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Nenä is matted

yaretzi

Wise Old Thumper
On her back end above her tail she always has a lot of thick fur, so I'm careful to make sure she's brushed at least once a day during moulting times, if not two. I even brush her regularly every couple of days during non moulting times, which I'm told is really rare for a normal furred rabbit. This is her first winter outside and she's really grown a hell of a lot of fur. I've been keeping on top of it pretty well, or so I thought. Today I noticed that the bottom layers are a bit matted, in quite a large area. I think it's a combination of my brush not being long enough (it's not brushing down deep enough), her stasis a few weeks ago which has seemingly caused her to shed like crazy the last week, the changing weather and loads of other factors. I feel awful for letting it get matted underneath. It's not badly matted, but it's definitely there.

What's the best course of action? I ideally want to do it at home, to lessen the stress of it. I can do a lot of it in the shed with her just munching away at food so it's a lot less stressful than a vets visit.

Should I cut it? Down as far as I can, or should I just trim the ends and then a couple of times a week trim again until it clears up? I don't really know what to do here! I don't have any electric shavers but I fear that'd just freak her out anyway, I'd rather spend the time trimming away with scissors.

Any advice?

Btw, she's a healthy weight and has no health problems that should cause her not to groom above her tail, but she often misses it. Always has. I've mentioned it to several vets and she's had x-rays incase of joint problems etc, but we can't seem to find out why! It's usually not a problem, just means I'm concious of it.
 
Oh, Smoo has this problem. Her fur is so thick and she's a bit overweight at the moment because she had more pellets when it hurt her to eat hay with her abscess. I brush and I brush but it still gets matted and then she sits in her wee. :roll:

I usually ask my vet to trim her with clippers when I go in but I have also snipped the fur away with scissors. This works really well. I cut the mat and the brush the fur underneath, cut some more, brush some more etc. However there was one time I cute her skin by accident and we had to got the vets and have antibiotics. :( :( Lops have such loose skin around their bum or 'skirts' as I call them so be really, really careful if you do trim the fur.
 
I'm just impressed she lets you brush her at all. Spenser is AWFUL. Reacts as if the brush was a red hot poker. Fortunately he isn't prone to matted fur, depsite having a longish coat.
 
I've snipped away above her tail today and I've got a bit more to do. I've got down to this white downy soft layer that's really sheep-like. Is that her undercoat? I still can'#t seem to get the brush to go down deep enough, it still feels matted but I'm wondering whether this is just normal on some lops? It's SO soft and I can run my fingers through it but when I push it the other way I can feel sort of, lumps? It's so hard to explain... not really lumps, it's just not like fur? I don't know :shock:

P.S I took 2 pairs of scissors in and Tapla helpfully started nudging the one pair around :roll:

Oh, Smoo has this problem. Her fur is so thick and she's a bit overweight at the moment because she had more pellets when it hurt her to eat hay with her abscess. I brush and I brush but it still gets matted and then she sits in her wee. :roll:

I usually ask my vet to trim her with clippers when I go in but I have also snipped the fur away with scissors. This works really well. I cut the mat and the brush the fur underneath, cut some more, brush some more etc. However there was one time I cute her skin by accident and we had to got the vets and have antibiotics. :( :( Lops have such loose skin around their bum or 'skirts' as I call them so be really, really careful if you do trim the fur.

Silly Smoo! I looked into hair clippers last night, they're only a tenner or so on argos. I've snipped a bit away today and I'll do more later tonight, see how far I get. Ideally I don't want to freak her out with them! Thanks for the warning I'm being extra careful coz you told me to :thumb:

I'm just impressed she lets you brush her at all. Spenser is AWFUL. Reacts as if the brush was a red hot poker. Fortunately he isn't prone to matted fur, depsite having a longish coat.

:lol:! N&T are quite good really, they'll let you do whatever as long as it doesn't stop them eating! Nena even lets me pick out bits that are still a tiny bit attached to her skin so it must pinch a bit :oops:
 
It's the undercoat. It's lovely and soft. :)

Ohhh it isssssssssss :love: I've been burying my face in it all night :oops:

So this is her now! I need to even it up and finish off some areas but I'm doing it while she's eating and I've not quite had enough time! I've been brushing away and it seems to be loosening up, I think I need to get another brush though - the comb type?

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And this is the bits I trimmed off (the outer coat). This isn't including all the undercoat which I've brushed off too!

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Will she be okay with her undercoat showing? She's outdoors, with a shed. Shut in the shed at night. Both runs are covered over the top, and one run is covered at the sides too from rain. Unless it's really bad, no rain gets into the main run?

I've had my mom turn her over to check she's okay underneath and there was a few longer bits which I just gave a trim too
 
I have a few combs and brushes I use for grooming and among them they normally manage any challenge! The first one is the best because the teeth rotate which stops it being too painful and puling hair too much.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-Groom...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411366&sr=1-36

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-62762...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411536&sr=1-31

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-Groom...-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411767&sr=1-1-fkmr1

I would be careful not to trim much more at the moment in case there are any frosty nights. Work away at a bit each day if she will let you.
 
I have a few combs and brushes I use for grooming and among them they normally manage any challenge! The first one is the best because the teeth rotate which stops it being too painful and puling hair too much.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-Groom...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411366&sr=1-36

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-62762...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411536&sr=1-31

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mikki-Groom...-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1330411767&sr=1-1-fkmr1

I would be careful not to trim much more at the moment in case there are any frosty nights. Work away at a bit each day if she will let you.

Oo, that's great! I've ordered the top one and hopefully it'll come asap, the brush I have atm isn't really up to the challenge :oops:!

I'm definitely not going to go any deeper, and I might just trim a cm more or two round the sides to even it up. Basically just where it feels 'matted' or heavier underneath. I'm not convinced it's matted as such... I suppose I needn't have trimmed her, but it will grow back soon! She hasn't noticed anyway :oops:!
 
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