Male rabbit odor?

[kmearsss]

I just got a male mini holland lop from a pretty neglectful family. I bathed him because he was very dirty and he still has a slight onion or body odor smell. I've read that males can give off a odor but I didn't know if this was normal? I have him scheduled to be neutered in a week and I didn't know if neutering helps the smell go away. Does anyone have any input on this?

 

[JBun]

Check the scent glands. That is the strong oniony skunky smell you're smelling. They may need a cleaning.
http://brighteyessanctuary.org/educ/rabbit-info-scent-glands.html

Neutering should also help quite a bit. Unneutered males have stronger smelling urine as well as use those stinky scent glands to scent mark more often. Neutering doesn't get rid of the scent gland smell completely, but it does make it tons better.

 

[Azerane]

Bandit went through a pretty stinky stage at one point after he was neutered. I'm fairly sure it was his scent glands, but he wouldn't let me get to them. Eventually he must have cleaned them out himself because he no longer has that smell. I did notice though, a fabric tunnel I had from my previous bunny years ago, I gave it to Bandit and it always stank so bad. Bandit must have scent marked it, no matter what I did I couldn't get the smell to go away so I through it out, will just buy a new one

 

[kmearsss]

Last night I tried to find his scent glands, I watched youtube videos and everything but I didn't see any build up but he does go to the vet Tuesday to get neutered so while they do that i'm going to ask them to groom him and check the scent glands. Thanks for the replies!

 

[carmichaels99]

This is how my boy smelled when we brought him home. It got remarkably better once he was neutered. His poop still smells like that a little, but not near as noticeable as it was before.