Rabbits and Shedding: How to Keep Your Bunny Well-Groomed
Rabbits shed their fur year-round, with major shedding occurring during seasonal changes. Regular grooming is important to help manage this shedding and keep your rabbit healthy.
How Often Should You Brush Your Rabbit?
Brushing your rabbit weekly or bi-weekly is usually enough, depending on their coat type and shedding pattern. However, during a heavy shed, you may need to brush your rabbit daily for a few days to remove excess fur.
Why Grooming Matters
Rabbits are very clean animals and groom themselves much like cats. However, if they ingest too much fur, it can lead to issues like “string of pearls” droppings—a chain of droppings connected by strands of hair. This is a sign your rabbit is ingesting too much fur and needs to be brushed more frequently.This issue is also common in bonded pairs, where one bunny grooms the other. In such cases, be sure to brush both rabbits to reduce the risk of fur ingestion.
The Serious Risk: GI Stasis
Ingested fur can contribute to GI Stasis, a dangerous condition where the digestive system slows down or stops. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate veterinary care. Preventing fur ingestion through regular brushing is one of the way along with unlimited the hay (the most important) to reduce this risk.
Grooming Tools and Special Considerations
We’ll introduce you to the most common grooming tools for rabbits. It’s especially important to choose the right brush for your rabbit’s coat type. For example, Rex rabbits have very fine fur and delicate skin, so they should only be brushed with a gentle brush designed for sensitive coats.