. And. How does she know if the rabbit 'likes' to swim, when clearly in that huge pool high off the ground, the rabbit would have to be picked up and placed into it, rather than the rabbit venturing in for its own amusement? There are no bits for the rabbit to stand on, or a way for it to get out. I'm sure they weren't trying to be cruel, but the fact is the shock of just immersing SOME rabbits in water would cause fatal reprocusions.

In the summer when it is really hot, I give my rabbits a large bowl with a few inches of water in, and they seem to enjoy dipping their ears in it and placing their front paws in for a while.

Rabbits are actually very competent swimmers- they will use this to escape predators etc. and can swim very well. Whether they LIKE to do it? I am not sure. Also if they don't dry properly you run the risk of pneumonia etc.

Jen
 
If it was by choice that is one thing, but I found this to be very disturbing. Seemed the animal was floating as it had no other choice--no way for it to get out. Looked at a few others featuring the same pool and the bunnies were trying to get to the edge and out but couldn't.
 
I watched a few videos of swimming rabbits and they looked terrified. I can see them playing in a water dish in the summer as a fun way to cool off, but like others have said, being voluntary makes it much different.
 
Many years ago I would put one of my rabbits in the pool to cool off in the summer. Opie was his name. He did seem to briefly enjoy it. I would put him in the shallow end withme in there with him. I have Polaroid pictures of this as proof. If I had to do it again I would not. I'm sure the chlorine in the pool did not do him any favors.
 
That rabbit in the video looked terrified. There was one that looked like he enjoyed swimming.

Maybe it can be a theraputic way of getting the rabbit to heal from injury. Or even a way to keep the rabbit cool, as long as you watch the rabbit and take him/her out of the water when they want out. Then they might like swimming. But if they look terrified like the one in the video posted, then you should not force them.
 
Last year, M r. Bun Bun jumped in my "pool-pond" - a pond I made from a kiddy pool for my turtles to swim around in on a nice day. Not cool that Bun Bun got in there, I must say. Clean pond but we get frogs, lizards, mosquito larva, and other wild life in there and Bun Bun needed a bath immediately! He was stinky and he could of gotten sick(like salmonella.... if rabbits can get that.).
 
I would say try first with you bathtub. It would be big enough for a rabbit to swim in. If they like it, you can always just draw a little bath for them once in a while.

I wouldn't try it at a beach, with surf and all, it's too unpredictable.
 
Awe,that poor bunny. I have a hard time keep Humphrey OUT of his water dish. He is always padding around in it. I have to take it away from him on cold day cause I am afraid he will get sick.
 
Awh that poor bunny! He looks scared to death! It is definitley not a good idea to let your rabbit "swim" like that, especially in a pool soo deep, he could easily drown.

That rabbit in the vid looks like a Mini Rex, though I could be mistaken, but the fur looks plush. The water, not to mention the chlorine probably isn't doing any good for his fur. And the chlorine could cause the rabbit to become sick I imagine.

I wouldn't take your rabbit to "swim" in the ocean, the waves could carry it away, even if you had in on a harness, and I don't think the saltwater would be good for it either.
 
Maybe if a rabbit got used to it then they would like it, but I'd say at first they'd usually be terrified.

And you'd have to worry about them getting cold and getting sick if it wasn't warm out . . .

Like lots of dogs love to swim, but my dogs were scared of water at first, well not really scared but they didn't want to get wet. But I put them in the river (on leads) to show them it'd be fun and then they liked it! :)
 
Maybelle has jumped into water (not enough to actually swim though)and went on splashing about and binkying. However, If I were to allow any rabbit of mine to ever play in water, I would use something that they could get in and out at their will. Most animals 'can'swim but only do it if necessary. Of course, there are always the few exceptions out there that just love doing things you wouldn't expect so it all depends... I definitely wouldn't be holding a rabbit back if it was trying to get out though. That's not cool. :)
 
Rabbits can swim, in that when dropped in water their panicked kicking will keep them afloat for awhile. However that doesn't mean you should do it. Youtube is full of people doing stupid things to animals.

Their bodies aren't designed for it, their short necks mean their mouths and noses are close the waterline, inhaling water in a panic could easier lead to respiratory infection, pneumonia or simply drowning. Their thick undercoat will soak up water, eventually making them too heavy to float well, it also means they cool down rapidly, find it hard to dry out and it will muck up their natural waterproofing (as in rain) oils which keep the coat shiny and in good condition. Soap, shampoo, chlorine, etc. could lead to eye irritation, skin problems etc.

I'll leave aside the mental trauma of putting a prey animal in a frighting situation the can't get out of.

There are plenty of other fun and safe activities to try and see if your bun likes without needing to resort to something so dangerous and frightening. I wish youtube was better at deleting this sort of thing.
 
Once Kinboe jumped into my bath. He swam to the edge, got out, and threw a hissy fit.

He is known to still jump in the shower with me :p

But he did no like it..not sure why he continues to do it..

But I think it is scary for them and should only be done for really bad poopy butts. Not for recreation ;)
 
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