Matted Leg help

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BunnyMulan

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Hi,
I just got my bunny on Friday and her back legs are matted! There were a few around her neck but they just pulled off. I don't know if it's because her cage was small and dirty and the paper bedding got tangled, but I don't know how to get them off! She is still warming up to me and I don't want to tick her off.
Any ideas?

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If she is also dirty, you could try giving her a bath to try and get some of the dirt and grime out. If she is just matted, you may have to shave her or cut the mats out. You would hurt her more by trying to brush them out than by cutting them out. She will look a little funky for awhile, but the hair will grow back. Get a vet technician or at least another person to help you out while you do it.
 
You're not supposed to give rabbits baths. If she's dirty, you can wipe her down with a warm wash cloth, but I would not give her a bath like a dog. It takes them forever to dry and they're not meant to be wet.
If she's super matted, you could take her to a vet and have them help you get the mats out. Rabbits have very delicate skin, so tugging and pulling of brushing might hurt her, but cutting her skin would be really horrible. I would take her to the vet to be on the safe side. They'll be able to help you, and maybe figure out what, other than bad cage conditions, is the cause of the matted fur.
 
If a rabbit's rear end is really and truly filthy, a "butt bath" is definitely called for. Some kinds of filth really need to be cleaned up right away.

I've seen several instructions, some written and maybe a couple of videos, on the Net from responsible sources about giving a rabbit a butt bath. Let me see if I can dig 'em up....

[cue Jeopardy music]

--instructions from the University of Miami Biology Dept. for dry baths and wet baths

--wet spot-cleaning and butt bath instructions from MyHouseRabbit.com

--"Should you give your rabbit a bath?" based on instructions from the rabbit owner's veterinarian (use the title to find the video on YouTube; it's not my video, and I don't want to show it here as if it were)

--written instructions and video links from rabbittude.com

--a video from the House Rabbit Society, How to Give Your Bunny a Butt Bath
 

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