Spring Molt

[prince dorian the bun]

Dorian is in the middle of a very heavy molting event. Looking for any advice to help him get through it. Unfortunately he hates being brushed and I can only manage a couple of seconds at a time, I can pluck a bit longer so right now I am mainly doing that. Luckily he is very needy for pets at this time so I have plenty of opportunities to pluck away. He does seem a bit more moody, I have been calling it BMS (bunny molting syndrome) , switching between super clingy lap bun to don’t touch or look at me.

His most recent batch of hay is not as fibrous as his last (not as many stalks) and I am noticing smaller poops, though I don’t think they are small enough to worry, but figure more fiber would help any fluff get through his system better? Is there anything else I can add to his diet to help him?

And if nothing else if you want to commiserate on having every surface covered with fine bunny fluff or having to deal with a rabbit trying to get on your shoulder because he’s needy during a work zoom meeting that helps too 😀

[DanaNM]

Can relate! Myra is about to go through a big molt and I’m bracing myself for a grumpy bunny (she is gets hit the worst, prob because she has such a luxurious coat).

More fiber and more water helps move the hair through. So getting creative about offering hay in dif ways can help, or even offering a different type in addition. Feeding veggies sopping wet also helps.

If he tolerates hand plucking and it seems effective, then I would just do that as much as possible. Some bunnies really like being lint rolled and it can work really well for certain hair types. If you think you need to do a deeper grooming (like hand plucking isn’t really working well or they don’t tolerate it), I will usually put Myra on a table and do a thorough grooming every couple days during molting time. She is not happy with me during, but it gets most of the fur off and then she is much happier after. It must be so annoying having all that loose fur on you!

I also think there also may be something with molting that can cause a bit of tummy upset just through the hormonal changes, not necessarily because they ingest too much fur. At least with Myra, extra fluids seems to help a lot with this. So if you notice Dorian goes off his food or just seems really uncomfortable, you could offer him some hay tea or syringe him a little water to see if that perks him up.

. . . 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.  

[prince dorian the bun]

Thanks Dina! He did have a bit of tummy issue in the beginning and gave him simethcone, sorry totally forgetting how to spell that, baby gas drops, and he was much better after an hour. But I will remember the water/hay tea. Luckily he loves his hay and greens so that’s not an issue. I don’t like putting him on tables as he doesn’t just stay there like I see other buns in videos doing (I’ve tried) and I am very worried about him hurting himself when he leaps off, so my grooming is all on the ground and he will wiggle out of any light hold I have pretty easy. If I do ton of pets to brush, pluck ratio I can keep him there for a bit at least. And I can totally sit there for hours pulling fluff out of his head because he loves that, just don’t touch the butt. I may try the lint roller! Maybe he will put up with that for longer.

How do wild buns deal with this? Or is breeding rabbits for thicker fur domestically part of what causes it to be so rough on them?

& good luck with Myra! Poor grumpy buns.

[DanaNM]

He might tolerate the lint rolling well since he doesn’t mind the plucking! Myra HATES being hand plucked, hence the table. The trick is to put and hand over their eyes with one hand and groom with the other. Most bunnies won’t move when they can’t see, and usually after a minute or two they settle down and accept the situation. But since he’s fine with plucking, none of that is prob necessary. I’ve also had buns that if you alternate petting and combing, you can usually get a lot done by sneaking in the comb once they are relaxed with the petting.

I think wild bunnies do have different fur (many domestic breeds were created for thick fur.. for sad reasons), plus access to very high fiber forage. I imagine a wild bunny would only have an issue with stasis if they were injured or sick in some other way or didn’t have enough food. Unlike our pet bunnies that can go into stasis when they have all of their needs met!

. . . 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