Eye grooming

[f_j]

Penelope loves to groom Rupert's eyes, and I noticed this morning that one of his eyes is bald right above the eye and has a little red spot that almost looks like it could have been bleeding. I know that I read that many RO members' bonded bunnies groom each others eyes, but is this red bald spot something to worry about? I'm worried it is sore. Also, this isn't something that could turn into an abcess, is it? I'm probably just being paranoid...

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

I don't think you are paranoid. You have noticed a clue. Many buns become "nurses" if they sense something is wrong with a friend. We have learned to go with those clues. Usually if a bun is grooming the eyes of another, it is usually some type of infection in that eye. We have seen it many times. They do take care of each other...and when we learn to read and interpret the signals.....we can tell something is wrong early in the event. I would suggest a visit to the vet to have Rupert's eyes checked. Could be a tear duct problem or maybe an infection. But I think is it worth a closer look.

And we also have a Penelope....a big old lug....she is an English Lop with huge ears.

Randy

 

[f_j]

Thanks for your response. I didn't realize that it could indicate an infection in his eye. The thing is, Penelope has always had a tendency to over-groom. She did it when she was with Lola too (it was worse then because she was unspayed). Does anyone else have experience with this?

 

[Crystalballl]

Hey!

Holly constantly grooms Bandit's eyes. That's all she ever grooms on the poor guy. Around his eye is a little more bald now, but I haven't noticed any redness or anything as of yet. I've heard of over-grooming eyes a lot. Just keep an eye on Rupert's eyes (haha).

But you're definitely not alone. My little girl does it all the time too!

Crystal

 

[HoneyPot]

Misty constantly grooms Charlie's eyes, but so far it hasn't gotten red. I would be worried too. I really don't know what to suggest about overgrooming in that area if that's all it is.Maybe you'llhave to treatit like if she is doing something she's not supposed to and start saying NO toher when you see her grooming Rupert's eyes? Hmm,I'll think about it some more.

Nadia

 

[f_j]

Thanks Crystal and Nadia! I'll keep an eye on that red spot...I've been trying to discourage her from grooming that eye, but I'm sure that when I'm not here she still does it.

 

[Crystalballl]

I always tell Holly No. But that doesn't seem to work hahaha. I tell her she can groom him elsewhere, but she doesn't seem to listen. He never grooms her eyes, he grooms her head and stuff. Do you think it's a female thing???

Crystal

 

[Haley]

I had to separate Tumnus and Lucy when his overgrooming became obsessive. Every time they were in their condo I would see her looking almost in pain as he groomed and was biting her eyes. They were red-rimmed and bald.

I kept an eye on her because, as randy suggested, I knew it could indicate an infection or something the Tumnus was sensing and I wasnt. It did seem to get better when they were apart, however.

This was last year and lasted for about a month. I still get nervous when I see him grooming her eyes.

 

[f_j]

Haley, did separating them help to make the eye grooming less frequent? I really would hate to separate them now...they love each other so much. And that would also mean caging them again, which wouldn't be very fair to them since they've had free run of their room for so long now.

 

[Haley]

Yeah, it really helped. I only did it for a week or so (long enough for her to heal) and then he stopped. Who knows, he may have stopped eventually anyway, but I couldnt stand to see her like that (you could tell her was hurting her).

What I did was put a divider in their NIC condo so it was very simple. They had communal run time during the day and separate at night (which was when I saw him grooming the most).

Im not sure what to do in your situation since you dont have the NIC condos. Is it really bad that you think its hurting him? You could try putting a little neosporin on the area to see if that discourages her. Or separate them when you see her grooming him like that?

 

[f_j]

Well, we took Rupert to the vet today to get his eye checked out. It turns out his eye is just fine - there is nothing wrong with the eye itself and though the eyelid is bald, it is nothing to worry about at this point. I'm definitely relieved! I'm trying to discourage Penelope from grooming that eye, so hopefully that behaviour will decrease with time. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[Crystalballl]

Oh well that's good news then!! Holly still grooms poor Bandit's eyes. Around his eyes are a little balder haha but they're not red or anything. Glad to hear little Rupert is just fine.

 

[f_j]

Thanks Crystal! The baldness around the eyes looks kind of funny, but as long as he's healthy I'm happy!!

 

[Crystalballl]

LOL yes, it does look kind of funny. But as long as everything is good, then that's okay. She just loves him so much she just can't contain herself. hehe Well that's my excuse for Holly anyways. As much as I try to discourage her, it doesn't seem to be working. She's quite stubborn lol

Crystal

 

[f_j]

Yeah, what I don't understand is why the boys don't stop them from doing it?? It doesn't look like it feels very good!

 

[Crystalballl]

Yea, I can't quite understand that either. Bandit looks like he doesn't mind some of the time. But other times, I don't think he's quite happy about it. And I've never seen him groom her eyes either. He grooms her head and stuff, but not the eyes.

 

[HoneyPot]

Misty nips Charlie sometimes when she is grooming his eyes cause I see him flinch and pull away and he has started trying to avoid her getting to his eyes, but it doesn't stop her. She's fierce.

Funny that we all have siblings involved in the overgrooming!



_____________
Nadia

 

[Crystalballl]

Aww poor Charlie. Yea that is weird we all seem to have a siblingobsessed witheye grooming. It's really funny they all seem to the be the females too!

Crystal

 

[MsBinky]

Actually, my boy Bam-Bam is doing it to Wiggles. I checked if she had an infection, but her eyes are only red when she is with him. I really don't want to separate them