Balding?

[Cloud]

My 2 year old neutered male lop who I have owned for about 1.5 months now, is beginning to bald on the back of his neck. I first noticed it a little over a week ago, but it was not as big as it is now. It started out very small and started to grow more and more. His fur in general, has been looking pretty nappy lately, hair is clumping up very easily, but to be fair, I haven’t been grooming him very much lately (used to usually do it once a day, now its about (give or take) 3 times a week. I read up online that thin hair on the back of the next is normal, but I think its actually balding, and not just thin hair. He hasn’t been scratching where the balding is occurring at all. He doesn’t seem stressed, he lays out almost all day and chins me every time I go near him. There is no flaking.  

(picture of his bald spot my profile)

Any response as to why he is balding would be GREATLY appreciated. I am beginning to worry

[Q8bunny]

You didn’t mention any bondmates so can we eliminate the possibility of another bun overgrooming him?

How’s his diet? Is it pretty textbook (similar to what you read in the Bunny Info tab above, for example?)

If diet’s good, then my next suspect would be mites. Does your little one get Revolution/Stronghold or similar rabbit-safe mite treatment? Mange can cause the symptoms you describe so it might not be a bad idea to call your vet and just request to pick up a few doses of the spot-on rabbit-safe mites treatment.

[Cloud]

Sorry ! He’s the only bunny I own. I give him an unlimited supply of hay, water, and I give him two handfulls of pellets every day (about 1.5 cups).He got revolution in mid-august this year looking at his medical records. The humane society is really good like that. Could it be overgrooming? I thought that made the most sense, but I didn’t think he could even reach back there..

[Bam]

Ben meant over-grooming by another bun, you’re right about him not being able to reach that area himself. Fur mite infestation often begins there for that reason, but with fur mites there’s as a rule some thickening of the skin or flakiness. What did he get Revolution for in August?

1,5 cups pellets/day sounds like a lot, but I doubt over-feeding would cause hair loss.

[LBJ10]

Fur mites usually appear in a very distinct pattern, starting on the back of the neck and spreading out into a V shape. Here’s an article on it, with pictures.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm

Early stages will not look like that, but as Bam said, there will be flaking and thickening of the skin in the balding area.

If your bunny is looking shabby all over and there is no skin irritation, it could just be molting. Look closely at the balding area. Is there fur growing back in? It’s harder to see on lighter colored bunnies, but it should feel peach fuzz-like.

[Cloud]

I give him a handfull in the morning and a haldfull at night. I spread it out all over his cage so he stays entertained at night and paces himself. He had no history of mites, im not sure what the revolution was for. I thought it was just a vaccine.. His skin looks perfectly fine where it is balding, no flaking or thickness.

[Bam]

Could it be normal shedding? Rabbits can shed in patches and get bald spots. New hair should sprout rather soon, though, like fine velvet.

[Author]

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