Matting

[mrbunny]

How often should matting occur?

My rabbits are currently going through a molting period. During my weekly routine checkups, I have been noticing that one of my rabbits have been experiencing some matting around the tail area.

This is the third week in the row where I have had to dab out the matted fur and comb it out. I even had to trim out two small chunks.

Should I be concerned? How will know if there is urine scalding?

Bighead (that's his name) is eating, drinking, and eating normally. The reason I ask is because my other rabbits have rarely, if ever, experience matting.

 

[MILU]

I'm not the most experienced person to answer, but my bunny matted kind of very often... I don't remember how often precisely, but sometimes when I started getting happy for that being over, it started all over again..
Urine scalding? I don't know, I guess it would be visible?
Someone else will show up with better answers, I'm sure... but at least for my last bunny, 3 or more weeks matting was normal.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It really seems to vary from rabbit to rabbit. Long haired rabbits do tend to get mats easier, this is not just for the wooled or very long haired rabbits (angora breeds etc). The combination of friction (moving around), moisture (grooming as well as urine), normal fur loss (shedding and moulting) can all contribute to a rabbit getting mats. Overweight rabbits can have trouble grooming, so mats can form more easily. Some rabbits just have a coat that mats easily, with these ones it doesn't matter how much you groom them they can still get mats.

Try keeping that area trimmed short to help prevent mats and knots from forming. Regular brushing does help too. If you suspect weight issues, a diet could be helpful to help your rabbit slim down and be able to groom better.

 

[LakeCondo]

Brushing twice as often as you do now should do a lot to solve the problem.

 

[mrbunny]

I don't think there are any major weight issues.

I brush once a day. And while my hands are wet, I wipe off any excess fur whenever I can. The area where the matting is underneath his butt by his tail, so it's a bit difficult to brush, but I'll try that.

Thanks. I was just wondering how common this was for others.

 

[LakeCondo]

If he can't reach that area to groom it himself & he's not overweight, it could be arthritis.

 

[MiniLopHop]

When I first got Cinderella she was too fat to groom properly so I shaved her under side by her butt. It really helped to keep the area clean.

I have to confess I only brush my normal furred bunnies when they are molting. I have never seen a mat on them. Houdini gets brushed regularly and has had small knots that could easily turn into mats, but he's an angora.

I think it depends on your particular rabbits and particular situations. I met a couple of Houdini's siblings and they struggle with mats on a daily basis. They basically have had to cut the fur rather than let it grow long. I think the difference is that Houdini LOVES to lay in the breeze from a fan and it blows out the fur to keep it less tangled. Don't worry, he can get out of the breeze if he wants to, but he likes to lay on the cool tiles right on the other side of the fence from the fan (I call it the summer cabana but he uses it year round. The wool keeps him very warm.

 

[mrbunny]

I'm not sure if it would be arthritis as well. Bighead's a bit young for that at about two years old (estimated; adopted from shelter a year ago), in my opinion. He jumps around everyday, and he can jump quite high. How would you be able to tell if it were arthritis or some sort of problem with his hind legs?

 

[mrbunny]

Oh yes, all my bunnies like to sit in front of the air purifier, too! It's a good place to nap.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Anytime we've had that problem we just give them a trim.

 

[mrbunny]

Week 3 and no matting from the Bighead! I'm going to assume that it was just a heavier molt for him.

He got lazy, fur molting faster than he can clean, not sure what it was, but his butt is clean!