Lotsa fur all over the place

[kirbyultra]

Kirby has always been a *really* clean bunny. He is a satin so he has short hairs and doesn't often need to be brushed down.

Starting sometime last week, there started to be fur sparsely sprawled all over the floor of his condo. I thought I was being lazy and not vacuuming enough but shortly after I vacuumed, little short hairs were all over again!

In the last few days I've noticed he's been grooming a LOT more often, like every time he sits still he's working on himself. I groom him regularly but it doesn't seem to help. His diet hasn't changed. His environment hasn't changed. The temperature indoors is exactly the same just about every day in here. He's a strictly indoor bunny. There are no other animals in our home, so I don't think he could have picked anything up from anywhere.

What's up? ullhair:


Edit: Ok, so we did have that weekend mishap where he ate carpet fibers and I had to quickly take pellets out of his diet. But even before that incident his fur was all over the place... :?

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Yep, he's probably molting. Tony is really shedding out bad this time! so it's a full blown molt! Bo's actually getting his hair back in and Clover is a molty little Cloverbunny!

Do you have photos elsewhere of him? He's adorable and I love his white marks!

 

[kirbyultra]

:biggrin2:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pXvOKhQhI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pXvOKhQhI[/ame]

This is the pic on my holiday card. Hee hee!

Caption: "I checked. This present is yours!"

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oh, he's gorgeous! I love watching them eat pellets and greens ..... and anything really.

Your caption on the present photo is perfect LOL!

 

[kherrmann3]

Adorable photo (and fitting caption)! :biggrin2:

I would say that he is molting, as well. Toby just got over his molt (thank goodness!). There were little Toby "dust-bunnies" everywhere! No fabric was safe from his floating fur!

 

[kirbyultra]

If I didn't have so many bills to pay I'd quit my horrid job and watch bunny hop and munch all day. It's so much fun, I could watch him do it for hours and hours and hours... :biggrin2:

So, he's molting eh? How long does this thing last? How often do rabbits do it? I didn't think they'd molt in the winter when it's 4 degrees out! Maybe in the fall or spring but why would a poor bunny in this frigid weather shed its fur? Poor silly things!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bo shed for a year I think! :shock:but mostly they have light shedding. When they blow their coat it's a molt.

Sometimes i think they molt in the winter due to being inside where it's warm. I don't know for sure.

I love watching them play, eat, sleep LOL!

 

[kirbyultra]

A YEAR???

I think he's stopped actually... it went on for almost 2 weeks. He isn't grooming like nuts anymore and his fur doesn't "feel" as rough and loose as before... I held him today and he didn't tleave any fur on me. Whoo hoo!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bo had something weird going on. We think he might have stressed over a new bunny or something I used to do laundry caused him to have irritations. That's not normally the case. There were several weird molts with mini-rex last year too.

 

[kherrmann3]

When they go through their molt, it really helps to brush them! It may be a struggle, but it helps in the long run! Some people on the forum swear by the "Zoom Groom". I haven't had a chance to get one yet, but I have heard that it does wonders on picking up excess pet hair! I have the "Shed Ender", which is an undercoat brush for dogs. It does fairly well on rabbits, but is somewhat hard to maneuver. It also can cause bald spots if you aren't careful where you're grooming! There is a similar product called the "Furminator" that people on here like. I've heard it's better than the Shed Ender (same brush style) because the handle is different. I will find some pictures!

For molting, here are some "recommended" products:

Zoom Groom


Shed Ender


The Furminator (the purple one is for small dogs, I think)


This is just a tool I got when I got the Shed Ender. It's a "rechargable" lint brush. You never have to deal with those little sticky papers again! It cleans itself, so all you have to do is clean out a little trap in the back. No batteries or anything. It's the best thing for rabbit owners, in my opinion!

Found a place to buy them here = http://www.tvproducts4less.com/lint-wizard.html
* This isn't quite the same one I have, but it's the same idea! *

 

[kirbyultra]

I take it back, he's not done molting. There's fur all over his condo again...

The Zoom Groom has been highly recommended to me too! I have the Hair buster which works nicely on Kirby's short satiny fur. He doesn't like to be brushed. He really only likes to be pet But I have to do it a little more even if he squirms and hops away... He's eating a lot lot more hay these days I noticed too. I'd fill his hay ball and before the end of the night, it's empty again! At least he's eating a lot of hayin case of furballs...

I found pieces of his fur all over the kitchen and Kirby isn't allowed in there! Given a little thought, I concluded thatI should really change after I rub him and before I cook dinner. Ugh! :shock:

 

[Numbat]

Lol, you could take up knitting. Our floor (and clothes) is covered with cat fur (yes, partly because we don't like vacuuming, but the cats moult like crazy in summer). We use the zoom groom for the cats too, but I'm not sure how well it would work for a rabbit, especially with short fur.

 

[Flick]

This was about a week into Skyer's molt. Yep, when they blow a coat all you can do is groom, vacuum, and groom some more.

 

[kherrmann3]

You bun looks like he has a cold bum!

 

[BethM]

Tobi is just finishing up her molt, and it looks like Nick is about to start his. I have a Furminator, but I think it's just so-so. I may not be using it correctly. Might pick up a Zoom Groom next time I'm near the petstore.

 

[BethM]

Ok, I picked up a Zoom Groom while I was out and about yesterday. I looked at it, and made sure to save the receipt because I was sure it would be useless. Man, was I wrong! That thing collects fur like no other brush or comb I have tried.

My only problem is getting my bunnies to sit still for it. Tobi and Nick don't like being petted, and brushed is just as bad. (Nick is due to have an ear rinse, though, so he'll be getting brushed today if he likes it or not.) Amelia has been brushed several times now and her fur is sleek and beautiful.

I think the Furminator gets more fur overall, but it's also kinda tedious and takes more time, at least with bunnies that don't tolerate brushing. I will still use mine, but maybe just a few times a year. The Zoom Groom is nice for a quick brush here and there. It gets a bit out and isn't quite as intensive an experience for the bunnies.

 

[kirbyultra]

Zoom Groom - I'll have to keey an eye out for that!