Owners of long haired rabbits

[Flashy]

I have to make a poster for the RSPCA about how high maintance long haired rabbits are. I, however, know very little about the care, grooming, diet, etc, that a long haired bunny needs, and how it varies from a regular rabbit.

Could any one who owns rabbits who have long fur (be it just a mane, or all over) tell me how they care for their buns?

Can you tell me how long grooming takes you roughly, how often you groom, if you use different tools, if you use a groomer, how much it costs, etc.

Can anyone who has buns that dislike grooming also tell me how that affects the session and what it means you have to do?

I have recently seen a very long list of problems of ungroomed long furred rabbits, so I know this part, but can you please also tell me the problems that crop up, or the problems that you perceive might happen, if you don't groom as much/enough?

The whole thing I'm going to aim for is 'this rabbit is so cute but.....' to help people realise that even though they look gorgeous, they are an awful lot of work compared to even your average short haired rabbit (which yes, I also know is high maintenance).

Also I need some pictures of some cute, gorgeous long haired rabbits so if you are happy for me to use them on this poster please post on this thread and state that you are happy to use them on the RSPCA poster I am making.

 

[Flashy]

This thread is called 'long haired rabbit owners' but that's not actually what I mean. What I mean is 'owners of long haired rabbits', not those people who have long hair and own rabbits. Duh!

If a mod comes along would you mind please changing the title, lol.

 

[paul2641]

I have 2 teddy lionheads and I groom them every 2nd day I spend anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes each grooming session. I use A metal comb and sometimes a hair drier.

I Edited the title sorry, I know I shouldn't have.

 

[Sabine]

I wish i had kept pictures of Oskar and Raylann in the state they arrived here.
I must admit i am a bit tardy when it comes to grooming but neither my wooly lionhead nor my angora seem to knot much. I guess i do them roughly once a week for as long as i please. Anything from 5 to 30 minutes.

 

[himalayinbunny]

I LOVE WHISKERS MY 4 WEEK OLD BUNNY!!!!!!!!

 

[naturestee]

My most recent foster bunny (went back to the shelter last week) was with me because of problems her mats had caused. She's a fuzzy lop. Specifically, she was so matted around her hind legs and vent area that she became badly urine burned on her legs. She was crazy mean, which turned out to be from the pain. She's actually a very friendly, social rabbit.

Matted fur can also breed fleas and lice because the rabbit isn't able to groom itself to the skin. And bad mats can pull the skin, causing it to loose elasticity and even be twisted up into the mats. That can be dangerous when you're trying to cut a mat off because you could accidentally cut through the skin. Pain from the pulled skin can make the bun irritable.

If you want, I'll try to get some pictures posted of Cheddar's butchered and shaved fur. I might also have a picture or two displaying her burned legs, although I didn't take any close pics of those. It was pretty disturbing.

Myheart does the shaving for me when I need it done. She's a dog groomer. FYI rabbit fur is harder to shave/clip than dog fur because it's so fine. After we had a run on matted long-haired buns earlier this year, I invested in my own grooming tools. I have a metal comb with rotating pins (supposed to hurt less when doing mats), grooming scissors, thinning scissors, wire cat-type brush, and a flea comb. I also have a spare Furminator in the kit, but that's not for even slightly matted buns. A moderately matted rabbit usually takes me at least 4 hours of grooming, sometimes I need to do a second hour or two after that on another day. I ask Myheart to shave them if there's a large portion of the body covered in mats close to the skin. So far that's been only Cheddar the recent foster and Dolla before Boz adopted her. They both had most of the shoulders, back, and rear covered in tight mats.

 

[murph72]

I think it differs from bun to bun. With my Lionheads I have one with a super long mane that tends to get matted between and behind the ears. It seems he's able to take care of the rest, so this area is the one that needs my assistance. I just keep an eye on it. If I see it looking at all like it's going to clump, I take him out and get out my groomer comb. He's fine with it.

My other lionheads don't seem to mat as much as Chewy. They don't have as long of a mane (his falls over his eyes) which may be part of it. I find that lionheads need more grooming when they are under a year as they just aren't as good at it as they get to be when they are a bit more mature. However, an older bunny sometimes falls into the poor maintenance of a younger one (just like some elderly people) and they require more grooming.

I havea bun that HATES grooming. I think he hates the sound of the comb's metal teeth because they make a certain noise. He gets pretty jittery. With him, I'm more likely to use my fingers and work out any knots before I use the comb at all. It keeps the combing to a minimum...which he prefers. On the lions it's pretty much their skirt and mane that require grooming. Sometimes they will get poop stuck in their skirt, which also requires some grooming....I've also used scissors a time or two when it seemed hopelessly matted. This is more likely to happen when they are younger and they aren't going to the potty where they should be and they're still working on learning personal hygiene.

My American Fuzzy Lop is the one that requires more maintenance. When she was under a year I had to comb her every week at least once or twice. As she has gotten older I find I'm only really grooming her butt region. She tends to get these patches of hair that will trail off of her and pick up hay. It almost looks like a dreadlock of sorts if you don't see it right away. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of a tug and it's off of her. Right now she needs to be groomed but she's due on Wednesday and definitely cranky...so after the kits are born it will have to happen.

I'd send you pics but I really need some new ones of my crew. They have changed drastically in a year. I might have some of Zoe's last litter (the AFL) so you can show how much of a ball of fluff they are when they're young...let me check.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I have Sean (Angora) and Penelope (Lionhead).
Penny doesn't need much grooming. She pretty much keeps her mane in good condition. I really only brush her when I do her nails or just feel like it.

Sean is a different story. He fur is currently about 2 inches long and does require a lot of work. I try to groom him at least twice a week. His worst areas are around his tail and under his chin. I use a slicker brush, metal comb (I have a dog one and a smaller fine toothed one), and a hair dryer. The dryer is mostly to find where he needs to be brushed and fluff him up a bit. I use it on the cool setting so he doesn't get too hot. I usually spend about 1/2 hour at a time with him and get a lot of fur. Sean Hates having under his chin/cheeks touched, so grooming those areas can be a challenge. I basically try to be gentle while getting it done quick. He also gets a bit impatient and wants to go off an explore, so I do have to keep him from wandering away.
As for his diet, it is a bit different form the other buns. He is currently on a 16% protein alfalfa pellet (Korr and Penny are on Oxbow BB/T a 14% timothy pellet). He gets about 2/3 cup per day. He get 1 papaya tablet in the morning and lots go hay. He gets the same veggies as the others, but he does get more as he is a bigger rabbit.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Some wooled breeds, like the Jersey Wooly and American Fuzzy Lop, were bred to be low-maintenance wool breeds. They do need regular grooming as kits and juniors when their wool is soft and fluffy. But as adults, they should have dense coats that are pretty easy to care for. Other than taking a brush through once a week or so, they aren't much of an issue if they have a good coat.

Angoras (of any kind) don't really make great pets because of the amount of grooming they require. They should be groomed daily, their coats blown out with a professional blower. They mat SO easily and it's impossible to de-knot them! Even a lot of breeders keep their breeding Angoras sheared.

 

[SunnyCait]

What awesome timing this had... I just spent about an hour completely unknotting Mary Jane's bum! I didn't realize that it was knotted until I was petting her and was like "This is odd..." Come to find she had mini mats on her butt! So I spent a good chunk of time outside unknotting her with a slicker brush and a shedding comb.

Word to wise: on bad mats, a shedding comb will PULL OUT the hair instead of detangling. That's why I use a slicker on actual mats.

I realize now I need to have her combed daily and not weekly as I thought. I also use a bristle brush on her just as a finisher, make it look more streamline and such.

As far as other care, I simply use fleece in her cage so stuff doesn't get in her fur (although hay always does, can't help that much). Otherwise she's the same as any other rabbit.

Here's a pic of my matted bummed bunny:

My previous American Fuzzy lop, Emma. Next to a pile of shed hair.

 

[Lolpigs]

Wow he looks so much like my Lambsie!

I have an angora and I groom him for about 20mins every 2nd day. He's a fairly clean bunny so its not about matting hair and more about getting out the hair so we arent eating it LOL

 

[Flashy]

Thanks guys The more info the better.

I need some pictures of healthy, groomed, gorgeously cute long furred bunnies. Anyone got any and happy for me to use them?

Also, naturestee, that comb you have with the turning pins, can you tell me what it's called? Where did you get it? They use that at the centre because it was donated but as yet none of us can find it in shops and a couple of long furred rabbit owners have asked me where to buy it.

 

[Luv-bunniz]

The rotating pin brushes are simply called Rotating Pinned combs or brushes. Evolution do a good, sturdy Rotating Pin comb.

 

[naturestee]

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:

Some wooled breeds, like the Jersey Wooly and American Fuzzy Lop, were bred to be low-maintenance wool breeds. They do need regular grooming as kits and juniors when their wool is soft and fluffy. But as adults, they should have dense coats that are pretty easy to care for. Other than taking a brush through once a week or so, they aren't much of an issue if they have a good coat.

Angoras (of any kind) don't really make great pets because of the amount of grooming they require. They should be groomed daily, their coats blown out with a professional blower. They mat SO easily and it's impossible to de-knot them! Even a lot of breeders keep their breeding Angoras sheared.

If only fuzzy lops were all low maintenance! I know it all comes down to breeding but they have a bad reputation with their fur from my experience. Keep in mind this is from shelter rabbits plus some other people on the forum who have had to keep their AFLs shaved. Cheddar, the foster bun I was talking about, was a purebred AFL who had been a 4H show bunny till the owner got tired of taking care her and the others. I don't think I've seen an AFL come into the shelter that wasn't a matted mess. The Jersey Woolies and Lionheads usually aren't too bad aside from a spot here and there.

We had a pair of English Angoras come through a few months back and they really weren't that bad. Although the owner had seemed really responsible and had kept them trimmed a bit too.

 

[Flashy]

Luv-bunniz wrote:

The rotating pin brushes are simply called Rotating Pinned combs or brushes. Evolution do a good, sturdy Rotating Pin comb.

Thank you!

 

[PamsWarren]

I have two long haired buns - I think that Muffy is a french angora mix and Fuzz is a Jersey Wooley.

<<Can you tell me how long grooming takes you roughly, how often you groom, if you use different tools, if you use a groomer, how much it costs, etc.>>

Fuzz is relatively easy to groom. A couple of times a year, he will get really matted under his "arm pits" and on his chest. Otherwise, it is just a matter of brushing him as needed. He detests being brushed, so I tend to do so only when he is shedding.

Muffy's coat needs more attention, but again, I really only brush her when she is molting. I also take her to the vet 3 or 4 times a year to have the area under her chin, around her back legs and tummy shaved. Cost is roughly $40 per shave.

I use a metal tooth comb on both rabbits.

<<Can anyone who has buns that dislike grooming also tell me how that affects the session and what it means you have to do?>>

That would be Fuzz. Being brushed makes him very stressed, and although he is typically a very gentle, good-natured rabbit, he WILL bite :nasty:when being brushed, no matter how gentle I am. To protect my flesh and, uh, assets I have to wear a thick sweat-shirt while brushing him.

<<I have recently seen a very long list of problems of ungroomed long furred rabbits, so I know this part, but can you please also tell me the problems that crop up, or the problems that you perceive might happen, if you don't groom as much/enough?>>

If I do not keep Muffy's chin shaved, she is unable to eat her cecals or groom her underside properly, so she ends up with a dirty-butt, which requires a butt-bath for clean up.

Years ago when I volunteered at a local shelter, I saw a rabbit come in who was so badly matted that she had leisions. She was in a lot of pain. It was one of the saddest things I'd ever seen.

 

[Sabine]

What's a slicker comb?

 

[SunnyCait]

Slicker comb = http://www.exoticnutrition.com/images/slicker brush.jpg

 

[Sabine]

SunnyCait wrote:

Slicker comb = http://www.exoticnutrition.com/images/slicker%20brush.jpg

Oh, that's the type I always use. Didn't realize it was called that

 

[DazyDaizee]

I had an angora who was very matted when I got him. He was old and hated to be brushed, clipped, ect. I had to scissor his hair. More stressful for me than him.. but the risks are just so high of cutting the skin. Because I was worried, I'd only take like 1/2 length off and hand pluck shedding hair. He would bite, dig, grunt, and stress about brushes and clippers (though clippers barely even went through that fur). The initial dematting was the worst, but once he was short he was easier to maintain.

Before:

After:

I loved the look of angoras and other fluffy bunnies even before I got Pete. It wasn't so much the work on my part, as I enjoy grooming.. but it was so stressful for him. If he had been used to it, it would have been easier.. but it was a never ending process with the speed his hair grew and the shedding seasons..