Baxter going into his 2nd Molt. .but he's not following a schedule

[juliew19673]

When I got Baxter! in March of 08 he was skinny/malnourished and could barely jump a foot high.. After he gained weight and had a healthy diet he became hormonal (about 2 month later) so had him neutored (started spraying me and my bed, etc).

This behaviour (spraying/biting) stopped but then, almost immediatetly -he started to molt (probably he was at this time, 7 months old). The "Molt" lasted 2.5 month - FUR EVERYWHERE.

When it ended I was SO happy. Must understand when I took Baxter! in I thought "what a great pet they don't shed?".. The "molt" ended a shy 3 weeks ago and I'm already "begining another one!!!".. Have ALL of the brushes (Furminator, flea combs,wire brush, lint rolls - his fur "LAUGHS at them all).

Iknow about getting wet hands to rub and get the fur off (workswell but)"COME ON" he is NOT an angora - just a "Alley Bunny" at best - mixed breed that likes to Molt apparently.. I'd "Sigh" but have too much fur in my mouth..

I've read through the libraray and it suggest that they molt every 3 month! But the "MOLT" last for 2 months so seriously is this something to expect? Fur ALL of the time from ALL buns? Is their a breed that doesn't do this? One furry human to another - HELP!

If anyone has a suggestion or a food you can feed them to help during this time (must also point out that he does not suffer and tummy problems throught this time, so I know I am luckY) I'd love to hear suggestions as well as "breed specific suggestion of buns that might not "molt" so that Baxter! could have a girlfriend without this problem..

Thanks all!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Hey Julie,

Snuff isn't following a schedule either. He was molting about 2 months ago and is again, different line. Hubby tried our new slicker brush on him, but just pulling it out works the best, always has. By the time we're done, there's enough hair to make another bunny. (Believe me, I hava used the word Angora when out removing hair from Snuff too, haha.)

You can give pumpkin when shedding for added fiber.

My mini rex hardly shed or molted at all the 4.5 years I had her. Others say their mini rexes are just as bad, so, I think it has to do with the type/length of the hair, but not really sure. I would think the shorter the hair the better.:dunno

Best of luck dealing with it yet again.:hug1

 

[juliew19673]

Have you found at all that "molting" is a "juvenile" behaviour or breed haviour or just a bun behaviour.. Just trying to figure out what to "stock" myself with (lint rollers, vaccuum bags and ALOT of patience). Doesn't help that its Summer and my Cat has decided to shed as well (her once a year shed..).. Go to bed and wake up with a beard and white highlights in my hair - lol!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

juliew19673 wrote:

Have you found at all that "molting" is a "juvenile" behaviour or breed haviour or just a bun behaviour.. Just trying to figure out what to "stock" myself with (lint rollers, vaccuum bags and ALOT of patience). Doesn't help that its Summer and my Cat has decided to shed as well (her once a year shed..).. Go to bed and wake up with a beard and white highlights in my hair - lol!

Nope, unfortunately, Snuff is four and still doing it ("molting"). So, no, not a juvenile thing. LOL at white highlights! Whoohoo, haha. (Sorry)

Yep, just pull off what you can that is loose, keep the vacuuming up, etc. Sorry I don't have better news for ya.

 

[juliew19673]

Buns of ALL animals should come with a "handbook"..

OK perhaps Human children are "Worse for the Wear" but honestly, Baxter! is by FAR the most "Curious" of pets I've had..

Will get out my vacuum now for the 3rd time today!

Thanks for the feedback - it is appreciated and scorned at the sametime!


PS: But will love and feel badly for him/I at the sametime...

 

[Raspberry82]

The best thing I've found is to stock up on those "sticky rollers" they sell in stores either for lint or pet hair. We use a LOT of them around here for our 1 bunny. He sheds nearly constantly it feels like anyway.. lol. In the beginning I had no idea they could shed so often either!! Hehe.. It was quite an adjustment to say the least.

The bad part is when they get "nervous" sheds inbetween their "molts" every 2 months or whenever (i stopped keeping track, it's just too often for comfort.. lol) due to new people in the house or a new situation.. then it feels like 1-2 week breaks between being covered in fuzz .

Stress can play a part, but Max looks a lot like your bun and it's just how he's always been... a big shedder.

When he's molting, we take a sticky roller and tap it all over his "loose fuzz" areas regularly until it doesn't pick up anymore to help minimize the amount of fuzz that gets everywhere.

 

[BlueGiants]

Baxter!s first moult may have been triggered by his changes in diet and hormones. When you got him he was malnourished and not properly cared for. His coat probably suffered from this neglect. With the better nutrition and care, plus the changes in his hormones, he probably had to shed out all the old fur.

Now, he could be going through a "scheduled" moult. This is the time of year that the days start getting shorter and they instinctively prepare for a new season... even if kept indoors with no chance of being exposed to the cold!

Is he part rex? They do tend to moult on their own schedule... (Just ask Bo!) Almost all my rabbits are moulting right now. The Mini Rex look like someone drew a line around their bodies and shaved the top half and left the bottom half! The Flemish are getting brushed every day. Turn on the fan by the white kids and it looks like a snow storm.

Have patience. He's still so young and has been through so much over the last 5 months.

 

[NZminilops]

I'm really glad that I haven't ever had a bunny have an extreme molt like I read about on here :shock:.

I think a lot of it is due to fur length, like AngelnSnuffy said, but not too sure. My Sakura has very short, plush fur, almost like a minirex, it's very smooth and glossy and she doesn't really molt much. It's more like a year long shedding of a few hairs a day rather than a huge intense shedding.

I do notice that my rabbits with longer ot thicker hair (would be rabbits such as lop eared buns, NZ whites, etc, that sort of bunny fur, mixed breeds) they do tend to drop a lot more hair.

It's my cat Brewster that drives me up the wall with hair :grumpy:, she sheds ALL the time! I am always picking cat fur off myself when out in public, people even point out to me that I have fur on my butt .

 

[Raspberry82]

LOL, that happens to us all the time too :biggrin2::grumpy:. Lol. Since Max plays in the kitchen, he considers our kitchen chairs and their cushions HIS. So, we have to de-fuzz them regularly or else we'll be walking around with white fuzzy behinds. Haha.

Max's hair is very fine and super soft.. from what I can tell he has a super fine "under-coat" and the top coat.. but none is especially long like lionhead or angoras. So it's this constant super fine undercoat fluff that he sheds all the time in small handfuls that I refer to as his "molts" and MAN does it tickle your nose like crazy!! He actually doesn't full on drop huge chunks of fuzz all at once except maybe 1-2 times a year. But still, the under-coat fluff keeps me busy hand-vacuuming his cage every 1-2 weeks or it'll pile up a bit .

And, I should mention.. I've tried everything in altering his diet to see if it makes a difference. The only thing I noticed is that it seems to get a bit worse when he doesn't get his regular veggies every day, then improves somewhat when he does.

Sure wish he didn't though! He's quite the decorator around here .

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I was out with Snuff again tonight, as he resembled a part lionhead bun:shock:. Fur sticking out all over. Got to thinking, maybe we should start a thread for Molting buns, before and after pics of brushings/pulling hair and also pics of what was pulled. Good idea?

With before/after pics, when in molts will also show the lines where the molting is happening at the time. (Like Blue giants said, it looks like you drew a line around the bun.)

 

[juliew19673]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

I was out with Snuff again tonight, as he resembled a part lionhead bun:shock:. Fur sticking out all over. Got to thinking, maybe we should start a thread for Molting buns, before and after pics of brushings/pulling hair and also pics of what was pulled. Good idea?

With before/after pics, when in molts will also show the lines where the molting is happening at the time. (Like Blue giants said, it looks like you drew a line around the bun.)

AngelnSnuffy you have been so "Johnny on the the Spot" with this thread (as others are apparently living my same hell) but LOVE The idea of the "Molting" photos, but would think one photo of the bun who is in "molting hell" and one photo of their "Human Slave" in molting hell! Would share the "hell" equally..LOL!

This molt I must say, is not as worst as the "FIRST" one. I think BlueGiant is correct that Baxter! was so "emaciated" when I found him, that his whole system was out of whack for months, and once having a "stable" diet his body kinda went "screwy" for some months (that molt was "hairy" to use a pun). That being saidI am now thinking Baxter! is a cross between an English Hotot and a Mini-rex as he has "super-soft" fur by his cheeks and underbelly but the rest is kinda rough and he has the spots down his spine and hind-quarters - just knowing from meeting "Scooter" that was a "mini-rex" he is NOT that soft All over..

I'm happy to say that he doesn't seem to have any GI-stasis prob's with fur, as I've learned to NOT give him many treats while going through the "MOLT" and too just keep giving him that OAT hay from Zoohcorner that he loves and seems to keep the "gut" working very well, that and he has a stomach of steel I've noticed, so am now thinking "mutt" bunnies are one of the easier buns to keep.

Molting or not molting he is a keeper! Thanks for ALL of your many suggestions though am going to get all of the items so that they are on hand.

Love THIS board!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

juliew19673 wrote:

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

I was out with Snuff again tonight, as he resembled a part lionhead bun:shock:. Fur sticking out all over. Got to thinking, maybe we should start a thread for Molting buns, before and after pics of brushings/pulling hair and also pics of what was pulled. Good idea?

With before/after pics, when in molts will also show the lines where the molting is happening at the time. (Like Blue giants said, it looks like you drew a line around the bun.)

AngelnSnuffy you have been so "Johnny on the the Spot" with this thread (as others are apparently living my same hell) but LOVE The idea of the "Molting" photos, but would think one photo of the bun who is in "molting hell" and one photo of their "Human Slave" in molting hell! Would share the "hell" equally..LOL!

Love THIS board!

Thank you Julie! So glad I was able to give some valuable input.

But, yes, I think a thread on molting buns would be a great one for us and newcomers to learn from even.

So, whoever gets to it first, go ahead and start one. Otherwise, I'll start it, no worries. I think this will be a good one, even though it's frustrating and worrying at times.

 

[Raspberry82]

Oh yes! I agree, good idea with the molting thread. Hehe. Especially with human/bun fuzz photos. Mine will have to wait a few days though, my camera is in the mail atm.

 

[ec]

.There's a great thread on Flickr's Bunny Lovers Unite pool, titled "Show Your Bunnies' Silly Molts" It's made me feel a lot better about Nibbles and some of her crazy-looking sheds:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bunnyloversunite/discuss/72157602270296669/?search=molting

 

[Raspberry82]

Thanks for posting that link ec! Those pics were a riot .

 

[ec]

You're more than welcome!

I think everyone here will get a kick out of them.

 

[Flick]

Can't nobunny out-molt my Skylar!!! Captain Tutu!!!!!!!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Flick? Is that bun part Angora or just a Holland?:shock: Wow!:runther direction, haha.

Here is a pic of Snuff with a molt line, but nothing like that!

 

[Flick]

Skylar is an American Fuzzy Lop, and he does the breed proud when it comes to molting!
These pictures were taken during his last molt 2 - 3 months ago. He's doing it again!:shock:

This one doesn't seem to be quite as big a blow as the last one, though. That one was really impressive!

Snuff is darling!!!!!!!!! :hearts:

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Thank you so much Flick!

Man. this thing took my post.

Anywho, Love Skylar! Yeah, Snuff is somethig else, little turd, hee.