Caring for a Shedding, Molting Bunny

When the weather changes from mild to hot and you break out the shorts and flip flops, your bunny will undoubtedly be shedding his/her winter fur coat.  When a bunny sheds, it's called molting.  Bunnies typically molt about twice a year, though one molt may be barely noticeable and the second look like a blizzard of fur.  Baby bunnies have three molts their first year since they also have a baby coat to shed, but again, some of these molts will likely be mild.

Removing the Loose Fur

The first step is to have a good quality brush ready for when your bunny molts.  My favorite is the Hair Buster brush, as its rubber strip helps to catch and gently pull away dead, loose fur as you brush.  The bristles are rigid steel, so you need to be gentle and might possibly need to distract your bunny, such as brushing during feeding time when your bunny is preoccupied with satisfying his hunger.  You will likely need to brush your bunny 1-2 times per day during a heavy molt, and this can last for a couple weeks (or longer).  Don't worry, brushing only takes a few minutes per day.  Some bunnies tend to molt quickly and others look like homeless bunnies for weeks.

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Two other methods for removing excess fur are by plucking/rubbing the fur off while outside or in an area where you can let the fur fly.  This is great for bunnies that hate being brushed, but you may need a few healthy treats to keep him/her at ease.  Finally, if your bunny is extra mellow, you may be able to vacuum the loose fur.  My bunnies often tolerate this because they are used to me vacuuming their cages each morning, but they would still rather eat their own poop than be groomed by me.  :)

Why is it Important to Remove Loose Fur?

Just like cats, bunnies give themselves baths in an attempt at proper hygiene.  When they are molting, they ingest any loose fur in areas that they clean.  Unlike cats, however, bunnies cannot vomit up hair balls.  Sounds good, right?  Well, not really.  The fur sits in their digestive tracts and either forms "poop ornaments" (poop strung together by fur) or slows down and possibly stops digestion.  This immobility of the gut is called GI stasis, and excess fur ingestion is one cause.  GI Stasis has the potential to quickly kill your bunny, so it's important to keep loose fur to a minimum and educate yourself about GI stasis. 

Support Your Bunny's Digestive System

During molts, it's especially important to boost your bunny's digestive system to help prevent GI stasis.  First, a constant supply of hay is essential to help sweep material through the intestines.  I recommend a fresh timothy hay or orchard grass (weeds and clover can be included, bunnies love them).  First cutting will be the least green and most thick, second cutting is softer and usually greener, and third cutting is very soft green, and fragrant.  I usually purchase second cutting, either from a local farmer who doesn't use pesticides/herbicides/fertilizer or online through Farmer Dave's or Small Pet Select on Amazon.  Just make sure the hay smells fresh and not moldy or overly dusty.  Bagged pet store hays are usually sub par quality.

Second, digestive support tablets can be a great aid in helping your bunny's digestive system stay active.  My favorite are Sherwood's digestive tablets, which contain papaya, ginger, pineapple, and other gut-stimulating natural ingredients...plus, the bunnies love these (yes, they're like bunny crack)! 

Third are herbs that help digestion.  Plantain herb, dandelion greens and flowers, parsley, and comfrey are just a few herbal digestive aids.  If your yard is not treated with chemicals, you likely have plantain and dandelion everywhere.  These can be fed freshly picked/washed or washed/dried for later use.  When feeding fresh herbs, be careful not to give more than a small handful at once.  If you notice mushy poop later (from your bunny that is), then cut back on the amount of greens.  Dried greens are not as harsh on the digestive system and can be fed in slightly larger quantities (this is basically what hay is, dried greens).  I try to keep dried plantain herb on hand in a mesh bag all year long.

Last but not least, remember to offer your bunny plenty of exercise!  Exercise helps to stimulate gut motility and keep things moving, plus, your bunny will love being able to run, hop, and binky.  Basements, garages, and outdoor exercise pens all offer a great spacious environment for your bunny to have "recess."  

I hope you have found this information on brushing bunnies during molting helpful.  If you have any questions or comments, please post them below.  Thank you!