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Is it possible to overgroom a rabbit?

esupi

esupi

Warren Veteran
We seem to have done so :(
Tulip has been moulting badly so we brought her out today to pull all the loose tufts out of her (I've never found a brush that seems effective). We really only pulled the fur that came away easily, but now she has a bald patch I would say about the size of a 20 pence piece on her back. Surely there shouldn't be that much loose fur? :(
 
I had this exact problem, it just seemed to be falling out in massive clumps so I pulled away what was loose. He developed a bald patch on his head but within two weeks it was back.
 
I don't know for sure, but it could be possible that it's just patchy moulting. I know chickens can get bald patches during a moult (they look really rough) but it's nothing to worry about.

I'm sure someone will soon come along who knows for sure if you should be concerned
 
marchi1990 said:
I had this exact problem, it just seemed to be falling out in massive clumps so I pulled away what was loose. He developed a bald patch on his head but within two weeks it was back.
Click to expand...

Good to know it's not just me!

I'm at the vets with them for vacs on Tuesday anyway so I will ask then just to be sure.
 
I personally don't think it is possible to over groom them. I've got 5 bunnies, and 4 of them are very tidy with their moulting but Paddington just looks the tattiest, patchy bun ever and is having to be groomed every day. On my vets advice I bought a slicker brush for small animals (it must be for small animals and will say on the packaging), and this brush is just perfect. It just grabs all the loose stuff as you brush in the direction of the coat, and I am spending just a few minutes a day on brushing him. I would imagine you would only be over grooming if you were actually damaging their very thin, delicate skin, and so it sounds like you have just got a tatty moulter like Paddington.
 
I have on occasion overgroomed mine. That was when they'd put up with that much grooming. :( No chance of that these days, I can hardly get a few strokes in and they're off like a shot. :roll:

But mine have been this way for months. Big old chunks of fur coming out from random areas and leaving perfectly fine skin underneath, no mites or dandruff or anything...just tufts and tufts of fur. Clumps of it. Our weather has been very odd: bitterly cold up till May now sweltering and smoke from wildfires in every nostril. They are not a happy bunch at the moment.

And then there's Fiver who every time he goes to the vet will moult a nerve line down the middle of his back and his whole saddle will fall out. Saddest thing I've ever seen. :(

Overgrooming is usually something that shows in the skin I think, when I have taken too much off the skin will be red/too pink underneath. Plus bun will let me know in no uncertain terms that "OW...that HURTS."
Took me a few tries to get the hang of it, but I soon learned to just deal with what comes off easily. Even something that takes a tug or two is a bit much for mine.
 
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