Molting - help!

[juliew19673]

Poor Baxter! His "molt" is definetly easier to spot in the VideoI posted,than in real life! He is just a"snow flurry of fur" when I pet him; I started calling him "Pig Pen" as he reminds me of the Peanuts gang kid who walked around with the dirt cloud that followed him everywhere... Poor thing..
How long does molting take? And how often will this happen? Must pickup a furinator tonight!!

Thanks All..

 

[tonyshuman]

yeah, my muffin has been funny looking for a while now, and tony's started too. i don't know how it is for muffin since i just got her, but tony's molts usually last about 2-4 weeks. :shock: i know, that's just how it goes. i actually picked this up at walgreens the other day for less than half the price of a furminator, and it works well (I think)!!

http://www.walgreens.com/store/prod...mp&navCount=2&skuid=sku3908214&id=prod3909365

 

[tonyshuman]

bigger pic:

 

[juliew19673]

poor muffin - they do just look odd when they molt; aslways heard others on here talking about it and I thought "I'm so glad Baxter! isn't that type of bun that I have to deal with that".. stupid newbie that I am.. lol..

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Alexah]

Ah, moulting... I know it well.

Poor Baxter! Moulting is never fun - for the slaves or for the buns. My mini rex, Ruby, moulted for about 3-months early winter. She still has a couple of spots where the fur keeps coming out. Now my holland lop is starting to moult and I have a sneaky suspicion that a couple of my others are starting as well.

What I do is daily brushings when it gets really bad as well as wetting my hands and slicking them over their fur. That helps to get a lot of the loose fur off. Also, canned pumpkin and dried pineapple and papaya are good as they help aid in the digestion of fur. And, for me, I have newfound love and respect for vaccuum cleaners and dust busters. My allergies are grateful for electrical products.

Good luck to you and Baxter! and I hope he starts feeling better soon.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

HaHa, Alexah I swear Hollands must be the worst moulters!

I take mine outside and pull loose fur off, it works so well! I can spend about an hour doing it and not get it all. It takes awhile, I just get as much as I can in one sitting and do it at least every other day. There were a few days there where I was doing it daily. It helps if it's breezy out when you do it so what you pull off gets dragged away and not stuck to you, lol.

Moulting can last 5 months, Snuff's last year did, sheesh, I thought it would NEVER end. It's usually twice a year.

 

[juliew19673]

OMG :shock:5 months of molting?! Poor Baxter! (and me).. I did go get the furinator (or similiar brush at the pet store) and yes! this is a gift from heaven.. Thank you Tonyshuman - its not the same, but it works on similar principles.. I tookoff a small kitten from Baxter! and considering he's not all that big you would think it would have been enough but NOOOOOOO.. He'son my lap now and fur flurry..

Does anyone take their bun to a groomer during this time? Can a Vet visit help.. I did notice tonightthat some of his poos were "tied together" and I'm guessing this is because of the hair (honestlythis just started this week). He's eating andall seems fine, saw at the pet store they had Petromalt in the bunny section that has a bunny face on it - is this any different than Petromaltthat I give my cat Tbone?

Also - what is a symptom of a bun with a "hairball"problem? I'm guessingif he ingest too much hair and not enough hay he might get blocked up and have that GI stasis that I've read and about and looks like so much fun to deal with..

Where do youfind the papapya tabs? Haven't seen them at Petco, Collar&Leash, etc.. Or what is best to help with digestion during this fun time..

Thanks to all for helping the me.. Its appreciated.

 

[PixieStixxxx]

Baxter! Is my new favorite bunny :biggrin2:

Oh no! If your seeing fur in his droppings, a large build up of fur in the intestinal track will cause blockage and GI stasis like you've read. You can buy papaya tablets wherever you find Oxbow pellets, because papaya tablets are made by Oxbow =P You should maybe get some simethecone on hand, just in case Baxter! does ingest too much fur, and gas starts to build.

Where I live, there is a groomer who will comb out the loose fur for rabbits, and shave long haired buns. Look out for one in your area!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

PixieStixxxx wrote:

Oh no! If your seeing fur in his droppings, a large build up of fur in the intestinal track will cause blockage and GI stasis like you've read. You can buy papaya tablets wherever you find Oxbow pellets, because papaya tablets are made by Oxbow =P You should maybe get some simethecone on hand, just in case Baxter! does ingest too much fur, and gas starts to build.

This does happen when buns are moulting, the hair in the poos, doesn't nescessarily mean there is a problem.

Juliew, just monitor them on diet, make sure they're eating lots of hay and drinking lots of water, main issues. Make sure they're poopingnormally as well. No worries witha littlehair in the poos, especially during moulting season, unless you have buns with very sensative tummies, then Nutrical and/or other remedies may be needed.

 

[tort]

Zamboni started to molt a week ago so he gets the vacuum treatment as well as brushing. I swear he loves the brush attachment on the vacuum. I tried to brush him with it unattached and he just ran away; minute I had it on the vacuum and running he laid down at my foot and let me go all over him. I still think there is something wrong with my wacky bunny!!! But then again he is bonded to a ferret.LOL

 

[tonyshuman]

wow Zamboni is a weird bunny! if my buns smell the neighbor's ferret, they get really scared! plus they hide in terror from the vacuum. you're lucky that he likes that!

the whole papaya/pineapple enzymes breaking down hairballs thing is pretty much a myth. the best thing, like angelnsnuffy said, is to make sure he's drinking water or getting it from veggies. also push the hay. if he isn't eating a lot of hay, try a different type he might like better. my buns go nuts for oat hay so i make sure that that's always in the hopper when they shed. it's not abnormal to see a few "poop strings," but just keep an eye on him. you can get papaya tables for people that are likely the same thing in the nutritional supplements part of a health store (GNC) or pharmacy, i hear.

 

[juliew19673]

I found a comb/razor blade thing at the pet store and Bax likes the attention but gets irritated after 20 minutes. But this has pulled smalled "kitens" off of him so I think I'm making progress..

I'm also "PUSHING" hay, heavy greans, etc to keep his gut moving during this trying time...

I so hope that we don'thave a health problem from this and, how often does GI Statsis come from haiir balls? Would be curious to hear from others their experience..

Thanks all.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Be careful cause their skin is very tender.