Fur?

[Malexis]

So my girl evie is a lionhead, and i try to brush her often but its still not enough. She swallows a lot of her fur and i can tell because her poop is stringy. I did cut out her pellets for a week and give her only hay but i didnt see a difference, anything else i should do? She is back on pellets though.

 

[Dublinperky]

I am sorry I can't help, but this may do better in the Infirmary.

Aly!

 

[Malexis]

Oh okay, i really wasnt sure where to put it :/ I started out in Nutrition and care because its kinda care related, but then couldnt decide and put it here

 

[Little Bay Poo]

I have read on here about giving papaya tablets to help with that. I've never done it myself because our Netherlands aren't big shedders, but I know there are members on here who have lionheads and use the tablets. Someone will probably hop in here and shed more light on that.

 

[Spring]

What type of brush are you using? Some work better than others to remove the undercoat. I have a furminator, and it works fantastic for removing dead fur. I would try to do it daily, even if it's only for a few minutes . Or you can always dampen your hands while you are petting her to remove any of the loose fur that will stick to your hands. Any bit helps during shedding!

Fur in her poop is a good sign, that things are passing. Definitely push the hay, nature's scrub brush! Does she eat vegetables? The extra fiber and moisture (if she's used to them) helps during shedding as well.

 

[Malexis]

Hmm maybe i should try another brush. Where would i get a furminater? So its a good sign that its passing and not getting clogged? I am deffinatly pushing the hay and giving her a couple different types for variety.

I've only had her for two months now so im still getting her used to good veggies but so far she is used to cilantro (LOVES it) and romaine (which she takes forever to eat and doest really like) She's also used to someother things, her last owner gave me a list but i havent tried her with them. Im going to plant a garden so she will be getting things such as cilantro, parsely, mint, basil, and some otherthing...

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

morgan ,.its called string of perils,70% of the diet has to be fiber,that is the timothy or orchard grass,..i used to get it from dels/auburn,..their quality was not as good as reber ranch east of kent,..2nd cutting are best,.if you can store a bale do that,otherwise walmart,petsmart??will take your wallet,..one ounce of pellets per-pound,6lb.bun=6oz. daily,then come the little goodys,.vegys etc.,..sincerely james waller [email protected]

 

[Malexis]

I do have a bale of hay stored out side from dels in auburn, and she does get some orchard hay but not much. Mostly timothy hay. And i feed her oxbow pellets, a little pricy but i can afford it since i save on hay.

Hopeully i can get the furminater, where do i get it though?

 

[Dragonrain]

I got the furminator online for a lot cheaper then if I had gotten it at a store - I just found it on ebay.

Does your lionhead live alone? When my lionhead lived alone he would have hair in his poos, buut when he lives with other bunnies who help groom him that doesn't happen as much

 

[Malexis]

Yes she's my only rabbit at the moment and im not sure im able to get one for a long time. Im 16 years old and as i plan to go to college it may be hard to offer a lot of space, a long with in my room right now. She has an ex-pen 4x4 and an Nic cage 4gridsx2grids (different houses, moms and dads) and i dont think it would be fair to have another bunif i dont have the space. her cages are very big, but i feel if there were two buns in them that they'd be a a little cramped
I will look into getting that brush though!

 

[Spring]

You can get them at most pet stores. I got mine at Bosleys, but I think Petsmart has them? They're a bit pricey, but they work amazingly!
Here's the website..
http://www.furminator.com/shedless.cfm

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

You can also feed her some parsley. That will help her to digest her food better if there's hair mixed in it and it can prevent her from getting G.I. Stasis. My bunny, Magic, had GI last October and after he ate parsley and pineapple he started getting better. Now, we get parsley to make sure their digestive system is still working good, and we also brush them a lot more.

I agree, it could be the brush you're using that's not getting all the fur. What type of brush is it?
She's most likely moulting and that's also leading too all the loose fur, etc.

Emily

 

[Malexis]

Hmm i'll pick up some parsely then and get that brush. Im not sure what kinda brush it is, it just came with her when i got her. and yeah i know she is molting A LOT! lol What other kinda brushes are good in the mean time?

 

[Spring]

You might try lightly plucking if the fur is coming out in tuffs. Don't pull too hard, but sometimes with my guys if they are REALLY loosing a lot of fur, I can manage to gnetly pluck the dead fur out in tuffs. You usually see it sticking out (I find they are mostly centered lower back/bum area) like a cactus. Works great in areas that are really shedding but I can't manage to get the brush there comfortably, like above the tail.

 

[BethM]

You can get the Furminator at most pet stores. I know PetSmart has them (that's where I got mine), and probably PetCo. You can also get them online, at Amazon, or eBay. I guess it would just depend on how quickly you want to receive it.

I also have a Zoom Groom, which I find nice for a quick brush now and then. I find the Furminator works really well, but it's takes some time to use; my bunnies don't like to be brushed, so that's sort of an ordeal for me. The Zoom Groom looks like it wouldn't do much of anything, but works well for me. I can get a few brushes in while I'm giving treats; every little bit helps. The ZG is also less expensive.

PetSmart has a good return policy, so you could try out some different brushes there. Make sure you keep the receipts and packaging, and if one doesn't work, just clean it and return it within 30 days. (These brushes are too expensive to be stuck with one you don't like!)

Overall, I do find that I can get more fur out just by petting with damp hands, but I know others swear by their Furminators and Zoom Grooms.

 

[Malexis]

I do pluck it out but it just seems that for every bit i pluck theres ten more, i never seem to get anywhere..
Hmm i didnt know about petsmarts return policy, that'll make it easier to get a good brush because then like you said i wont be stuck with tons of brushes that i dont like..