Lion head w/matted mane?

[Furface]

I’m bunny sitting 3 lion heads & 1 female has a big mane that looks matted under her face.

What is the best kind of comb or brush to use? She isn’t that familiar with me yet so I’ll be waiting a week or so before trying to groom her.

I have a Furminator but you’re not suppose to use it on matts. I also have several flea combs with the very close together teeth. A comb with teeth that are about 1/8 of an inch apart  & rotate. A bush w/ the metal bristles w/ the balls on the ends. A brush w/ very soft fiber bristles (that I find too soft to do anything).

[bunnytowne]

Well myself I use a comb.   A flea comb actually but the tines have some space between them.  Thats what I use first on Ruby to get any tangles out.  

Awe poor little girlie lionhead.  Yuck a mat.    Sometimes all you can do is trim it off depending on how bad it is. 

I would try with that comb first or course.

[KatnipCrzy]

I have no experience with grooming long haired bunnies.  But for grooming long haired cats or dogs I have had the most luck with a mat rake that has blades that cut thru the mat- the blades are pointed away from the skin so the skin is not cut.  This mat rake can be used it the matis not tight against the skin.

Especially since it is not your bunny- you will want to avoid cutting the hair outright.  And always, always, always be super careful if you use scissors to groom a pet- and do it when your regular vet it open to prevent an emergency fee if you accidentally cut your pet.

The stray dog I found a couple of weeks ago was covered in mats and unshed fur- and the dematting rake worked wonders on him- it took a lot of time and patience (patience especially from the dog)- but I did not have to cut or clip his fur at all- so he looks great.

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[flippersmom]

I find with my angora that i can usually work most mats out with a plain old cat comb!! If it’s really bad and/or she has lost her patience, I will turn to a mat comb as Katnip suggested. Worse case scenerio – I clip it out with scissors – sometimes, even just clipping it partially out (what you feel you can get to the safest), you can go back and comb the rest out!!!!! Sometimes I think Lola intentionally gives herself mats just to challenge me!!!!!!!!!!

[Toki+Pumpkin+Elmo]

Elmo (my youngest lionhead) always gets matted under his chin. The HARDET area to brush!! I’ve learned from experience that it’s easier if you try to seperate the mat with your fingers before brushing it out. Sometimes the mat just sorta falls out as you work it with your finger.

I have a really really small scissor (it’s supposed to be used to groom your eyebrows) that I use. Once you seperate it with your fingers, you can get it to the point where it’s just dangling by one or two stand of hair. I just cut it out with my scissor. Of course, you should be confident with your bunny before you do this.

[jerseygirl]

I have heard a few drops of mineral oil can help get matts out. Maybe apply & leave it, then try comb the next day.

[Deleted User]

Cornstarch works too. But I wouldn’t apply the mineral oil and the starch, only one of the two.

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