Bunnies are really hard customers to please when it comes to their hygiene and technically they don't need to be helped to wash. However, if your rabbit has something stuck to his fur or is in need of assistance, you can take the opportunity to give him a "bath". Note that bathing him by immersing the rabbit in water is useless and dangerous because he can easily go into hypothermia and / or suffer a shock.
Steps
Step 1. Find someone to help you
Holding the bunny correctly to prevent him from hurting himself requires two hands, which is why you will need a friend: one holds him and the other washes him.
Step 2. Make sure whoever holds it does it correctly
Rabbits are quite fragile and do not like to be held in the hands. It is important to do it in the right way to avoid any harm being done. The bunny should be held with his back against your chest and with a supporting hand under his butt. Better that the person holding it sits on the ground, in case the rabbit fusses and runs away.
DO NOT keep the rabbit with his back parallel to the floor: you would induce a state of "trance" in which apparently he seems relaxed while in reality he is excessively stressed; it is a response to natural fear in predatory situations. Make sure you support the rabbit well to keep it from stressing as little as possible
Step 3. Move on to cleaning
Wet a towel with warm water. Dab the dirty areas of his fur by rubbing gently and with a light hand.
Step 4. Deal with heavily soiled spots carefully
If water isn't enough to remove encrusted stains, apply bath starch and use a fine-toothed comb to remove it.
Step 5. Your rabbit is clean
Give him a reward for being good. This will encourage him to positively associate being held and handled, making him less anxious when he happens to have to wash it again.
Advice
- Talk to your rabbit in a calm and cheerful voice while you wash it.
- Don't use too much water. Rabbits have delicate, thin skin that when wet can lead to serious health problems, including rapid hypothermia. That's why it's best to clean them with as little water as possible.
- If for some reason your rabbit is very wet, dry it as quickly as possible to avoid hypothermia. You can use a hair dryer but it must be at a minimum and in motion so as not to concentrate the heat only on one area for a long time. Control the heat by placing a hand towards the flow of air. Rabbits are extremely sensitive to heat so prolonged exposure to high temperatures could give them a heart attack and lead to death.
