Molting

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My Muffin was a constant shedder--she shed for several months straight. The vet recommended adding flax seeds to her diet, which didn't really help. I have also heard of black oil sunflower seeds helping with a bad/long molt, but it didn't work for me either. What did help for me was switching her pellet. She's an adult and only gets 1 tablespoon of pellets a day, but she was getting only Oxbow Bunny Basics T, a timothy pellet. I switched that to half and half Oxbow BBT and Purina Hi-Fiber Lab diet, a high-fiber, good quality, alfalfa-based pellet. It seems to have worked. So, I'd try adding a couple of sunflower seeds to her diet first (1-2 daily), then try flax seeds if that doesn't work (1/2teaspoon daily), and then switch pellets if that doesn't work.

Also, of course, check for fur mites (look like dandruff) and fleas (put him on a white sheet and look for black things jumping off). I'd keep track of his weight as well in case he might have an intestinal parasite--they can also cause weight loss and poor coat condition.
 
Claire...

Do they come de-husked... or do you have to remove the husks yourself, or can the rabbit do it herself? Lego just finished a moult and is starting again... sometimes it seems that it never ends!

Thanks,
Sandra
 
They do not come dehusked. In the traditional feeding of black oil sunflower seeds (actually a breeder's trick for coat condition), you just feed whole seeds. I think they chew them open, based on what I've seen. The flax seeds, I'm not sure. They didn't do anything for Muffin, and they're really tiny, so I don't know if they grind them up before swallowing or not. I made some bunny cookies the other day and added quite a bit of ground flax seed (ground in the coffee grinder) to them. You could probably sprinkle ground flax seed powder on their pellets or veggies too.
 
Sway has been a constant shedder since I got her. She has teeth mess up beyond repair(apparent from pulling them), I have to clip her teeth every 2 weeks or we have bad problems. Wynona also has been shedding since I got her 2 months ago. Some rabbits just shed, some have mites/fleas, and some may have a problem that causes them to not be able to take in the proper amount of nutrince.

Have you tried Wheatgerm oil? I find that helps as well.
 
I've never seen a severe molt or shed, but I bet that there are others (members and Mods alike) that have seen it. I

I have noticed myself that my bun is just now getting worse with a molt look on his back, so, yeah, it sounds like it should be for almost all buns!;)
 

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