Need Help With a Rescue Bun

[AKawada]

Hello! I adopted the sweetest little cuddly bun from an old lady who wasn’t taking the proper care of him. This was NOT a breeder or anything like that. I saw her ad on my classified section, apparently her daughter moved and had to leave the bunny with her and she thought she could take care of him but couldn’t. He’s four years old, she said.

The problem is, he’s a lionhead and has very long fur, which is incredibly matted. Especially around his feet and underside. His mane is a bit matted too. He’s absolutely beautiful and very sweet, but extremely skittish. Trying to hold him is nearly impossible and I wouldn’t even know how to get to his feet and underside like this. Would he be shaken up if I take him to a rabbit friendly groomer? Should I get some help from family and try to cut out the mats myself? His back fur is also not well groomed and overall, he isn’t well groomed. He’s very clean, though, which is good!

The other problem is, he wasn’t eating any fruits or veggies. I want to get him started on them, but should I do so in small amounts or can rabbits’ systems handle normal amounts right away?

I want to give this little guy the best life possible, so please help! Thank you in advance!

[Wick & Fable]

I do not have personal experience with lionhead grooming, but this may have some helpful resources for you: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Angora_and_Other_Long_Haired_Rabbits
It is not recommended to bring a rabbit to a pet groomer because they often conflate experience with dogs/cats with being OK with rabbits, and that is… well, a disaster waiting to happen in some scenarios, especially with a skittish rabbit. A rabbit-experienced exotic veterinarian with experienced vet techs/assistants is my safer recommendation: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Choosing_a_rabbit_veterinarian#Rabbit_veterinarian_listings … it is not unusual for owners with long-furred rabbits to schedule regular shaves/fur clippings with their vet.

Regarding diet, fruit and veggies are not necessarily needed at all if your rabbit is eating plenty of hay and good-quality pellets. For rabbits, all new food introductions must be small first– some rabbits also are wary to try new foods, so repeated presentations may be needed before they even nibble it. You can see more information about diet here: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/healthy-diet/ and here https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Diet

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.

[DanaNM]

Thank you for rescuing this bun!

I agree that a “sanitary shave” from the vet would help get his coat on track (a vet check up would prob be a good idea anyway given his history).  As a rule you don’t usually want to remove any fur from the feet, but if you are working on the mats yourself, try pulling on the sides of them. That often will help break them up and you could make a bit of progress that way.

When a deep grooming is needed, I put my buns on a towel on the table (I have one that doesn’t like to be handled or petted), rather than trying to do it on the ground. I give them a treat afterwards of course. 🙂

Also agree about the fruits and veggies. Fruits especially aren’t necessary. Is he good about eating his hay and a healthy pellet? Sometimes buns from poor situations aren’t used to eating hay or are eating junk food type pellets, so it can take a while to get them on a better diet.

 

. . . 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.  

[Author]

Messages