Why is this guy always dirty?

[gentle giants]

My English Spot buck, one of my rescues, Charlie, always looks like he has been sitting in a really dirty cage for a long time. His feet and underneath his tail, sometimes even a little bit of his belly are dirty all the time. He is in a wire cage, there is absolutly no build up at all in it, and I cannot figure this out. I'm not sure if I should try wiping him with a washcloth and see if that helps, or what. He just looks awful all the time. He is not neutered yet, BTW, and I am almost embarrassed to take him in like this, he looks like he's been horribly neglected! Could this be a wierd buck thing, like he is spraying so much he is getting it all over himself, or what?

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Is it urine? Some bucks will spray their cage and then rub and roll in it. You could use a wash cloth to wash him up before you bring him in.

Sharon

 

[gentle giants]

Well, I was assuming it's urine, his feet always look like they've been dipped in dirty water. I haven't tried smelling it or anything, he is so squirmy about being picked up I don't want to get my face near his hindquarters.

 

[Blue Giants]

I also have a rescue that can't seem to keep himself groomed... He is a black Flemish Giant, about a year and a half old. I've had him about 4 months so far. Very sweet and loving, but I brush him, clean him all up and the next morning he looks just as bad! His coat is rough and unkept, hisfeet and belly arealways dirty... but he's always so happy! He is not overweight, (I actually have trouble keeping his weight up where it should be!), he gets a steady diet of fresh timothy hay, occasional vege's/oatmeal/fruit/calf manna, Blue Seal -17% protein pellets (all my other Flemishdo very well on it!), and all the fresh water he wants... he's been tested and treated for parasites (no coccidia, no worms, no mites, but my vet treated him anyway (just in case, because we didn't know his history).

My vet is chalking it up to poor breeding, she can not find anything wrong with him, except he's a mess! LOL! He's not going anywhere, he is just so sweet, but he is definately not the "House-bunny" type.

 

[gentle giants]

Yeah, that's kind of a worry to me. He is a rescue too, and I worry about being able to find him a good home with his porr potty habits. Mabye it will help when he is neutered, I can hope.

BTW, I have Flemish too, are they not the coollest rabbits ever?!

 

[Blue Giants]

Oh... I absolutely LOVE them. I can not live without them! They are the best rabbits to have! I love my Mini Rex too, but they are so different than the Giants. Different attitude, different personality, (ummm... different size?). LOL!

This poor boy is a mess... I don't hold out any hope of finding him a new home. I guess he'll just have to stay here. (I didn't even name him yet!)

Maybe after he goes through a complete coat change, it'll come back in better? At least I don't have to worry about a hair ball! LOL! He never grooms himself!

 

[gentle giants]

I have a Flemish buck that tends to be dirty. He does groom, though, he just doesn't care if he lays in his pee corner or not! He is in a solid bottom cage, I think I am going to switch him to wire when I have one available.

I have Mini rex, too, how wierd is that? :biggrin2: What colors do you have? I have blacks and chins.

 

[Blue Giants]

I have Black, Blue andCastor Mini Rex (and broken blue, black and castors). They are my therapy pets. I can take them to the Nursing home and just put one on a Seniors lap. It makes them so happy just to sit and pet the bunny, and the Mini Rex are not too heavy for them to hold.

I have not seen the Black FG groom himself. I've beenbrushing him every other day, his fur was pretty "sun burned" when I got him, but he's not looking a whole lot better. We'll give him time and see what happens.

 

[pamnock]

Some bucks feel that covering themselves in urine makes them irresistible :inlove:



Pam

 

[Pet_Bunny]

I've noticed that, when we bunnysat a buck.
He didn't groom himself that much, and yet Pebbles would be busy doing it.

Is it Bucks aredirtier orlazy, where as does are neat and cleaner?

Rainbows!

 

[Blue Giants]

pamnock wrote:

Some bucks feel that covering themselves in urine makes them irresistible :inlove:

Pam

Yeah Pam, I've seen that before... but I'm not sure this guy is doing that... LOL! It's much more noticable on the white bucks!

 

[Blue Giants]

Pet_Bunny wrote:

Is it Bucks aredirtier orlazy, where as does are neat and cleaner?
Rainbows!

SOMETIMES!!!! LOL! I have a couple of Does that would argue that theory! And a few bucks that put those does to shame!

 

[gentle giants]

I am hoping that the whole "pee makes me smell good" thing is all it is, and that he will clean up after he's neutered. Other wise, I don't know how I will ever find this guy a home, he is not really pretty the way he is!