New Adopted Bunny – Coat Changing Color

[manusrm]

Hi,

I found this site and Forum when searching Google for information on Rabbits and their fur changing colors. It looks like a great site and I look forward to participating.

I had many rabbits growing up so when a rabbit “walked in to my office” in Paramount CA on January 21, 2009 it was love at first site and he immediately had a new home. There is a vacant grassy lot next door and I assume he was abandoned. I knocked on some doors and contacted some shelters but was glad to not find the previous owner.

 

(before fur started getting “Spots”)

He is a large silver rabbit and very affectionate. He has the run of the backyard, and house when I am home. He loves to chase our cats (3 females) but they are adjusting nicely. His name is Benny. I have not been able to get him to a vet yet but he appears very healthy. Our local Blacksmith Corner feed store has been great. Many of the employees own Rabbits. Benny had some earmites in one ear but I was able to clean them out and treat them with drops. He has a cage that he eats and drinks in but spends the majority of his time hopping about freely.

My only concern is with the “spots” of changing fur color that are speading. The new hair in these areas is a shiny silver so it may just be multing fur. I see no redness on his skin and he does not scratch more than normal. I know I need to get him into a vet for a checkup but he seems to sense when “it is time” and I have not been able to catch him at these times.

 

I am attaching a couple pictures and would greatly appreciate any feedback…… THANKS!

[riibu]

Yup, just looks like molting fur to me.

Congrats on your new family member!

[Beka27]

He’s beautiful! Welcome here! Thank you so much for rescuing him! He certainly would not have survived left on his own for very long.

WOW! That is shedding/moulting, but I’ve never seen it so pronounced. Are you able to brush him daily or every other day during this time? That should help to get the loose fur out. It’s probably his silvery/agouti coloring that makes it so much more noticeable than it would be on a solid-colored bun.

[Balefulregards]

Oh yeah – Molt big time -Beka – do you think it could have been some of the “stress” of the drop off/abandon that may have brought on the molt? Or just the breed?

When Coco molts, It looks like a spreading toupee – top to bottom, but I assume that each rabbit has a different molt pattern?

[manusrm]

Thanks for the replys. I was pretty sure it was molting but it is reassuring to hear your (and everyone else!) comments. Any idea on what breed he is? As I mentioned, he is quite large (5lbs?) and probably 18-24″ when he stands up. He must have been well loved because when I am able to pick him up he will let me hold him 10-15 minutes at a time. I am being patient and he is more and more comfortable with me and loves hand fed treats!

 

[manusrm]

In addition to the three cats we also have two turtles (7 years old) that also hang outside during the day. The female is currently laying eggs and this weekend decided to pick one of Benny’s favorite shade spots to dig a nest. I moved her to a new location. Benny is pleased to have his spot back.

[jerseygirl]

Bunnies and turtles – now that’s a new combo! Welcome and also want to say thanks for rescuing Benny! I agree with Beka, probably an agouti colouring, especially with that white underside of his tail. Does he have a white belly too? The agouti fur does show a moult more prominately. You may find tip of the fur is black or deep grey. When you separate the fur on his back can you see different bands of colour along the shaaft?

I don’t know about his breed. Has he been growing since you’ve had him?

[Beka27]

Yes, I’m not sure on what breed he is, but again, he is a very pretty bun. I love that he is very friendly around you, that’s a great sign that you’re going to get along well! What a sweet guy!

[Deleted User]

Oh, what a beautiful bun! And a lucky bun, too, to have ‘stumbled’ into your life like that!
A wild guess on breed, I’d say there”s American in him.
Let me find a picture of some…

[Deleted User]

For some reason, I have trouble with the ‘Add Reply’ button again; it won’t give me a cursor. So I cannot upload the photo I meant to, but it’s on photobucket now, here is the link. sorry you have to copy and paste it!

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu23/mopsimilian/americans.jpg

anyways, Americans are quite large (about 10lbs.), but your bun could very likely be of mixed-breed.

(Edit: Petzy, I took the liberty of activating your link to your pix. RabbitPam. squeee! So cute.)

[Deleted User]

About the odd shedding pattern: I once read in a magazine about symbols found in nature that resemble human writing, etc. A photographer actually spent 20 years finding butterflies all over the globe and by the end of his research he had a complete collection of photos of butterflies with letter-shaped patterns on their wings; he had found and photographed the entire human alphabet on butterfly wings! I’m sure it must be on the web somewhere. My point being, maybe your rabbit just has this very ornamental type of shedding signature.

[wendyzski]

That is really funky looking, but if there’s no redness or scratching it’s probably just the way he is.  Also stress and a diet change can affect shedding so those may contribute to the weird patterns.  When my bun was sick she stopped and started a shed 3-4 times along the way and looked a little odd for a while.

You probably want to mention it to your vet (and you should get a general well-bunny look anyway – bunny vets can be hard to find and it’s good to have records in place if something goes really wrong.

And such a smart bunny.  “Hi – will you be my human?”

 

 

[bunnytowne]

This is his shed to get ready for the summer…  My Cottons gray areas turn a brownish color this time of year….IN winter he goes back to gray.

Your lovely Benny I think is a chinchilla coloring… However with his changing colors for the summer the others may be right and his summer color is agouti.  

I am so happy for you 2… Wonderful he picked you… That is just so cool… I wonder what guided him to you…I am sure  our maker did so… He sure has a nice heavenly home now…         Congratulations

[Deleted User]

Here is the photo of some pure-bred Americans I couldn’t attach yesterday.

 

I personally love this breed, however, as are most larger rabbit breeds, they’re nown for being a ‘meat’ breed.  — Whatever, they are soooooooo nice as pets!  Your rabbit reminded me of this breed.

[manusrm]

Benny does have a white belly too and his fur shaft is multicolored with black, grey and white coloring. This gives him the overall “silvery” look. Very distiquished if I do say so. I checked him again this morning and can find no skin irritaion or redness. I will keep everyone posted with his progress and get him into the vet for a checkup too.

[manusrm]

Benny found me on my 5 year sobriety birthday so I know my “higher power” played a big role in guiding him to me.

[KytKattin]

He looks just like my Hubble! In color and molting that is. Hubble is a silver agouti, or chinchilla as I call it and his fur on his face and rear looks like a slightly milder version of your bun. No comment on the breed, but I think his dramatic molting may be from him being on a better diet and shedding out the old fur. The color of course doesn’t help either, but I think in future years if he is an indoor rabbit he will not shed as much.

[RabbitPam]

Benny is handsome, and you are wonderful to rescue him. That’s so cool that you found him on your 5-year day.

While he seems to be in good shape, I would urge you to take him for a visit to your vet just to do a complete exam, establish baseline info. and make sure there’s nothing else going on. That way, in the future if you need a visit he will have been seen. He probably could use a little nail trim, check his teeth and maybe get some tips on how to help him through this shed.

[Author]

Messages