Grooming is very important with your rabbit, especially if the fur is long.

© David L. Fisher
Rabbits will groom themselves fastidiously, but this may present a problem during molting when they may ingest too much fur and wind up with an intestinal blockage. Also sometimes rabbits have a difficult time reaching certain parts of their bodies and need help grooming there. Most rabbits learn to deal with being groomed, even if it has to come in small increments. And sometimes you will have to take breaks, since grooming a rabbit in full molt can be like reaching into a cloud of fur.

Grooming your rabbit is a good way to give it an overall inspection for health issues, skin problems, injuries, etc. Any funny smells should be investigated. Matted fur can lead to all kind of skin problems, up to and including maggot infestation (flystrike)

You should also clip your rabbits nails periodically, so they don't get too long and potentially rip off from the toe (this becomes quite easy with their sudden movements and the possibility of snagging the nail on something). If you can't do it yourself or with the help of someone else, call around and find a vet office where there is a technician who can do it for you.

When your rabbit is shedding, check the poops for signs of fur going through its system. You will see a number of droppings strung together almost like pearls - this may mean your bunny needs some help with grooming. Likewise if you have a bonded pair of bunnies, watch for signs from either one of them getting too much fur in their stomachs.

Stomach blockages can quickly become fatal because rabbits have small sphincters - this means that it only takes a small clump of fur in the digestive system to block it up and cause the bunny major problems. If during molting (or any time at all), your bunny stops eating or pooping, get him to a vet immediately!!

As a general rule, you should never give your bunny a bath, and it can cause intense stress for the bunny and can also lead to sickness (from being wet) which can be fatal. Please see this page for more information.

More coming soon...

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