The Grooming Woes

[The Law Bun]

Hello All!

 Well telling by the number of grooming post arising recently, I can only guess that the season is in full swing! And it surely has not missed Ms. Lilith. I think its a combination of shedding/molting/and getting rid of her baby coat. I realize all of this really is the same, but it makes me feel better if I can break it into multiple pieces, 

 

Background: So alas, Lilith despises “THE FURMINATOR!!!” She sees it and bolts for 1 of 3 corners I find her in when a bit scared or nervous. Now, given shes not been here a month, wow she really hates the grooming sessions. I really have only done 2 full ones and they have been this past week because I fear for her gut if she were to ingest all of the hair. Now, she is a dutch (how do you lionhead/angora owners do it ) so its actually not that bad, but she needs it. So my routine is wait for her to come out on her own, walk up, stroke her forehead then enclose my legs around her (like a mini pen indian style). She has not yet determined that she is able to jump out yet, but I am sure its a matter of time. From here I can quasi restrain her (I dont force her down, but she has to stay in one place or else I may nick her). I saw the other post where someone else got a piece of their bunny’s tail and I can only imagine what the furminator would do haha. Then I end, give her half a craisin (limit half of a craisin a day since shes young) and tonight for the first time ever she thumped! Pretty hilarious given how tiny she still is, but I am quite appalled. She will not let me near her and is just minding her own business tonight. Quite sad because I actually have a ton of time to spend with her tonight.

 

The Question: For those of you with relatively active buns who hate grooming how did you accustom them to it without them hating you. I am afraid she will never leave her pen again if I have to keep grooming her and enclosing her haha. Should I start taking her to another room so she starts knowing its grooming time? Where do you all groom your buns? Bath tub? Sink? I have just been on the floor. Any tips for calming them? She is still so young I cannot entice her with enough veggies. She scarfs them in seconds and then tries to bail, so any help is greatly appreciated.

 Side Question: How often do you actually give your bunnies treats and how much? I usually do a half a craisin a day because she loves them so much, and a bit of lettuce so she gets used to it and she loves both! I just wish for once she would start learning her name (guess she isnt the brightest lol!).

 

Thanks again everyone for any light you can shed. If I have any further questions I will refer them to this thread.

[JackRabbit]

We groom ours during the time they love most, while they are doing the absolute top thing in their list — salad time for the lops and lap time for Kieko.

With the lops, it took a few days of training, but now I can do anything to normally “don’t touch me” Marlee, even lift her butt fur and comb out any mats. Moshi is great about it but will still occasionally hop away for a few seconds until he remembers that he really wants his salad! They are so furry that this is an every night routine. With their super thick fluff (Marlee is ridiculous), we use hairbuster combs on them.

Kieko loves lap time. Hubby holds her and pets her head (never stop petting her head!) and I brush. She cannot resist two people worshipping the bunny at the same time! Kieko religiously sheds twice a year, and we use a furminator on her.

Treats . . . ours get a treat every night during play time. Usually two bites each of dehydrated carrot, fresh banana/strawberry/grape or apple, or oat hay tops. Both girls are tiny and 3 lbs, Moshi is just over 4 lbs.

Edit: the treats are two bites for each bunny, and the bites are small (with banana, two bunnies would share a 1/4 inch slice of banana).

[Paradigm]

We don’t groom Mr Roger all that often. He’s a lionhead but his hair is pretty short excepting a few tufts. Generally, even slightly wet hands (such as after picking up a glass) will collect up fur. When he’s shedding we pull some of the loose hair gently and tufts of it come out. He doesn’t object to this, unlike the brushes, so we assume he doesn’t mind.

We’re still unsure whether Mr Roger knows his name, but not too fussed about it. He comes when he wants to and sometimes we go and get him. He almost always let’s us pick him up for snuggles so it’s not really been a priority of ours.

Mr Roger gets salad every night (except when I’ve forgotten to order the shopping, especially since the shops keep sending my 200g bags when I’ve ordered 500g) and a carrot every 3-7 days, although occasionally 2 carrots in a week. I’ve also been giving him a thumb nail sized piece my banana each day.

Mr Roger’s favourite food EVER is pellets with kale as a not-very-close second second so I’ve never really needed to go out of my way to give him treats. He tends to beg when he hears me getting a carrot for myself though. (He doesn’t have any strong preference for banana but will eventually eat everything I put down.

Yesterday he had a green sweet pepper because of the aforementioned salad shortage.

[bunnylady86]

I groom my bun in short bursts, only what she will tolerate, and i give her a litthe something after every grooming, wether its play time or a treat, she gets positive reinforcement. I have only nicked her once, and i felt awful. It was because she was getting restless and squirmed… so when they start getting squirmy just let them go to their safe place. As long as you soothe her while your doing it .. it should be ok. Ive just never seen my bun shed this much. Also i do the grooming either on the couch or in front of her kennel (both have escape routes if she needs it) i say fo it some whete she feels safe!

[The Law Bun]

Hey all, so new week, new question i guess

Still having a lot of issues grooming Lilith, she literally treats it as mortal combat I think haha. So heres my real question, is it really a daily need. I don’t think she is molting per say, as I cannot easily pluck hair out without pulling skin. It also really only seems to be her back side, but even then its not like hair is getting everywhere, I am just curious because I certainly see some people who are unable to groom their rabbit.

So the questions:

1. How hard should I pluck? Sometimes the pluck has required me to pull so hard its like lifting her skin along with it. Should the plucking only require minimal effort if the coat is ready?
2. Is it pretty easy to tell if the rabbit is molting? Lily is turning 4 months on May 5, so I expect that she will start working into her adult coat soon.
3. How is your week going! Mine will be splendid after tomorrow around 5 (last final exam EVER!).

[Little Lion Head]

Grooming: We clip toenails and groom once per week. (We do toenails weekly instead of monthly b/c Rocky’s nails are black and the vet suggested doing weekly and just taking off the very ends!). So we lay a towel down on the counter top and brush them out there. Then hubby holds each bun while I trim. Afterward Rocky gets a barley cookie and Pumpkin gets a pumpkin cookie (naturally!).

Treats: Honestly, it depends! They only ever get the cookies after grooming/toenail sessions. But we give a little piece of papaya now and then and I always share a slice of a cutie every day after work!

I think if you’re pulling fur, you’re pulling too much. We had the furminator w/ Boston and it was great! But I remember reading that if you brush too much your bunny might just shed even more!

I think you’ll know if she’s molting. The shedding is pretty non-stop!!

It’s only Monday so too soon to tell about my week Hahah but I will be happy when I’m on a plane to Florida on Saturday!

[ZoeS]

Posted By The Law Bun on 4/27/2015 6:40 PM

Hey all, so new week, new question i guess

Still having a lot of issues grooming Lilith, she literally treats it as mortal combat I think haha. So heres my real question, is it really a daily need. I don’t think she is molting per say, as I cannot easily pluck hair out without pulling skin. It also really only seems to be her back side, but even then its not like hair is getting everywhere, I am just curious because I certainly see some people who are unable to groom their rabbit.

So the questions:

1. How hard should I pluck? Sometimes the pluck has required me to pull so hard its like lifting her skin along with it. Should the plucking only require minimal effort if the coat is ready?
2. Is it pretty easy to tell if the rabbit is molting? Lily is turning 4 months on May 5, so I expect that she will start working into her adult coat soon.
3. How is your week going! Mine will be splendid after tomorrow around 5 (last final exam EVER!).

Oh, plucking woes!  It is normal for the skin to raise up a bit when you pluck, but you shouldn’t feel any resistance (going with about a 1/2″ wide strip of hair – what you can carefully pinch between your fingers). You can use a comb or brush instead, that will only pull out what is ready to come out.

Is she the bun in your avatar? If so, I wouldn’t worry *too* much, she looks pretty short-haired.  Brush her when you can, pet her with a wet hand to pull fur away, etc.  It isn’t necessary to conscientiously pluck a short-haired rabbit.  I have a lionhead whom I do not brush at all and haven’t for years, I’d have to forcibly restrain her and I don’t think it’s worth the risk of injury or stress. Unfortunately I was not able to form a bond with her, she was primarily a companion for my other rabbit.

You will learn over time when she’s molting and how much fur you can remove by plucking, brushing etc.  For now, stick with brushing or damp-finger-combing. It’s more relaxed, it will be sufficient grooming for a short-haired rabbit, and you will not risk hurting her and causing a negative association. If you want to pluck, do VERY short sessions. My angora will give me a little nip (doesn’t hurt) when he’s had enough and I release him. Some might say I’m training him to bite, but he doesn’t abuse the power, and IMO he’s allowed to say “I’ve had enough”. And he’s gotten more tolerant over time, and I’ve also gotten better and knowing what I can pluck without hurting him (“hurting” – I mean a light pinch, I’m not ripping out giant hunks of fur of course).

Good luck with your exam!!

[Author]

Messages