Fur questions – Please help!

[Breezy]

Hello! I need some help knowing what to do with my bun and his fur!

I’ve never had an animal that sheds due to my family’s allergies. I love my bun and I pamper him more than myself! I have read that some bunnies shed easier than others and I have really been concerned about if I’m caring for his fur properly.

To start my bun just turned one year old and I noticed his fur changed significantly when he was about 6 months or so and started getting his adult fur. A line formed down his sides like some parts of his fur had begun to shed and not others. I brushed him out and got a ton of white fur (my bun is a brown tort) and when i finally had gotten it all his coat was very patchy. This scared me but after researching it I saw that most buns looked like him when they molted and when they got their adult coat. Well here we are 6 months later and his fur has filled in but their is still a line down his sides and lots of tufts that no matter how much i brush NEVER go away. Some of these little tufts come out super easy and some seem stuck, NOT like they are apart of his coat and so hard to pull its like ripping them out, but not so easy that he doesnt even know I’m doing it either. Any way he HATES being brushed. He is normally very loving but he will grunt and lunge and sometimes nip me. I’m not sure what to do because i don’t want to hurt him, but I don’t want to not brush him and have him eat a ton of hair either. (This build up of fur is on his sides and hind legs as well as around his tail)

The other problem I have is that his little bunny bum (the underneath not on his back) has a ton of this shedded fur that i have tried to brush out but its really hard to get it out (again not like I’m yanking hair that is obviously not supposed to come out, but it is definitely not easy to get out). Obviously he is not a fan of being brushed there either and I have tried to let it fall out on its own for a while and it has just gotten worse and now is to the point where there are baby mats forming if i don’t keep my eye on it and poop will sometimes get stuck and tangled in it.

Do I need to just have a day where I have a friend help me hold him and brush it all out? Do I take him to a vet and get their help? Is this a probelm at all? Are all buns’ butts like this? Please help! And and tips or tricks on how to have a good experience with the brush would be very appreciated!!

[JackRabbit]

You should only brushing out the loose fur and tufts that come out with gentle combing/brushing. The white fur is the natural undercoat. The lines on his sides may just be a natural part of his coat and will tend to be where his shed lines become more prominant during molts. You should definitely not have to tug at the fur, and doing so can actually tear his delicate skin. You can also try wetting your hands and gently stroking your bunny — loose fur will stick to your wet hands and you can roll the fur off your hands. As far as the underside of his butt, is he getting mats? If so, have your vet give him a trim and show you how to care for that area to prevent mats from forming. Whatever you do, keep in mind that gentle is always the way to go when dealing with shedding buns.

I feel for you on the shedding. My boy and one of my girls go through heavy molts a few times a year, but one of my girls sheds lightly all the time plus a couple of heavy molts. During heavy molts, I brush her a little bit every day and other times a little every few days.

For allergies, most people who believe they are allergic to a bunny are actually allergic to the type of hay they are buying. If your family members are having allergy issues, try transitioning your bunny to orchard grass hay as orchard seems to cause far fewer issues than timothy.

[Wick & Fable]

Rabbit fur grows in cycles, so having molt patches and molt lines for long periods of time is very natural. If fur isn’t releasing, do not force it.

Daily grooming during nomting is always a good idea. One day a large area may all be attached, but the next day, it could all release. This does not mean you should be trying to yank it out that first day though – if you find yourself pulling to get fur out, you’re likely pulling out fur that’s not meant to be shed yet, which can be harmful and painful.

As for the rabbit butt, it’s common that a lot accumulates there. Most people hand pull (pull used loosely; the fur just needs a tease to come out) the fur down around the tail.

It’s nearly impossible to get all the released fur out when grooming because there is so much, but the point is to get rid of as much as you can so your rabbit is not ingesting it, which could block up the stomach and intestines.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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