by Diane Garrod

Created on: April 22, 2009

Cleaning a rabbit's ears should be done with preparing the rabbit for the experience. Since I am a Certified Tellington Touch Practitioner, I look at this task differently. It sounds simple, but you should help your rabbit to have a positive experience.

Get Rabbit Used to Being Handled

Long before you start cleaning ears, you should teach your rabbit to enjoy being handled. You will need to regularly check inside your rabbit's ears to make sure there isn't any build up of wax and they can be prone to ear mites.

Use Tellington Touch

First allow your rabbit to get used to being cradled close to your body, or place them in the bottom of an open carrier and provide a blanket or towel as a place for them to hide. This makes your rabbit feel comfortable and then you can start handling them through the towel. You would start with circular touches, working your way up the back of the head and then if your rabbit is doing well with this, then attempting circular touches around the ear base. It might take several times to gain your rabbit's trust.

Slow and Easy is Best

Next, I would gently stroke the ears from the base of the ear to the tips in a light and easy pressure. Once your rabbit starts to enjoy this special attention and treatment, then you can do these strokes when you pick up your bunny and cuddle them to your chest. This provides security and rabbits like to be held securely and tightly next to you. Depending on how friendly your rabbit is, will make how long the process takes relevant. A rabbit who is afraid, or if you haven't won their trust, then the process may take a few days, or even a few weeks. Still it is worth the effort as you develop a trusting bond.

The Actual Cleaning

The first point is not to stick anything in your rabbit's ear that could hurt them, poke or go into the ear canal. After the process of gentling them to accept ear cleaning, it is very important you use that same gentleness in the actual cleaning of the ear. If your rabbit has allowed touch on the outside, ear stroking and then circles to the inside of the ear, then it is time to clean the ear as you continue light and calming touches.

Rabbit ears should be cleaned every two weeks, but you should run an ear check daily for wax build up. Any black discharge or soreness in the ear could indicate mites of other infections that require the attention of a veterinarian. Use a soft cotton ball or cotton-tipped swab and clean only those areas that are visible. You don't need to go into the ear canal or anywhere that is not visible, leave that to the veterinarian if a condition develops. Gently rub the cotton ball or swab, remove any wax or grime that has collected in the ear and you are finished. Do a couple of small circular touches to end, tell your rabbit what a good boy or girl they are and gently release them.

If you've followed the process above, cleaning your rabbit's ears should be a welcome process and not cause them any anxiety or stress.

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