I'm not one to give much in the way of greens to my rabbits. Too much in the way of greens tends to give them diarrhea. And stuff like carrots and apples are high in sugars and carbohydrates which can make the rabbit get fat. A rabbit with a loose hide or that is molting will not show very well. There are a few things I look at when I look at why a rabbit is molting:
#1. The genetics. Some rabbits just molt more. On some of my rabbits I can tell from a very young age if they will have bad fur or not. In my New Zealands, I don't like rabbits that have a slight curl to their hair shaft. They seem to have longer hair and their hair shaft seems to have a slight curl giving it a rougher texture. Those rabbits tend to molt more. The rabbits I have with shorter, straight hair shafts seem to have better fur. And the rabbits with better fur tend to throw rabbits with better fur.
#2 Parasites - If your rabbit has parasites in the fur such as fur mites or fleas, you won't be able to get good fur no matter how hard you try unless you treat that with something like ivermectin and preventative practices. Don't store your hay or straw above the rabbit cage. That is asking for mites or other parasites. My dad would do that and I'd see these little black specks of parasites after he did that in their white fur. And when I'd see those, they'd never have good fur at that time. The specks were too small for my dad to see. Also, don't let your rabbits run around on the ground like out in the garden or yard. The ground is full of parasites to infect your rabbit's fur. That's why cats and dogs have flea collars.
#3: A good diet - The diet has to be match to the breed and herd you are raising. A diet that works for one breed or herd won't necessarily work for another. When I raised Checkered Giants they did great on Wayne's Feed, but on my Californians and New Zealands they just got fat and molted on it. That's because it had too much energy and corn. If the person you get rabbits off of shows rabbits and does well, copy how they feed. Then you already know a way to feed that has proven it works. I always ask what the person feeds and how they feed when I buy a rabbit off of them. Feeding the same also makes the rabbit less likely to go off its feed when you bring it home.
#4: Consistency & cleanliness - A sick rabbit won't have good fur. The best way to keep a rabbit from getting sick is to feed at the same time every day and to keep the pen clean. Being clean and consistent will help keep your rabbit healthy and when the rabbit is healthy it is more likely to have good fur.
#5: Pick a good spot to keep your rabbits. I think one of the best spots to keep a rabbit is probably in a valley in the woods. It may sound crazy, but its not. An area like that stays a nice consistent cool temperature in the summer, perfect for keeping that fur in condition for a rabbit show.
#6: Also remember that it does no good to try pushing a rabbit more quickly through a molt if you don't brush them out. Otherwise you just get a big mess. You have to remove the old dead fur so the new fur can come in. It may seem like a lot of work, but it takes less than about 1 minute each day for a rabbit. But it needs to be done each day for about 1-2 months.
