Is it possible that rabbit urine can mildly bleach fur?

[quepasatee]

I have a very dark, black havana rabbit named Sheogorath. I've had him for about seven months, and until recently he has lived in a 40ft indoor playpen. I have 11 rabbits, and each of them live either alone or with another rabbit in a similarly sized playpen.

Sheogorath is very curious and began escaping his playpen regularly, but he's aggressive towards the other rabbits. For their safety, I moved him from the playpen to a large cage. Ever since, he has a habit of getting urine on himself. He retained his original dark, even color all over his back, his ears, and a few other places that he can't reach with his paws. It looks like he has been rubbing urine on his face during grooming, and when I take him out of the cage sometimes around his legs and rear feels somewhat stiff, as if he has been sprayed with hairspray the fur in these areas is now a different shade, almost as if it has been slightly bleached.

I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar problem? I wish there was some way to restore his coat to it's original beauty! I keep his cage very clean, he is litter-trained, and I brush and groom him often.

Thanks for reading all of that

 

[tamsin]

Urine and sunlight can bleach black rabbits to a sort of rusty brown colour. I don't think there is any way to return it, just have to wait until a moult. Can you raise the hight of the pen so he can have the extra space back? Or a net pegged over the top is often enough to contain jumpers.

 

[bunnymother22]

Is he completely isolated? Sounds like the other buns are spraying him through the side of the cage. Is that possible?

Side note: sounds like youa re a wonderful bunny owner and they are all very well cared for. Good for you. Eleven bunnies, sounds like paradise!

 

[quepasatee]

He's completely isolated so maybe he just likes to lay in his own pee

Thank you both for the advice & also the compliment I suppose the only thing I can do is wait and hope that brushing him extra-often during a moult will help get rid of the rusty-brown!