Scent glands - do they NEED to be cleaned?

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Tweetiepy

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Could a bunny go his whole life without someone cleaning his scent glands? If not, how often should you clean them and when do you know you need to clean them? I've picked Peaches up on occasion and sniffed and I find no odor - is it possible he doesn't need to get them cleaned.

What makes it so that it needs to be cleaned? if they spray or get hormonal? would this apply to a fixed bunny as well?

I heard it's pretty gross to clean those, so I'm hoping to not have to clean them - EVER!
 
LOL:biggrin:

IMO I say yes they DO need to be done...the easiest thing is to make it part of your grooming. So when you do your bunnsgroom...do nails, brushing and glands!

We check our rabbits glands once a month or so when we groom them.
It is a funky smell when you clean them the first time...my advise...just breathe through your mouth!:biggrin2:
It's not really THAT bad...no worse than cecals really.
If you keep up with it and don't let it accumulate it smells better and you won't have such a horrible job when finallly do take care of it! :)

The glandscan get really gunky over time...in some cases...and it depends if your bunns are speutered...your bunn can start to smell a little funky.

The accumulation gets hard, crusty and waxyand I doubt very much it feels good for the bunn. Our new "Easter Dump" boy had never had his done so when we groomed him the build up was glued to the soft skin and looked really painful. :(

If you really don't want to clean them out...check with your vet...you may be able to get a vet tech to do it for you the next time you are in for a visit.

Danielle :)


 
How do you know when it's time to do them? I normally manage to brush my bunny every day or so, how do I know when I need to clean them? If I look at his bunny parts, I don't see anything..
 
After I read this, me and my mom did all 4 of our bunnies. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! I had never done this, nor my mom. I was the one who had to wipe the ear-wax-looking gunk out >_< The smell... Ugh, I'll never forget that O.O
 
Just spread the gland open and check to see if there is any build-up in them. When I got my foster Sophia, her glands were so horribly crusted up I was afraid she had syphilis! The vet cleaned them up during her spay (lucky me!!).
 
The glandsaren't immediately obvious...
They are small slits to eitherside of the penis or vulva..there is one on each side.
Just gently seperate the folds and have a wee look...
The build up ranges from yellowish to waxy dark brown...

It does take a while for it to build up...so if you check them once every month or two it should be fine...and they don't necessarily need to be cleaned that often...when you notice a bit of gunk...moisten a Q-tip with warm water and gently swab it away!

Here is pic of what you are looking for and where:

100_0922.jpg

 
After I read this, me and my mom did all 4 of our bunnies. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! I had never done this, nor my mom. I was the one who had to wipe the ear-wax-looking gunk out >_< The smell... Ugh, I'll never forget that O.O
I DID mention breathing through your mouth...I was TOTALLY serious!:)
 
Runestonez wrote:
After I read this, me and my mom did all 4 of our bunnies. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! I had never done this, nor my mom. I was the one who had to wipe the ear-wax-looking gunk out >_< The smell... Ugh, I'll never forget that O.O
I DID mention breathing through your mouth...I was TOTALLY serious!:)
Ha, we did but would get small wiffs of it >_< At least I know why my buns smelled weird. Ialways thought it was just their cecals o_O
 
Cleaning the glands does help...I have noticed it has a much stronger smell on un-speutered bunns...and more on the males than females.

In our house we have 11 rabbits right now...5 of which are neutered males, and one un-neutered male.
Our males are constantly nugging (chinning) and leaving turdems for the other males to find...:rollseyes

It seems to us anyway they seem to build up gunk faster thanour females!:lookaround
or maybe we spend far too much time staring at rabbit butt!:biggrin:
 
Yeah, none of our bunnies are fixed yet. Lennie should be getting fixed within a few weeks. It's just too expensive to get them all fixed soon. My parents are going through a divorce so a lot of money is flying out the window >_<

But at least the gunk wont come back for its revenge for a while x)
 
All I have to say is the sooner the better!

Our un-neutered boy is due for his pre-surg tonight and neutering on Monday morning!
He escaped his enclosure and sprayed EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING!!!!!:grumpy:
It took me 45 minutes crawling around the house to clean it up!

Up to this point he hadn't marked anything..he sure fixed that right fast!:grumpy:

Hence the appointment on Monday...our vet usually does the pre-surg then waits 14 days...I told them I was going to do it myself if he marked one more thing! LOL:biggrin:

As it is...we will have to wait 2 months or more forhis hormones to settle!
<sigh> I'm going to need more cleaning solution...:(
 
It is important to clean them a few times a year as it can build up and your bun can get vent disease. ;)

I usually clean my bunnies vents about 2 to 3 times a year. I do it before any big shows ~ such as Spring Youth Fair & County Fair. After County, the vents are usually ok for State, but I might do my Fit & Show bunnies' vents as the judges like to see your Fit & Show bun spotless, etc.

The other time I might do them is during spring cleaning of the rabbitry, or certain times when I clip toenails.

Emily
 
We just trance our bunns...
And we have lionheads too...
And no some of ours don't trance...LOL :D

If you can trance your bunn...piece of cake!
Pinch them between your knees with their head angled slightly downward and proceed!

If not...this becomes a two person job as it is much easier to clean the glandsusing two hands!
You can try a bunny burrito...but until you do it a couple times...find someone you would like to punish...don't tell them to hold their breath...;)
Have them gently talk to the bunn and stroke from nose to forehead while you swab...or you can try what we do for our big mini-lop...one of us stuffs craisins in the top end while the other cleans the bottom end! :D


 
Runestonez wrote:
We just trance our bunns...
And we have lionheads too...
And no some of ours don't trance...LOL :D

If you can trance your bunn...piece of cake!
Pinch them between your knees with their head angled slightly downward and proceed!

If not...this becomes a two person job as it is much easier to clean the glandsusing two hands!
You can try a bunny burrito...but until you do it a couple times...find someone you would like to punish...don't tell them to hold their breath...;)
Have them gently talk to the bunn and stroke from nose to forehead while you swab...or you can try what we do for our big mini-lop...one of us stuffs craisins in the top end while the other cleans the bottom end! :D
Most of my buns are fairly compliant...others, I admit, I sort of pin their head (gently) between my legs. Even my "Don't touch me" Scooter, I manage to clip nails and clean scent glands by myself. If they are too freaked out though, I don't pursue things.
 
I can hardly pick up my foster bun on a good day, let alone trim his nails or even CONSIDER doing this :/ I'm going to keep trying since reading this has made me nervous, but any tips or tricks would be helpful -_-'
 
hey guys, i read this thread and decided it was probably a sign i should clean my babies glands...

so i flipped little maxxy over, and i spent about 5 minutes searching for the glands and just could not find them... at all...

hes so fluffy underneath (tee hee) and i could see his little pink balls, his penis but just um... no scent glands... is it possible they are completely clean so i just dont have to do it?

any tips on how to find them?
 
LOL :biggrin:
If you found his penis and testicles...you were in the right area! ;)

I will try to make a video this morning...once I drag hubby out of bed...
a walk through for anyone who is interested...Okey dokey?!

The rabbit I used for the picture earlier was my heart bunn Dandelion...he would let us do pretty much anything to him! But he passed away last April...so...that leaves me the Tasmanian devil (Darwin) and his disapproving brother (Guffy)! :rollseyes

I don't think I have any gunky glands I can demostrate on...but I can show you how to find them!
LOL Hubby is going to LOVE me this morning..."Sorry hunny...no breakfast until we clean some glands!!" he he he:big wink:
 
Of course...:grumpy:
My camera isn't cooperating...it has nothing to do with being completely eletronically inept either!:lookaround

Here is a video I found on youtube...she is doing nails and glands and it goes by rather fast...but it might give you a better idea!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vldSCV9qY3c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vldSCV9qY3c[/ame]

The only thing I would caution...some people like to use mineral oil...as in the video...or in some cases petrolium based products to help loosen the build up...it does make it easier...I suggest warm water...only because some of these products can lead to clogging of the pores and inflammation...so if you don't need to use them...I would suggest sticking with warm water. For really bad build ups it may be a necessary evil though!

 

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