Like most animals with fur, rabbits shed that fur at numerous instances all through their lives. The technical time period is molting. In case your rabbit sheds often, that’s completely regular and nothing to fret about. Nonetheless, should you discover that your rabbit is out of the blue shedding greater than regular or their fur is beginning to look “patchy” in locations, that’s usually an indication that your rabbit isn’t feeling effectively and wishes veterinary care.
In the event you’re anxious about your whiskered fur child as a result of their fur appears to be thinning quickly, we’ll talk about 15 totally different causes, damaged into three sections, why this is likely to be occurring, tips on how to assist and when your rabbit must be seen by a vet.
The 4 Regular Causes Your Rabbit Is Shedding
1. It’s Springtime.
Rabbits within the wild shed twice a yr, in spring and autumn. Home rabbits might set up their very own molting patterns, shedding 3-4 instances per yr or constantly all year long, however they often shed most noticeably in spring. That’s when a rabbit will probably be busy eliminating their heavy winter coat. Once more, that is 100% regular and nothing to fret about. Some rabbits will probably be shedding for weeks, and even so long as 3-4 months.
2. Your rabbit is a child or has simply hit 4 or 5 months of age.
Rabbits undergo a number of shedding patterns all through their life. Quickly after weaning at 4-6 weeks of age, the preliminary gentle child coat step by step begins to get replaced by a thicker intermediate coat. The primary time the common grownup molting sample begins is essentially the most noticeable as a result of the vast majority of rabbits will probably be 4 or 5 months outdated when it occurs and thus nonetheless fairly small. For large breeds, this occurs at round 6-9 months of age. At this level of their life, a rabbit will shed their child and intermediate fur, and it will likely be step by step changed by grownup fur.
3. Your Rabbit Might Have a Situation Referred to as “Coat Blow”.
Coat blow is an sometimes described situation the place huge quantities of fur begin shedding out of your bunny, and in some circumstances, they may develop small bald patches 1. Fortunately, that is regular usually, and often, a brand new coat will start rising immediately. Coat blow isn’t usually seen in rabbits, however it does occur. Nonetheless, in case your bunny’s pores and skin stays naked or begins to look crimson, infected, or irritated, a go to to your native vet is really useful. Irritated, bald pores and skin is probably going an indication of sickness.
4. Your Rabbit’s Molting Has Simply Begun
When rabbits molt in regular circumstances, they sometimes begin by shedding fur from their head. The shedding then spreads down the neck and again, then down the perimeters of their physique, and finishes on their rump. So in case your rabbit appears usually wholesome and you’ve got observed shedding beginning on their head, it is likely to be an indication their molting has begun. If there’s any doubt about your rabbit’s well being, it’s best to get them checked out by your vet promptly, as many diseases in rabbits progress quickly and a few will be very painful and life threatening.
The 4 Housing, Setting & Stress Causes Your Rabbit Is Shedding:
1. The Enclosure or Setting Fluctuates Too A lot
Insufficient enclosure kind and setting may additionally trigger your rabbit to shed excessively or continuously. If the enclosure is positioned in a room or space that often has draft fluctuations, the rabbit will seemingly shed inconsistently all yr spherical in irregular patterns, relatively than seasonally.
2. Your Rabbit Might Be Confused
Home rabbits can get wired and anxious fairly simply. Wild rabbits reside in holes within the floor, the place it’s at all times darkish, and are lively at daybreak and nightfall. In your house, the place there’s a number of gentle, overexposure might add one other stressor. Stress could cause your rabbit to shed much more than regular. A technique to assist is to provide your rabbit a darkish hiding place to relaxation through the day. Additionally, if there’s a number of commotion, noise, or different pets in your house, transfer your rabbit to a room away from the chaos and any “predator” kind pets, reminiscent of canines and cats.
3. Your Rabbit Might Be Overcrowded or Bullied
Compulsive hair chewing (barbering) and over-grooming are irregular behaviors inflicting bald patches, often associated to emphasize as a result of overcrowding and bullying or because of insufficient food regimen with inadequate fiber. Rabbits are territorial animals, and at instances, a brand new rabbit is likely to be bullied by present rabbits, and they’ll barber the newcomer. Closely pregnant does may additionally exhibit aggressive habits. If aggression occurs between rabbits, it’s finest to separate them to forestall accidents and stress.
4. Your Rabbit Is Pregnant and Nesting
Pregnant feminine rabbits (does) might pull out their very own hair from the abdomen, chest, and flank areas. This positive hair is used to line the burrow earlier than giving beginning. Does usually tend to pull giant portions of hair if they’re pressured or if there’s not sufficient high quality nesting materials current. Comparable hormonal modifications in a doe with a false being pregnant could cause the identical habits.
The 7 Sickness or An infection Causes Your Rabbit May Be Shedding:
1. Your Rabbit Might Have a Pores and skin An infection
Pores and skin infections, most frequently bacterial, can result in irregular or extreme molting in rabbits, alongside different indicators. Rabbits residing in heat and humid climates, in addition to these which are unable to groom themselves effectively (usually as a result of ache, arthritis, weight problems or sickness) are significantly prone to bacterial pores and skin infections. Moisture from the setting or the rabbit’s urine and feces collects within the fur and on the pores and skin, particularly across the hindquarters, tail, and thighs the place the rabbit can’t simply attain. The pores and skin turns into friable, smelly, infected, and contaminated. This will worsen and result in fly strike.
2. Your Rabbit Might Have Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a lethal viral sickness in rabbits that additionally impacts the pores and skin, however the indicators often contain pores and skin lumps and swelling across the eyes and genitals, usually ulcerated and weepy, relatively than shedding. It spreads through contact with wild rabbits or from mosquito and flea bites. Sadly, myxomatosis is sort of at all times deadly, usually inside days of discovering first indicators, and the virus has no treatment. When it occurs, your bunny will quickly endure excessive well being modifications, a few of which can embody modifications to their fur.
3. Your Rabbit Might Have an Exterior Parasite
Many exterior parasites could cause irregular shedding in rabbits, and this can usually result in thinning of the coat, fur loss with bald patches, pores and skin irritation, and generally an infection. Some rabbits is likely to be significantly itchy and can scratch, inflicting additional pores and skin sores and alopecia. A few of these parasites embody fleas, mites, lice, and maggots. These infestations will also be related to pores and skin wounds, discharge, dangerous scent, or a mucky backside. A few of these tiny little critters will be seen by the bare eye in your bunny, and a few will be transmitted to individuals, resulting in important pores and skin irritation and itchiness.
4. Your Rabbit Might Have Ringworm
Ringworm is a fungal illness that may have an effect on not solely your rabbit, but additionally individuals and different pets, reminiscent of cats and canines. It’s very contagious, and spores can survive within the setting for months and even years. Affected rabbits have patches of hair loss and crusty, scaly pores and skin, particularly on their face, eyes, nostril, and limbs, generally with ulcers. Rabbits who’re pressured or unwell for different causes are additionally prone to an infection.
5. Your Rabbit Might Have a Tear Duct Drawback
Typically rabbits could also be shedding greater than regular however solely round their eyes. If so, the issue is likely to be that one thing is affecting their eyes and, extra particularly, their tear ducts. For instance, in case your rabbit’s higher tooth are rising lengthy roots, it may possibly influence the tear ducts and trigger them to water greater than regular.
6. Your Rabbit Might Have an Eye An infection
Eye infections could cause the identical downside, and the tears could cause the fur round your rabbit’s eyes to shed closely. A blocked tear duct could cause the issue, too, in addition to a respiratory an infection. Regardless of the trigger, taking your rabbit to the vet to deal with its eye situation is significant. Fur loss across the mouth and chin, or fur turning into sticky and moist, is likely to be an indication of dental illness in your rabbit that wants immediate veterinary consideration.
7. Your Rabbit Might Have an Autoimmune Dysfunction or Different Well being Drawback
Autoimmune issues, dietary deficiencies, tumors, and uncomfortable side effects from drugs can all end in a number of or bigger areas of hair loss that resemble extreme shedding. All of those require your vet’s consideration.
All of those issues and diseases would possibly trigger irregular fur loss, additionally referred to as alopecia. What’s essential to grasp is that alopecia is an indication relatively than an precise illness. In case your rabbit has alopecia for any of the above causes, a go to to your native vet is warranted instantly to find out what’s inflicting it and to deal with the trigger, not simply the signal. Many of those issues trigger a critical and life-threatening sickness if not handled promptly.
Balanced diet, common grooming, and a clear rabbit pen are important to forestall and spot early indicators of parasitic and different pores and skin circumstances or basic diseases. Contact your vet instantly should you assume your rabbit is sick or might need a pores and skin irritation or parasites which are inflicting their extreme shedding. By no means apply flea remedy supposed for canines and cats to your rabbit, as this may be toxic. Obese, sick, pained, or arthritic bunnies can’t groom themselves effectively to maintain the mite inhabitants underneath management. In case your rabbit will get a mite infestation, your vet will look at them completely for an underlying sickness that is likely to be stopping their immune system from protecting the mites underneath management.
Will Brushing Assist My Rabbit When They Shed?
It’s really useful to brush short-haired rabbits a number of instances per week and long-haired rabbits day by day. Brushing can be important when your rabbit is shedding to assist them shed their outdated fur sooner. At all times be mild and by no means power the fur to return out if it isn’t unfastened.
Not solely does brushing assist your rabbit shed, however it additionally retains their fur clear. Sure, they clear themselves, however some components of their our bodies are tough for rabbits to achieve. Lengthy-haired breeds might require brushing greater than as soon as a day.
Closing Ideas
In the event you had been questioning why your rabbit was shedding a lot, you now know that there are a couple of doable causes, and a few of them would require acceptable and immediate remedy out of your vet. Rabbits can generally molt continuously, however that is often most evident within the spring and autumn. Additionally they shed for the primary time at 4 or 5 months outdated on common, relying on their breed, as a way to substitute their child and intermediate fur with grownup fur.
In case your rabbit is out of the blue shedding excessively, it is best to assume one thing is incorrect. Your pet is likely to be pressured, anxious, or affected by one in every of many doable underlying illnesses. The information we gave above ought to assist with stress, however visiting your vet will probably be obligatory for anything.
Featured Picture Credit score: Irina Kozorog, Shutterstock
