Diapers for Rabbits?

Are you looking into getting a diaper for your pet bunny? Read through the following information before you decide.

Feces 

• Rabbits produce two types of feces. The kind you normally see, are shaped like a coco puff which happen all the time. The Cecestrope poo, shaped like a black berry, you won't see often because the rabbit must eat them to stay healthy. A cecestrope provides nutrition the bunny didn't get the first time round. If you see a rabbit bending over and eating something, he's eating a cecestrope. This is extremely important. Rabbits that cannot eat their cecals (or as I like to call them poopsicles!) may become ill.

 Urine Scald

• Urine scald happens when rabbit urine is in constant contact against the bunny's delicate skin, causing the fur to be soaked. Urine scald will often cause hair loss, redness and irritated skin. 

Disabled Rabbits

• Rabbits who are incapable of movement in their hind legs, or other health issues that may affect their immobility may wear diapers under these circumstances.  while wearing diapers, these diapers must be fitted properly for each individual bunny, avoiding diapers that are to tight, cutting off circulation or pinching.  Comfort for the bunny should always be kept in mind!  And just like a human baby, you need to change the diaper often to prevent the above described problems while keeping sanitary conditions for the bunny. 

         Disabled Bunnies will often have a cart to pull around (see pictures below) 

©Toby Thumper Brady-Dawes

©Toby Thumper Brady-Dawes

“ In 2012  Toby wasn't putting weight on his back legs correctly. We took him to the vet who said he seemed ok but obviously was favoring one leg to the other. He quickly went downhill and started to lose all use of his back legs. The vet said it might have been neurological.
Shawn and I talked long and hard about what we would do with Toby. Would we help him over the rainbow bridge, or would we let him guide us in his treatment.We decided on the latter.
One thing you could say about Toby is he ALWAYS let you know what he wanted if you were willing to listen to him. And he wanted to stay with Bella as long as his little body would let him.
We got him a wheelchair but sadly that didn't work for too long.
Eventually he came a fully disabled rabbit and I became his full-time care taker. I would get up early to give him his medicine, make sure he was eating and drinking ok, take off his diaper and “wash” him etc. I would let him rest in the living room with Bella while I got ready for work. Then I’d get him “diaper ready” before going to work. 

READ Toby's full story 

©Dolly Family 

Dolly was a very special Bunny, she brought out happiness, joy, and the true meaning of life. She showed the world that    

"Different is Beautiful" 
Dolly belonged to The Dolly Family 

In conclusion, healthy rabbits do not need to wear a diaper at all. Rabbits are very clean animals, they will use a litter box once trained. Bunnies who are not neutered or spayed will territory mark with their poo pellets. Every now again a poop may not make it into the litter box, a simple sweep with a dust pan and broom is all it takes to clean it up.