over-furminating?

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This topic has 13sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 6 months ago by MarkBun.

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- 05/18/2008 at 1:02 AM
  MarinaB
  Participant
  15 posts
  Hi bunny-lovers!
  
  I have a question on grooming.
  
  I got a furminator 2 weeks ago and I have been using it twice a week on Lucy, whose coat is med length whith lots of continual shedding. Her coat seems very healthy, soft, clean, and with a sheen even though she is white. She is a great bunny to brush as she just snuggles up to my leg and I groom away. She really enjoys it and if I leave and then come back, she’ll run up and hum to me. The furminator has got unbeleivable amounts of hair from her, but obviously, it is not hurting her as she loves it!
  
  However, her hair seems so thin now in some places. You can see her pink skin if you move the top layer around. Is this normal in a well-groomed bunny? She doesn’t look bald—she just looks like she will be soon if I keep brushing her!
  
  Lucy is the bunny from Hawaii, since we are moving soon and looking for a house, my husband says she can run around our new house only if she doesn’t shed everywhere. (She lives in the garage at our rented room where we live with the landlady, but she goes to work everyday and runs around for hours on end, so she is not cooped up)
  
  Thanks in advance!
  
  ~Keilwerth
- 05/18/2008 at 2:30 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  I believe from what I’ve read and experienced, when they are going through a heavy molt, it’s normal to see skin or very short hair where you are removing fur. You are so lucky she likes grooming!!! The furminator is a great brush
- 05/18/2008 at 6:11 AM
  JK
  Participant
  2223 posts
  This is a great question. I’d like to know too. Edson is just shedding so much. I don’t have a furminator but the more I brush the more the hair comes out. It seems endless and he hardly shed at all before 2 weeks ago.
- 05/18/2008 at 6:54 AM
  rabbitsmba
  Participant
  475 posts
  Maybe groom only once a week instead of twice?
  
  How do you like the Furminator? I considered getting one but decided against it after being warned that the sharp blades could injure a bunny’s delicate skin. But I do know Furminator says they are okay for bunnies. Which one did you buy? The small/cat one?
- 05/18/2008 at 8:45 AM
  bunnytowne
  Participant
  7537 posts
  I luv my fruminator I got the meduim as they were out of the small works great just don’t use a heavy hand. with lots of pressure. and using it gently works great.
- 05/18/2008 at 11:49 AM
  MarinaB
  Participant
  15 posts
  Yeah, I got the small cat one. It is really awesome, works great, no signs of irritation from Lucy (which I should be able to see since I can see her skin)! There is no flinching, running in terror over here! And like I said, the amount of hair I have got out of her is astounding, like maybe a plastic bagful of hair.
  
  I’ll just work on her harder to get areas now, like the poofs under her haunches (she looks really narrow though the waist now, then BAM, big butt).
  
  Thanks, Keilwerth
- 05/19/2008 at 7:03 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  It sounds like for the breed that you have you are indeed over-grooming your rabbit. In times of heavy shed it is not uncommon to see some thinner patches but the only breed I am aware of that needs such intense grooming is an angora with such long fur that can tangle easily. I would cut back on the amount of time spent grooming your rabbit, about once every two weeks. I have to be honest and say that your husband’s terms are unrealistic. All rabbits shed some fur no matter what, it is what they do and is a natural course of pet ownership, just like the occasional stray poop and pieces of hay. If he is concerned about the fur, purchase a Roomba to help keep it under control and an air purifier/filter. Does he have allergies? Perhaps consider giving the rabbit a place in the basement where you will be able to socialize with her.
- 05/19/2008 at 7:15 PM
  JK
  Participant
  2223 posts
  Scarlet Rose – I am also wondering if I am overgrooming Edson. I have been combing him every other day. I could stuff a pillow with the amount of fur I am combing out. Is this too much?
- 05/21/2008 at 4:17 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  It could be KnowItons. Bunny skin is very senstive and can tear and be irritated easily, have a good close look at the skin and if there are bald patches. Although with the heat you’ve been having Edson could be shedding that much. How long are your grooming sessions?
- 05/21/2008 at 4:19 PM
  skunklionshow
  Participant
  1257 posts
  I just got the Furminator today! I love it!!!! So much easier to use than a shedding blade on the cats. I only wish I had invented this.
- 05/21/2008 at 4:23 PM
  JK
  Participant
  2223 posts
  No bald patches. I spend about 10 minutes and have been cutting it shorter. I definitely see shorter fur coming in and it’s incredible how his coloring is changing. This has been going on for about 3 weeks. I’m now doing it maybe 3 times a week instead of every other day. I am extremely gentle with him using that comb with the rubber woven through that I got from the rescue. The heat lasted only 2 days so this must be major molting time. Thanks!
- 05/21/2008 at 6:02 PM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  I am embarassed to say that – YES, you can “over-furminate”. I was using the furminator on one of my cats last year- he has super thick short orange hair- he was purring like crazy and I was furminating up clouds and clouds of fur. Swizzle was loving every second of the combing and I was loving all the fur I was getting out (I comb my pets outside on the deck, except for the rabbit).
  
  THEN when the cloud of fur died down a little- to my dismay I saw that I gave him a thin patch on his left shoulder- as that was a point I started at alot. It left the dark color guard hairs- but stripped out all the fluffy coat. If anyone knows what flea allergies look like- it looked like that- very sparse. Even though it did not hurt him- I felt bad. I was embarassed when a week later he went into the vet clinic to be a donor cat and donate blood- I had to explain to everyone that he was healthy and I “overfurminated” him.
  
  So the Furminator is good in moderation. I think with a regular comb- you can’t easily overgroom. Almost every night I run a comb thru Cotton’s fur when we are watching TV- and the persistance helps when dealing with the tail/ hind legs area.
  
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- 05/21/2008 at 8:27 PM
  MarinaB
  Participant
  15 posts
  Well, just don’t let my husband know about always having hairs about and I’ll just do my best to keep it clean! Good thing I love vaccuming…but no, my hubby is a pushover, so I was just trying to soothe his “fears” by getting the comb. And he is impressed by the furminator too!
- 05/22/2008 at 12:08 PM
  MarkBun
  Participant
  2842 posts
  I stop combing when the bun begins to twitch. I figure that’s a sign that I’m pulling on hair that shouldn’t be pulled on.
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