How to Groom a Rabbit
Brush your rabbit at least once a week., Make your rabbit comfortable., Adjust your brushing regimen for the time of year., Understand the important of brushing., Remove more fur with water., Remove the last bit of excess fur.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Brush your rabbit at least once a week.
The first function of this is removing loose fur.
Long-haired varieties like the Angora need to be brushed every day or two.
You only need to brush short-haired breeds like the Netherland Dwarf once a week.Gently and thoroughly brush the rabbit's back with a soft-bristle brush.
This will bring loose hair to the top of the coat.
Always brush in the direction of the fur, and do not brush too hard.
Be careful not to hurt the rabbit! Use a pin brush for basic brushing, and a wide-toothed comb for rabbits with long fur.
A bristle brush makes a good once over to smooth the fur and get any extra shed hair.
A mat rake will help remove tangles that are too big for the other brushes.
Brush using a pin brush or wide toothed brush, depending on your rabbit's fur.
When the brush stops picking up shed hairs, use the bristle brush to collect the rest. -
Step 2: Make your rabbit comfortable.
Brushing is the first step to making it feel at ease, but there are additional techniques.
Lay a towel over your lap and gently support it along the length of your thighs.
Rabbits love to lay on their backs while you slowly brush their tummies and underarms.
This can send rabbits into a relaxed, sleep-like state.
It might even make little noises of satisfaction., Brush your rabbit more often when it's shedding.
Rabbits shed about every three months.
They tend to shed most heavily in the fall and spring, and comparatively lightly during the summer and winter.Rabbits shed a few different ways.
Some rabbits take a few weeks to lose their old coat of fur.
You may need to brush your rabbit every few days or multiple times each day depending on its coat length and how quickly it sheds.
Other rabbits shed their entire old coats within a day.
It is especially important that you do not neglect these rabbits once they start shedding. , Rabbits lick themselves like cats to keep clean, and they can get hairballs if they consume too much hair.
Unlike cats, however, rabbits are physically incapable of vomiting.
Hairballs can cause stomach obstructions and quickly become life threatening by blocking the stomach exit.
Remove loose hair as soon as possible or your rabbit will do it during grooming., Wet your hands with the spritzer bottle and gently stroke your rabbit from behind the ears all the way back to the tail.
Make sure to do this several times, stroking the sides and belly of the rabbit as well.
Your wet hands will help remove the excess fur that your brush brings to the top of the coat.
You can often remove a very large percentage of the loose hair by just pulling it out with your hand. , A wire-slicker brush is the best way to get the last bit out.
This is especially important during shedding season, when the rabbit is both losing and producing more fur.
Use your wire brush to remove mats and tangles, then use a softer brush to stroke along the grain of the fur.
Never brush the fur against the grain, or the wire brush will severely damage your rabbit's fur. -
Step 3: Adjust your brushing regimen for the time of year.
-
Step 4: Understand the important of brushing.
-
Step 5: Remove more fur with water.
-
Step 6: Remove the last bit of excess fur.
Detailed Guide
The first function of this is removing loose fur.
Long-haired varieties like the Angora need to be brushed every day or two.
You only need to brush short-haired breeds like the Netherland Dwarf once a week.Gently and thoroughly brush the rabbit's back with a soft-bristle brush.
This will bring loose hair to the top of the coat.
Always brush in the direction of the fur, and do not brush too hard.
Be careful not to hurt the rabbit! Use a pin brush for basic brushing, and a wide-toothed comb for rabbits with long fur.
A bristle brush makes a good once over to smooth the fur and get any extra shed hair.
A mat rake will help remove tangles that are too big for the other brushes.
Brush using a pin brush or wide toothed brush, depending on your rabbit's fur.
When the brush stops picking up shed hairs, use the bristle brush to collect the rest.
Brushing is the first step to making it feel at ease, but there are additional techniques.
Lay a towel over your lap and gently support it along the length of your thighs.
Rabbits love to lay on their backs while you slowly brush their tummies and underarms.
This can send rabbits into a relaxed, sleep-like state.
It might even make little noises of satisfaction., Brush your rabbit more often when it's shedding.
Rabbits shed about every three months.
They tend to shed most heavily in the fall and spring, and comparatively lightly during the summer and winter.Rabbits shed a few different ways.
Some rabbits take a few weeks to lose their old coat of fur.
You may need to brush your rabbit every few days or multiple times each day depending on its coat length and how quickly it sheds.
Other rabbits shed their entire old coats within a day.
It is especially important that you do not neglect these rabbits once they start shedding. , Rabbits lick themselves like cats to keep clean, and they can get hairballs if they consume too much hair.
Unlike cats, however, rabbits are physically incapable of vomiting.
Hairballs can cause stomach obstructions and quickly become life threatening by blocking the stomach exit.
Remove loose hair as soon as possible or your rabbit will do it during grooming., Wet your hands with the spritzer bottle and gently stroke your rabbit from behind the ears all the way back to the tail.
Make sure to do this several times, stroking the sides and belly of the rabbit as well.
Your wet hands will help remove the excess fur that your brush brings to the top of the coat.
You can often remove a very large percentage of the loose hair by just pulling it out with your hand. , A wire-slicker brush is the best way to get the last bit out.
This is especially important during shedding season, when the rabbit is both losing and producing more fur.
Use your wire brush to remove mats and tangles, then use a softer brush to stroke along the grain of the fur.
Never brush the fur against the grain, or the wire brush will severely damage your rabbit's fur.
About the Author
Charles Young
Writer and educator with a focus on practical DIY projects knowledge.
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