Help! How to groom a fuzzy lop?

[Zibb]

I got a new fuzzy Holland lop about 3 days ago. He's the sweetest thing ever and he loves to be rubbed behind the ears but he came with some problems. First off he has pink eye. I took him to the vet and they gave me an antibiotic so he's feeling way better. He also has VERY matted fur, but he won't let me touch his feet to clip the nails or cut off the mats! I really don't want to freak him out, but should i bring him to a groomer or something? i cant do it myself, he squirms too much and I'm afraid I'll hurt him! Help me please!

 

[woahlookitsme]

The more he is held the better he will be when you have to mess with him. Of course treats can be an extra incentive when your done and reward with good behavior. Hollands are pretty docile if you handle them enough.

 

[Zibb]

He is only 2 months. What treats can I give him do you think? And he needs to be groomed now. How could I go about that without traumatizing him?

 

[Mariah]

Hey, I also just recently (in May) got a fuzzy lop! Aren't they just the cutest little bunnies? My little guy "Papaya" gets mats near his bum which I'm going to actually shave off cause the brush can't get them out. He also gets mats in other places which I just brush out with a human baby brush which is very soft. I brush him 2-3 times a week cause he's a messy little dude! He always gets shavings stuck to him!

Can I ask what kind of shavings you use? I use aspen and he tracks them everywhere he goes!

 

[Zibb]

I use the "care fresh" paper bedding for everything! And yes they really are the cutest I try to snip out his mats with nail scissors and its not really working out for me.. How do you get rid of the mats without scaring the poor bunny?

 

[Mariah]

I just keep brushing. Papaya just sits on my lap while I brush him. I give him Quaker oats as treats for sitting so nicely! I think he thinks he's a show bunny

 

[MyBabyHasPaws]

You gotta do what you gotta do. I wouldnt use force and I wouldnt be rough, but if he has to be groomed then he's going to have to sit there, its going to take a lot of time and patience. You know those scissors with the round tip? Those work pretty well and if he moves he wont get stabbed. Slow and steady wins the race

 

[wendymac]

:yeahthat:

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat: I know my bunnies don't like nail clipping time, brushing, or getting scent glands cleaned, but they've come to accept it. Time, patience, and perseverance.

 

[slavetoabunny]

You may want to take him to a vet and have him shaved. That way you can start fresh. As long as you keep up on the grooming you shouldn't have too many problems.

 

[Zibb]

Where are the scent glands??

 

[SneakyDragon]

The scent glands are under the tail.

http://brighteyessanctuary.org/educ/rabbit-info-scent-glands.html

After I first adopted my first bun, I slowly handpulled out his mats using my fingers when I fed him his vegetables every night. Slow but steadily all of them came out. He does not like being brushed at all, but as long as I pulled the mats out gently, he didn't mind too much while he was eating.

In your case, I'm not sure if it's too severe and you'll need to physically clip them off. I've read that putting some baby cornstarch on can help with slowing working them loose, so you can try that. Otherwise, if it's really too much for you, I'd advise you to just take him to a groomer or vet to shave off the fur and start a-fresh.

For nail trimming, if he's squirming away too much, you can try to use a bunny burrito to keep him still. The basic idea is to set him on a towel and wrap it around him snugly, then hold onto him and only expose the parts you want to work with. You can probably do a quick google search to find articles and videos on how to do so. One good video on trimming nails with a bunny burrito is at [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5trC8YgfWV8[/ame] .

Hopefully my advice is helpful! Good luck.

 

[Zibb]

thank you all very much