Year-round shedding? Is it possible?

[Jenk]

Does anyone here have a bun who seems to shed--at least somewhat--year-round?

Our Californian bun always has at least someloose fur, even when he's not shedding. I always find some "spikes" of fur that are easily removed. And I'm always going out of my way to remove them because I think that he overgrooms a bit. (He regularly passes visible fur in his fecals--aka, "furry fecals.")

I also raise this question because when our Mini Rex girls aren't shedding, they don't have visible loose fur (and don't pass "furry fecals").

Jenk

 

[hartleybun]

my two rexes seem to be constantly shedding - it's not so much full body moult anymore but little and often they always seem to look tufty.

 

[Jessyka]

Bayou has been shedding for about a year. Changing his food has helped a little, but it's still pretty bad.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I have not delt with this, that I remember, except when I had the mite outbreak. I have had rabbits molt for a couple months before they stop but not constantly. How do you feed him? It may be an intolerance to something he eats. Is he in contact with the two mini rexes? If not he may have a light case of mites. I had to demite my whole herd, only part of them to did get them. They got passed from my rescued guinea pig to the rabbits AND dogs. It was a nighmare!

 

[kirbyultra]

My Toby has been shedding since around October... the general amount of shedding has been pretty high. I've been fiddling with his diet and it seems to have gone down but not nearly enough to consider it as "stopped".

 

[SweetSassy]

Since I've had myrabbits it seems like it's been non- stop.

 

[snap]

Well all animals continually shed, but I'm assuming you mean noticeable furballs floating about.

Harper continuously sheds, and he's a rex((or mini rex)) cross. Popcorn also constantly has the little tufts your describing, and she hates when I take too many out so she looks like a ratty little rug.

But those are my only two that are constantly shedding noticeable amounts of fur. For the record, my two Californians don't do noticeable big shedding, just the expected stray hairs and molting.

 

[Raspberry82]

Do you have him within ear shot of the TV or daily alarm clock or stereo? Neighbor's dog within ear shot? Construction noises? Loud traffic? Heat on too high?

Max would do this now and again, longer mini sheds. I think it was mainly due to indoor hear temps (i have a roommate and she doesn't like having a cool apartment ) or tv noises.

 

[Jenk]

Holy smokes! I didn't expect to have so many replies when I returned to check this thread. LOL! Still, I'm really grateful for all of the input.

Now to answer everyone's questions:

1) bunnybunbunb: He has a lot of digestive upsets that I've been unable to quell at this point. He eats Oxbow BB/T because he was passing a good deal of calcium when on Purina (the green bag); my vet suggested the switch. I still don't know if it's the best pellet for him, though.

He also gets 1st-cut timothy hay. (He's had gas episodes after orchard grass and sweet meadow hay!) I don't know what else to get him. I won't buy the cheap bale of "feeder" hay because our household did get mites from the one and only bale we'd bought. Never again!

I've greatly reduced his greens to more of a "treat" amount because he had a 50-50 chance of having a gas episode within 2-2.5 hours after eating greens.

2) kirbyultra: May I ask what specific dietary changes have reduced your bun's shedding?

3) snap: Yes, I see noticeable fur balls rolling around his pen floor at all times. And he seems to overgroom himself (when I observe him grooming). But I don't suspect mites; all three rabbits get the same hay and share a room.

4) Raspberry82: My vet once asked the same thing about our household's noise levels; the answer is no. The t.v. is run quietly (as background noise, really) and is at the opposite end of the house. And we're in the middle of fairly quiet suburbia. I don't see stress as the factor. I think those who've mentioned diet may be close to the issue.

Jenk