All rabbits should be groomed weekly. Ask an experienced rabbit owner or your veterinary nurse to show you how. An ordinary plastic human comb is what many rabbit owners use. Make sure there are no mats. If any form, you need to groom more often. Either tease mats out gently with your fingers or cut them out with blunt scissors while somebody holds the rabbit. Comb your rabbit’s tummy, armpits, and underneath its back legs. Pay special attention to its backside. If this is dirty you may be feeding too rich a diet – see FAQ on Dirty Bottom. Rabbits with dirty bottoms risk fly strike in summer.
HOW DO I GROOM A LONG HAIRED RABBIT?
Long haired breeds need daily grooming for between 10 to 30 minutes every single day. If you don’t do this, they will develop knots in about 24 hours. Knots then turn to mats, these tighten, and sores can develop on the tender skin beneath. Be gentle and thorough. If the rabbit has already matted badly, a vet should be willing to de-mat it under anaesthetic. Some people clip long -haired varieties – check with the Rabbit Welfare Fund before you do this and make sure you have the right equipment and good advice on how to use it.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AS WELL AS GROOMING?
Check your bunny’s face, eyes, ears, paws, and nails every week. Look for bumps, lumps, dirt or parasites. Also check for sore hocks, clean ears and no patches of missing fur. If your rabbit has weeping eyes, a runny nose, a dribbling mouth or chin area, or permanently wet paws, take him to a vet. It may be teeth. Check his bottom every day to make sure it is clean and dry. Wet or dirty bottoms put him in danger of fly strike – read the FAQ on dirty bottoms on how to change his diet. Nails will need trimming every few months – get your veterinary nurse to show you how to do this.