Is Shedding Different Than Molting?

[miss0matic]

Chumlee, is an almost three year old Lionhead. He's the coolest little guy ever! Anyway, a couple times a year, he usually sheds some and grows this beautiful coat. Lately, I've noticed that the fur between his shoulder *coming to a V* is thinning.

I read somewhere that sometimes a rabbit will tug at his fur if he or she is bored. So I stocked up on some different toys for him, and he loved it. But the fur was still thin. For the past couple weeks, I noticed that he has some flakes where the thinning hair is located.

I looked it up online and the first thing that came up was fur mites. I am absolutely petrified that he may have them and give it to my other pets. I have another lion head, three dogs and three cats.

I am attaching a picture of what his back looks like, in hopes that someone can tell me that have gone through this before.

Is he molting? Is that different than shedding? Also, the picture looks horrible, but please note that his skin is not broken and these flakes are white and fluffy. I want HIM to be nice and fluffy, not his flakes LOL:dutch

Please help!

 

[majorv]

We've never had to deal with fur mites, sorry. Shedding and molting aren't really the same thing...but tend to be used synonymously. Molting is something rabbits usually go through a couple of times a year, usually with a change of season, and will completely blow their coat...there's a lot more hair. I consider shedding to be the hair left on my shirt after I've held my rabbit, lol.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Shedding is a lesser form of a molt. A molt is an entire clump fest of coat coming off, often giving temporary bald patches. They shed twice a year and molt twice a year. Flakes are not something ever associated with a molt or shed. I would guess mites.

 

[mshill90]

My female flemish had this same issue when she was young, and I thought one of the other rabbits she was with was biting her. Ended up being some fur mites.

My vet told me to put Se7en Dust powder on her, and that cleared it all up.. haven't has an issue since.