The extent of Fluffy's neglect.

[Rescuemom]

I've renamed her Calypso - as per my fiance's suggestion, but, am nicknaming her Callie. Anyway...

As some know, she was basically a rescue from a friend who didn't have the time to care for her. She had this bunny for approx. three months, only.

Sigh..

Why don't people do their research before getting animals?

Why do people get more animals than they can care for? Especially when they're pregnant/have a new born or have several children and don't have the time for the animals to boot?

I'm just at a loss for WHAT encourages people to do such a thing...

"Oh, look at that cute bunny in the window that my two year old son wants! Okay, I'll buy it for him!" Bad idea, right?

Anyway... Callie came to me with a disgusting cage that was soaked with pee and poo, mats on her bum, fearful and skittish of being handled or having people in her cage, etc.

She is now okay with me putting my hands in the cage, and will even let me stroke her through the cage door! HUGE difference from when she would charge or hide her face(I seriously considered naming her Ostrich for that reason). But, as I was doing a bunny date and held Callie in my arms... I noticed something off about the feel around her neck. So, I held her in a better position so I could feel her around better. She has mats all around her throat and sides of her neck - quite literally similar to a dogs collar! I was mortified and disgusted. I had already been working out the mats on her bum and gotten those mostly out... But now, I found she has MORE mats?

And why didn't I notice? Well, as some mentioned on her pictures - she's got quite the MESS of fur, lol.

So, poor Callie had me working out mats on her for about an hours time(I only stopped so I could let her relax and have a break - I'll be trying to get the rest tomorrow). I'll be honest... I'm nervous about trying to get the mats on her throat out.

Just from working out two mats. That's right. Two. On either side of her neck. And she was such a good, still little bunny for me while I tried to gently work them out.

If you had a bunny with mats - what would you do? Her fur is fine enough I can brush most of the mats out, and only have to use scissors on a few, so I've been lucky so far, but man, I'm nervous about doing her throat area. I don't want to give the poor little lady a heart attack.

 

[CosmosMomma]

Maybe try a wide tooth comb to pick at the mats? I don't know if it's okay for buns but when my niece's hair was matted, we used vegetable oil and mayo to get the mats out.

Poor little Callie! I'm glad she feels comfortable and safe with you though

 

[holtzchick]

When I found Phoenix she had mats everywhere that I was not able to brush out so I cut most of them out and the ones I couldn't I brought her into the vet and they shaved them free of charge.... It might stress her out but at least after that she will be mat free and you can let her relax... Best of luck... I really don't understand how people can mistreat such loving and defenceless creatures :/

 

[ldoerr]

I would just cut the mats out. It will take less time and be less stressfull for her. Good luck with her.

 

[Alee C.]

I have a cat who is getting older, and doesn't groom herself as much. The hair on her back end got matted, I tried to brush it out but it was painful for her. On the internet it suggests to use cornstarch on the mat to loosen it and then brush it out. So I put the cornstarch on the mat rubbed it around and left it in for the day then brushed it out, much less painful.

 

[Rescuemom]

Yeah... I hold the mat between my fingers as a buffer and very gently run the de-shedder over the mat. Her fur is so fine, that it comes out pretty easily, it just takes forever to do it. If I think it's too matted to work out with a comb or brush without hurting her, then I cut it out with scissors. I should check if there's a vet around here that will shave them out for me though - that's a really good idea. I wonder how much it would cost though. T_T

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would shave them out. It is pretty quick for me to do it. If you wanted, I could do it for you.