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, in case you discover that your rabbit is abruptly shedding greater than standard or their fur is beginning to look “patchy” in locations, that’s typically an indication that your rabbit isn’t feeling nicely and wishes veterinary care.
Should you’re nervous 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 may 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 12 months, in spring and autumn. Home rabbits could set up their very own molting patterns, shedding 3-4 instances per 12 months or constantly all year long, however they often shed most noticeably in spring. That’s when a rabbit will likely be busy eliminating their heavy winter coat. Once more, that is 100% regular and nothing to fret about. Some rabbits will likely 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 smooth 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begins is essentially the most noticeable as a result of the vast majority of rabbits will likely be 4 or 5 months outdated when it occurs and thus nonetheless fairly small. For big 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 is going to 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 instances, they may develop small bald patches 1. Fortunately, that is regular generally, and often, a brand new coat will start rising immediately. Coat blow isn’t typically seen in rabbits, but it surely 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 usually begin by shedding fur from their head. The shedding then spreads down the neck and again, then down the edges of their physique, and finishes on their rump. So in case your rabbit appears typically wholesome and you’ve got seen shedding beginning on their head, it may 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, Atmosphere & Stress Causes Your Rabbit Is Shedding:
1. The Enclosure or Atmosphere Fluctuates Too A lot
Insufficient enclosure kind and setting can also trigger your rabbit to shed excessively or continually. If the enclosure is positioned in a room or space that continuously has draft fluctuations, the rabbit will seemingly shed inconsistently all 12 months spherical in irregular patterns, somewhat than seasonally.
2. Your Rabbit Might Be Harassed
Home rabbits can get wired and anxious fairly simply. Wild rabbits reside in holes within the floor, the place it’s all the time darkish, and are energetic at daybreak and nightfall. In your house, the place there’s a whole lot of gentle, overexposure might add one other stressor. Stress could cause your rabbit to shed much more than standard. A method to assist is to offer your rabbit a darkish hiding place to relaxation in the course of the day. Additionally, if there’s a whole lot 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 may be bullied by present rabbits, and they’re going to barber the newcomer. Closely pregnant does can also exhibit aggressive conduct. If aggression occurs between rabbits, it’s finest to separate them to stop accidents and stress.
4. Your Rabbit Is Pregnant and Nesting
Pregnant feminine rabbits (does) could pull out their very own hair from the abdomen, chest, and flank areas. This fantastic hair is used to line the burrow earlier than giving delivery. Does usually tend to pull giant portions of hair if they’re burdened 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 conduct.
The 7 Sickness or An infection Causes Your Rabbit Would possibly 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 (typically 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 not simply attain. The pores and skin turns into friable, smelly, infected, and contaminated. This could 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, typically ulcerated and weepy, somewhat than shedding. It spreads by way of contact with wild rabbits or from mosquito and flea bites. Sadly, myxomatosis is nearly all the time deadly, typically inside days of discovering first indicators, and the virus has no remedy. When it occurs, your bunny will quickly bear excessive well being modifications, a few of which can embrace modifications to their fur.
3. Your Rabbit Might Have an Exterior Parasite
Many exterior parasites could cause irregular shedding in rabbits, and this may typically result in thinning of the coat, fur loss with bald patches, pores and skin irritation, and typically an infection. Some rabbits may be significantly itchy and can scratch, inflicting additional pores and skin sores and alopecia. A few of these parasites embrace fleas, mites, lice, and maggots. These infestations will also be related to pores and skin wounds, discharge, dangerous odor, 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 folks, resulting in vital 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 in addition folks 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, typically with ulcers. Rabbits who’re burdened 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 standard however solely round their eyes. If so, the issue may be that one thing is affecting their eyes and, extra particularly, their tear ducts. For instance, in case your rabbit’s higher enamel are rising lengthy roots, it may affect 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 drawback, 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 important. Fur loss across the mouth and chin, or fur turning into sticky and moist, may 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 problems, dietary deficiencies, tumors, and negative 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 problems and diseases may trigger irregular fur loss, additionally referred to as alopecia. What’s necessary to know is that alopecia is an indication somewhat 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 problems trigger a severe and life-threatening sickness if not handled promptly.
Balanced diet, common grooming, and a clear rabbit pen are important to stop and spot early indicators of parasitic and different pores and skin circumstances or common diseases. Contact your vet instantly in case you suppose your rabbit is in poor health or might need a pores and skin irritation or parasites which are inflicting their extreme shedding. By no means apply flea therapy supposed for canines and cats to your rabbit, as this may be toxic. Chubby, sick, pained, or arthritic bunnies can’t groom themselves nicely to maintain the mite inhabitants below management. In case your rabbit will get a mite infestation, your vet will look at them completely for an underlying sickness that may be stopping their immune system from conserving the mites below management.
Will Brushing Assist My Rabbit When They Shed?
It’s really useful to brush short-haired rabbits a number of instances every week and long-haired rabbits day by day. Brushing can also be important when your rabbit is shedding to assist them shed their outdated fur sooner. All the time be mild and by no means drive the fur to return out if it isn’t free.
Not solely does brushing assist your rabbit shed, but it surely additionally retains their fur clear. Sure, they clear themselves, however some elements of their our bodies are tough for rabbits to succeed in. Lengthy-haired breeds could require brushing greater than as soon as a day.
Last Ideas
Should you have been questioning why your rabbit was shedding a lot, you now know that there are a couple of attainable causes, and a few of them would require acceptable and immediate therapy out of your vet. Rabbits can typically molt continually, however that is often most blatant within the spring and autumn. In addition they shed for the primary time at 4 or 5 months outdated on common, relying on their breed, with a purpose to change their child and intermediate fur with grownup fur.
In case your rabbit is abruptly shedding excessively, you must assume one thing is flawed. Your pet may be burdened, anxious, or affected by certainly one of many attainable underlying ailments. The information we gave above ought to assist with stress, however visiting your vet will likely be essential for the rest.
Featured Picture Credit score: Irina Kozorog, Shutterstock
