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Chewing fur

T

Tasmin's MOB

Mama Doe
My little Bernard has been chewing his fur. he hasn't pullled any of it out but his fur has gone from being perfect and silky soft to being a little bit "tufty" in places. I am worried that he is going to start pulling his fur out and don't know if there is any reason that he might be scratting around at it ??
Any advice is much appreciated xx
 
When you say Bernard has been chewing his fur, is he actually chewing and swallowing it?

I had a bun who did this, it is sometimes referred to as "self-barbering". Unfortunately I found it difficult to find much explanation of the practice other than one unqualified opinion that it may be due to a shortage of magnesium in the bun's diet. Perhaps running it past a bunny savvy vet may be your best option if no one on here has any further information. It is a frustrating practice which can lead to the formation of trichobezoars.
 
To be honest i dont think he is swallowing it. i need to get him booked in for vaccinations so i will speak to the vet about it aswell. Thank you
 
Is it in one particular spot or just everywhere? I.e. is it possible something may be irritating him in a particular spot, has he had an injury or old inection there.

I've also heard of magensium deficiency leading to fur chewing, have you changed his diet? Have you tried distracting him with other things to chew, like rough hay and toys?

Also, has he been spayed? It's a long shot but it might be hormone related. Please keep an eye on him to make sure he's not swallowing it as this can be dangerous for your bun. Rabbits are physically incapable of vomiting (although there are a few rare cases) so a ball of fur can cause problems. Make sure he's eating plenty of hay in the meantime. You might want to mention the problem to the vet before his vaccs in case he needs treatment which needs them to be delayed. My bun can't have her vaccs atm as she's recovering from EC. Good luck with him X
 
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