Dreadlocks?

so Totoro has been getting not so little tangles around her upper back area just after her neck. i've tried combing through them but it takes hours, and they just come back the next day!!

i have bath powder stuff for her that you just comb out, but it doesn't help untangle her "dreads." i dont want to trim her fur because it is still cold out and she is still a baby (i think it would also be very stressful for her at this point) but i also dont want her to be all icky and tangled bc she has such beautiful fur...usually hahah

can i use my conditioner and rub it into her fur and wash it out with a wet wash cloth or something? or do i really have to get her fur trimmed?


also...on an unrelated note: I read that female bunnies will die if you don't get them spayed/neutered by the time they're 1 year old... but i don't like taking away all hope of her ever being able to have babies...

k let me know!

thanks!!!!!

I would definately NOT use conditioner on her fur.
She is far more likely to get chilled from being damp than from having a bit of fur trimmed off if it becomes matted.

Spaying her will protect her from uterine cancer and infections. It will also reduce hormone driven behaviour such as aggression.

Unless you know her genetic history for at least 2 generations, you can also be certain of the genetic background of the stud buck, you can afford to care for and vaccinate another 8-10 babies and you can keep ALL of them should you not be able to find good homes for them then I would suggest that breeding from her is not a good idea.

Jack's-Jane said:

I would definately NOT use conditioner on her fur.
She is far more likely to get chilled from being damp than from having a bit of fur trimmed off if it becomes matted.

Spaying her will protect her from uterine cancer and infections. It will also reduce hormone driven behaviour such as aggression.

Unless you know her genetic history for at least 2 generations, you can also be certain of the genetic background of the stud buck, you can afford to care for and vaccinate another 8-10 babies and you can keep ALL of them should you not be able to find good homes for them then I would suggest that breeding from her is not a good idea.

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Good advice, nothing to add just wondered what breed your bun is ?

the breeding thing is very true, and very understandable. its just the thought of taking motherhood from her...i mean whos to say in another 5 years i wont have a house with a big backyard i can let her have a family...but then again i could end up on the streets... thank you for keeping my feet on the ground with that.

i wont use conditioner, however...i believe she has small bits and pieces of her wood chip litter in the tangles which is making them nearly impossible to get out.

would still love some advice on how exactly i should try to get them out without getting her trimmed.

Totoro_Muffin said:

the breeding thing is very true, and very understandable. its just the thought of taking motherhood from her...i mean whos to say in another 5 years i wont have a house with a big backyard i can let her have a family...but then again i could end up on the streets... thank you for keeping my feet on the ground with that.

i wont use conditioner, however...i believe she has small bits and pieces of her wood chip litter in the tangles which is making them nearly impossible to get out.

would still love some advice on how exactly i should try to get them out without getting her trimmed.

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If the fur is matted and has wood chip stuck in the tangles then the only way is to trim the matts out. The fur will regrow

I would suggest that if the matts are anything other than superficial-ie not very near the skin, you seek your Vets help rather than attempting to do it yourself in the first instance

is your rabbit an angora or a lionhead ?
I have 3 very fluffy lionhead rabbits and yesterday i combed Simba (the white/grey one) his back and hip area was a very big knot and i comb him regularly.. he seems to be moulting really heavily all of a sudden which has caused him to knot up.
I use a moulting comb like this http://www.petplanet.co.uk/shop_dev/assets/new_product_images//ancol/52978.jpg
which i find helps remove any matts in his fur. You do have to be gentle not to pull the skin too much though

Definately invest in a good comb that works well with your bunny's coat. I use quite a chunky tooth comb for Minstrel and a slicker brush for getting loose hair out. When I first got her, I was using a comb that was too fine to get the mats out and she had to have them all cut out which left her with some bald spots for a while - poor critter! If you only have the one problem area I wouldn't worry about her getting cold if you have to get them cut out. It's better to do this as the mats will only get worse the longer you leave them.

I would also advice not to use wood shavings as bedding if you have a longer haired breed. Use newspaper or invest in vetbed.

I have a cashmere lop and despite daily grooming he is always getting knots! I work them out with a comb and clip any bits that are very matted.

The worst thing is green oat hay! Always gets the little pieces that have tiny hooks on the end totally matted in!

oh yes as Mrs Munkee says... definitely get rid of the wood shavings. I did used to use megazorb which got caught up a bit but not so bad, however one of mine refused to wee on it so now have newspaper with hay on top.
They do get bits of hay stuck but it easy enough to pull out.
Snowberry.. i notice that too!!!! Oat hay does get tangled up doesnt it.. think cos its flatter or something :roll: