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Zaiya

Zaiya

Allison
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
475
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55
Location
Walla Walla, Washington, USA
So, I keep seeing posts about how great Furminators are, and now I've started considering getting one for my rabbits and dogs. I have a couple questions:

1. Is it really worth $20+?
2. Is there a certain type or size I should get?
3. What are your opinions on the Furminators?

Thanks for any input!
 
I personally felt like they pulled too much. They are also very sharp so a person has to be really careful not to overgroom. I prefer the furminator for my cat but Sophie really hated it because it pulled so much, and I was really careful. Maybe it's because she's a lionhead and her fur is too silky, I dunno. Other people really love them. Ideally you would borrow one from someone to see if you like it before investing the money.
 
That's a really good point, about the pulling. I have a lionhead & he has the typical undercoat, but his coat is very silky & I wouldn't want to hurt him. I am considering getting one, but I am also just considering getting a different type of brush. Either way, my rabbit hates brushing time.
 
Furminators can do some skin damage if not used properly. My personal favorite is my zoom groom which is a rubber brush and I think the buns actually like it too.
 
I agree. I used to really love my furminator, but as of late, I've seen the skin damage it can cause. One time after one of mine had been molting and I'd furminated her, we ended up at the vet (for something unrelated). Embarrassed, I had to explain the red skin patch was from over furminating :p and not something the vet needed to worry about.

A side note, I've only had it for a year and a half and recently I literally just picked it up and the handle just fell off! I didn't drop it, bang it or anything. The plastic looks strong but apparently not. I'm not thrilled at all with them anymore.
 
I actually didn't mind the furminator however, I bought the Small Animal furminator and found it to be horrible on my buns and it did pull on skin...
when I first tried the furminator on Phoenix, I had tried an XL dog furminator, because of the huge size, I was actually able to get a lot of hair out and it didn't pull on the skin at all because I didn't have to get the blade into the fur too much due to the size.

I wouldn't recommend the small animals one but I WOULD recommend the L or XL dog furminator.
 
So it looks like I'm not getting one...

What would you recommend for me to get to help with my rabbit's molting? Missyscove mentioned the zoom groom. I'll look it up. Any other suggestions?
 
I also use a pin brush, soft slicker brush & a metal comb from Petsmart's dog section for grooming sessions. Mostly, I use the Zoom Groom when we are just relaxing together. I have it handy & give them a massage/grooming session with the Zoom Groom. They don't mind it & actually seem to enjoy the massage with the rubber tips. Plus it gets & holds a good bit of hair. I think you & your bun will like the Zoom Groom if my buns are any indication.
 
I have a slicker, zoom groom, and a small furminator...my cat LOVES the furminator, but I would never use it on my bun. Yes I would love to see how it would work on his shedding, but I don't want to risk cutting his skin as it is pretty sharp. I have tried the slicker, but again, the ends feel sharp and it worries me. I do use the zoom groom. I take him out onto my patio and just go to town. With it being plastic I don't have to worry about it cutting him, and I can go any way I want to on his count, and the hair goes flying! He hates being brushed, but sheds a ton, so a few days a week out onto the patio we go and to town I go! I'm sure the local finches and chickadee's love the fur for their nests to.
 
It's weird seeing you on here DarkRosa!

If you look at the furminator closely, you'll notice what it really does. Its teeth are very sharp and close together. So basically any hairs that are too wide to glide through the teeth (like a dogs undercoat) get caught and pulled out. Not all of them, hence having to go over a spot a few times, but continual use can actually make the animal bald because it still pulls out healthy hair. Some animals tolerate the feeling really well, others not so much. It also depends on how hard the person using it, is pressing down or how fast their using it, etc. I will use it on our 1 cat, because she's a bit of a nutball and likes it when you brush her really roughly.

+1 for the Zoom Groom. I've got a few, they always seem to be stolen by other people to use a soap holders though.... seriously...
 
I use a small bristles brush and tilt it at an angle when I brush. It pulls the fur out fairly gently and Sophie tolerates it. I also do a lot of hand plucking. Also tried the zoom groom on her because I already had one for my cat. She also hated it. It pulls too much IME so that one is out of the question for me as well.
 
I have a brush made by Lixit which I got for $3.50 from Wag.com about 2 months ago, & it is no longer on the site. It has soft plastic bristles, and my rabbits like being brushed by it a lot. My one rabbit has short, fine hair, and my other has medium, silky hair, and it grooms both just fine. The only problem is that my silky bunny has to be brushed 2 times a day sometimes, and since he hates being held and brushed, it is really a struggle. This is why I have been thinking about getting a different brush, but I think I will stick with my current one and resign myself to brushing and vacuuming daily! I also give both of my bunnies papaya tablets daily since I am always concerned about wool block. :twitch:
 
I found a new pet shop downtown, and so I popped inside. They had the Zoom Grooms, but right next to them was something similar but with much smaller bristles that was the same material and half the price! It's the Four Paws kitty curry brush. It works really well, plus my dog LOVES it! Moss, who usually hardly sheds at all, even got some loose hairs off of him! It worked well on Zaeo, but still left lots of loose fur in him. I guess that can't be helped because he's molting, but it still works good! Odie (one of the dogs) LOVES it, and even laid down on his back to let me groom his belly! He NEVER does anything like that! Such an odd dog... (We like to joke around, saying that that's what O.D. stands for - odd dog! XD)

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Tauntz said:
Here's a link for Zoom Grooms at Drs Foster & Smith but they have them at Amazon.com & the various online & local pet stores: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3292

I bought the small since I have Jersey wooly buns. They don't mind my brushing them out with it & even seem to enjoy it a bit. I love it for everyday cuddle/grooming sessions.
Click to expand...

lol, I love how it lists the colour options as boysenberry and raspberry, when it's clearly just pink and blue :p

I use a slicker brush on Bandit, to be honest it seems sharp but I've not had a problem with it, then again I don't press firmly when I brush. I don't let it brush against his ears or anything like that though either, because I worry it could scratch the skin there. If I'm honest, the slicker brush works ok, but it's really not great, you really have to brush and brush a lot to get much hair out, and I probably get more hair out brushing with my hand than with the slicker.

I'm not sure a furminator would be the thing for bunnies, I know my friend uses one on her lab, but he hair is tough and obviously her skin is tougher too and I remember when brushing her with it I had to be reasonably forceful. Those rubber brushes seem interesting though.
 
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