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Rabbits aren’t hard to keep clean and they don’t need extensive grooming routines. However, the grooming they do need is very important! Proper grooming prevents skin and gut issues. It also keeps your rabbit comfortable while they live their best life.
Today we’re going to cover how you can help your bun with their fur, skin, nails, and teeth. Grooming is a sign of love! Of course we’re going to take care of the rabbits and you may even notice they give you a lick to show their love right back.
When it comes to rabbit grooming, consistency is key. Grooming isn’t something you should think about only after there’s an issue. With a proper routine in place, you can prevent issues from forming and you can have an even closer relationship with your bun!
If you only brushed your hair when it was in knots, you’d have bad memories of hair brushing! By staying ahead of the knots, you keep grooming sessions fun.
Rabbits have a lot of fur. At some points, too much fur. The goal when it comes to brushing your rabbit is to remove the excess.
When rabbits have a lot of loose fur this sets them up to ingest fur while they’re licking and cleaning themselves. This can cause a blockage in their G.I. tract. When fur balls up inside of them it’s very dangerous!
Brushing out your rabbit's fur also helps keep it clean and mat-free. This takes care of their skin as well. Long-haired rabbits need to be brushed more than short-haired rabbits of course.
What you will probably discover quickly is that not all rabbits like to be brushed. I know, this is going to be harder than you thought.
The good news is there are a lot of options as far as brushes and combs go so you probably want to go ahead and buy a few different products to see what your rabbit likes/tolerates.
TheHairBuster Comb is loved by a lot of buns because it’s gentle on the skin but excellent for shedding.
With any new tool, it will take time for your rabbit to get used to it. While it may seem that they are skeptical or not comfortable with it at first they may accept the routine fairly quickly.
Brushing and combing your rabbit can be a great time to bond with your rabbit. Try to make it something they don’t want to hop away from by giving treats, head pats, or even a new toy.
Having a consistent routine where your rabbit doesn’t have time to forget about being brushed is ideal. Even brushing your bun at the same time of day can help them accept a routine.
Some rabbits shed more than others but you canusually predict that a rabbit will shed every three months. Some of these sheddings will be lighter than others. Some sheddings are so light you may not notice and others are so heavy you pull off what feels like a handful just petting your bun!
Rabbits will lick themselves and each other to stay clean. If they swallow too much fur it can create a blockage in their G.I. tract. Rabbits can’t throw up the way a cat will when they ingest too much fur.
During heavy sheddings, you may be able to gently lift tufts of fur off your rabbit. Some rabbits tolerate this better than brushing!
Some rabbits shed a lot! Occasional bald spots can be okay but if you’re not sure if what your rabbit is experiencing is normal, check with your rabbit-savvy vet!
Plan to brush your rabbit once a week (for short or medium-haired rabbits) but when the heavy shedding periods come you will need to brush your rabbit every day! It’s important to keep up the weekly brushings when your rabbit isn’t shedding so they stay comfortable with brushings when they really need it!
Depending on your rabbit’s breed, you may need to brush your rabbit every three days and during the heavy shedding periods, multiple times a day! Long-haired rabbits can’t go a week without being brushed.
Keeping your rabbit’s fur clean and smooth will help keep their skin clean and dry as well. Rabbits shouldn’t be immersed in water for a bath.
A bath is very stressful for a rabbit and a wet rabbit can become hypothermic. Check with your vet if you aren’t sure, otherwise your rabbit probably doesn’t need a bath.
The goal should be to keep your rabbit’s skin as dry as you can while also keeping them clean. Wipe your rabbit off with a cloth if you see that they need it. In particular, their underside can sometimes need help staying clean. Make sure they don’t have any urine or poop stuck to their bottom.
By having aproper litter box setup, you can better keep their enclosure clean and dry which keeps your rabbit clean and dry.
Clean out their litter box multiple times a week, adding new dry bedding each time. If you wait too long to change the bedding your rabbit will be sitting on urine.
Check their enclosure every day for spills or accidents. It’s easier to clean your rabbit’s house than it is to clean your rabbit!
If your rabbit’s skin looks scratchy and flaky this could be a sign of mites or a reaction to fleas. If your rabbit has bald spots where the skin doesn’t look healthy, check with your vet.
Products marketed for fleas can help a lot of these conditions, check outPestavert for a clean option. Not all flea products can be used for rabbits so check with your rabbit-savvy veterinarian!
Nail trimming can be stressful for both you and your bun but it’s very important. With practice, you and your bun will become more comfortable with it.
Inside a rabbit’s nail is a quick which is the blood supply that runs through the nail. When you go longer without clipping your rabbit’s nails, the quick gets longer. You should not clip the quick! So the more you clip the nail down near the quick the lower the quick will get in the nail.
If a rabbit has light-colored nails, it is easier to see the quick. You can use a small flashlight to see the quick if they have darker nails.
Rabbit's nails can grow to be very long which is uncomfortable for the rabbit and their nails can get snagged on things easily. A rabbit needs their nails clipped every 4-6 weeks. A vet can clip their nails if you aren’t able to.
Nail clippers are fairly consistent across brands. Small rabbits may need nail trimmers that are made for rabbits but some rabbits with larger nails will do better with cat or small dog nail clippers. The goal is to get a good clean clip without struggling so if you’re having a hard time with one size clipper, try another!
You may not think of teeth care as grooming but we think it’s worth mentioning. A rabbit’s teeth are constantly growing. In order to keep them filed down and healthy they need to chew a lot of roughage. They do this by havinghigh-quality hay available to them 24/7.
When a rabbit’s teeth are overgrown they’re very painful. They can press into the rabbit’s lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue. It makes it difficult to eat!
A vet can trim or file down a rabbit’s teeth if they’re overgrown but if the root cause isn’t solved they will just grow back. Chew, chew, chew little buns!
Successful grooming needs a stress-free environment. You don’t want to be chasing your rabbit down every time you need to brush their fur. With proper handling and respect, your rabbit will learn to trust you and the grooming routines.
When picking up a rabbit, always support the back and hindquarters. Bring them close to your body. Put a hand on their chest to keep them secure. Don’t put your rabbit on their back.
Don’t chase your rabbit! If your rabbit sees you chasing them you become a predator and not someone to trust.Rabbit.org has some great resources on handling your rabbit.
Rabbits have sensitive skin and it’s important that you’re gentle when brushing your rabbit. Brush in the direction that your rabbit’s fur lays with soft strokes.
Use the tools that work best for your rabbit. Soft brushes work better for short-haired rabbits and combs are better used with long-haired rabbits. Long-haired rabbits often need a combination of combs and brushes to get all of the excess hair out.
If your rabbit is stressed and uncomfortable there comes a point when you’re doing more harm than good. It’s normal for them to be cautious of new routines but you shouldn’t be pushing through very stressful situations.
Signs Your Rabbit is Stressed
Respond to stress signs with reassurance like pets or treats. Try your best to keep grooming a positive experience. If something isn’t working, stop and try again later.
Let’s review a few issues that often come up when grooming rabbits!
Shedding isn’t usually a cause for concern. It’s more important to pay attention to how the skin looks. If the skin looks healthy, then have patience and the fur will grow back. If the skin looks inflamed, especially chronically inflamed, then you’ll want to call your vet!
When it comes to matted fur, if you aren’t able to work through it, your vet can help you safely clip the fur. With most knots, do your best to comb through them with different combs and brushes. Use your fingers as well. Try to part the hair and work with smaller sections.
As we mentioned, mites and fleas cause skin issues. Skin that doesn’t dry out properly also causes skin issues! Keeping your rabbit’s environment clean and dry is the best way to prevent skin issues.
Sometimes skin can get irritated when a rabbit is brushed too hard. Make sure you are checking their skin to make sure it isn’t inflamed with your grooming routine.
If you’re thinking of getting a long-haired rabbit, know that their grooming needs may feel tedious! Here are some tips to help stay on top of the grooming routine!
Long-haired rabbits certainly have some extra grooming steps but if you have the time, they are amazing pets!
Whenrabbits are bonded, you often see them licking each other. This is a sign of affection! They’re taking care of each other. Your bun may lick you too! This means they like you.
Your rabbit may not initially feel the love when you start up a grooming routine but over time they may discover you’re helping them to feel their best.
Grooming sessions are also a great time to check in with your rabbit and see how they’re feeling. Offering treats and pets during grooming gives your rabbit something to look forward to.
If a grooming session doesn’t go well, it’s tempting to wait longer until you try again. Try your best to set up an appropriate schedule and stick to it. Brushing and nail trimming only get more difficult the longer you wait.
The more you keep up with the routine the easier it will be!
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