Hair loss, help!

[Deborah]

Can someone help me?!

   I don’t know if you can help me but I have a white albino rabbit. I looked on your site and I ‘m not completely sure what species of abbit he is. i belive he is a new zealian rabbit..Mr. Winters is one year old……he is losing fur around his butt, and feet..I was wondering what could casue this..Where the hair is missing is red but I believe it is just his skin..He is not bleeding. Mr. Winters looks to have a few scab around his butt….what can i do to stop his??

 

thank you for your help

 

 

   Deborah

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

If there is scabs thats a whole other story-perhaps an injury or ‘overgrooming’ himself.

If not, is he shedding alot? Mine sometimes get little bald pathes when molting

[MooBunnay]

Hi DebFet, welcome to Binkybunny!

Could you tell us a little bit more about your rabbit’s diet? It sounds like he might have some urine scald, or poopy butt issues if all the hair loss is around his bum. Are his poops very solid and dry? And does he have a litter box that he uses? Also, where does Mr. Winters live? If he’s got a wire-bottomed cage that can cause irritation to the feet, and probably the bum area too.

Did you just get Mr. Winters recently? And where did you get him from?

Let us know some more details so that we can help you as much as possible!

[Deborah]

No i have had Mr.Winters for about 8 months now….I recently moved him in to a larger wired- bottom cage because he out grew his old cage but he wasn’t losing his hair in the other cage..Yes he has a litter box that he uses everyday and He is always in it. he sleeps in it so I know that doesn’t help especially if he urine in it and sleeps in it…I try to keep it clean but its kinda hard if Im not always home…his poop is dry and semi-hard but it has always been like that…my fiance got him from a man a few roads away from us that breeds and sells rabbits…I personally have never met him but i have seen him around town. Mr. Winters eats pellets, hay, i give him carrots and bananas but not too often…He also gets fresh grass and lettuce when I left him outside in his big wooden no bottom wire cage.

And he always has fresh water..

Is there anything else you need to know that would help? 

 

and thank you for your help, I appreciate it..

[MooBunnay]

Hmm, I do not know if the scabs around the bum area are related to the wire bottomed cage, but wire bottomed cages do cause “sore hocks” which create hair loss, scabs, and sometimes cracks or bleeding on the feet. He also probably sleeps in the litter-box because it is probably more comfy on his feet than the cage bottom.

The first thing I would recommend is providing your bunny a different flooring, is he litter-box trained? Either way there is no need for the wire bottomed cage, for the time being, you can cover the cage bottom in cardboard or linoleum, and cover that with carpet squares, or towels. If he is not litter trained, there are lots of tips and tricks provided on this site to help you get him litter trained.  Let us know if you need more specific help with that.

Is it very hot where you are this summer? If so, the hair loss may be related to that. We promote rabbits living indoors, because rabbits are fantastic indoor companions, and cannot handle the outdoor insects, heat, and weather changes very well, and ideally should live indoors.

Also, your bunny should receive unlimited timothy or oat hay – do you have access to this? It is critical to a bunny diet and will make his poops very dry and firm.   This is not only essential to your bunnies digestive system, but the health of his teeth as well.

Is there a reason your bunny lives outdoors as opposed to inside? If so, let us know what it is and we can provide tips and help to get him moved inside where you can enjoy his companionship all the time!

[Deborah]

He lives indoor, its just when i know it is nice outside and that’s where I’m going to be I take him out for fresh air.

it gets hot outside in the 80’s and 90’s but i keep the window unit in so he doesn’t get too hot and its cold for most of the months, it started to snow in November and didn’t stop until the end of April.

I’m sure i can get timothy or oat hay at tracker supply or county max in my area…thank you i will pick some up tomorrow.

I will also pick up supplies to change around his cage so it will be mire comfortable for him…what is the best litter or absorbent to put in his litter box? i was using shaving but someone told me they were bad for him so now i use shredded and torn news-paper but that gets so nasty so fast…i had hay in there for a while but he would eat it after he peed on it .

 

i honestly really appreciate your help!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yesterday’s news or carefreash are ideal litters for rabbits-absorbant and safe. Steer clear of shavings, corn cob and cat litters. Although you can use the non-scented cat version of yesterdays’ news as its safe

[Lightchick]

You can still put hay in the litter box, though! Make sure the box is big enough for Mr Winters to sit comfortably in, and put the hay on one end, and he’ll poop and eat at the same time! My step-bunny’s a big mess, and spreads his hay everywhere in the box, even after I neatly stack it, but he still manages to pick the clean hay out of the soiled bits… It will help encourage him to use his litter box AND eat his hay!

[Deborah]

The litter box is big enough, he can strech out in it..he loves it, he is always in it but Im rearrange his cage and see if the sugguestion from moobunnay will get him out of his litter box more and hopefully help with his hair loss problem also…..thank you EVERYONE!!! 

[Beka27]

if you go to the Tractor Supply store anyways… they usually sell horse bedding pellets (Equine Fresh) it’s called. you can use that for litter. i saw online that 40lb bags were less than 7 bucks, and that could probably last you for 2-3 months with him.

[Deborah]

Thank you everyone for your help!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Hey no problem-thats why we’re here!! And also because we want to share pics and stories of our bunnies (that other people would lock us up for telling over and over…!! )

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