Rabbit with stripe??

maherwoman · Mar 30, 2006

Question...have you heard of this?

Maisie seems to be getting a very dark gray stripe across her forehead (sort of in a "v"). Have you guys heard of a rabbit having a stripe like this? It doesn't feel like she's missing fur there (which I wondered, as her underfur is the same color), so it looks and feels like just a different color of fur.

Any ideas?

HS · Mar 30, 2006

Is she moulting? They often moult in 'patterns'!

Diddeen · Mar 30, 2006

HS said:
Is she moulting? They often moult in 'patterns'!

Thats exactly what i was thinking :wink:

maherwoman · Mar 30, 2006

HS said:
Is she moulting? They often moult in 'patterns'!

I honestly don't have any idea, really. Could she be shedding baby fur? She's three months old. I have noticed that the stripe used to be smaller and further down on her nose, so maybe you're right, since the fur is shorter there. I haven't seen any fur laying around in her cage, though. ???

Do they molt in seasons?? Would I find fur in her cage? Should I worry if she IS molting??

Argh...now I'm all worried!!

Diddeen · Mar 30, 2006

Rabbits moult several times a year.. if they are outside rabbits then it would probably go along with the change in temperatures.. if they are indoors then it can vary quite a bit. You wont necessarily see that much fur around but if you stroke her you might find you get loose fur coming away. Its totally naturaly.. cats do it too! :wink:

maherwoman · Mar 30, 2006

Diddeen said:
Rabbits moult several times a year.. if they are outside rabbits then it would probably go along with the change in temperatures.. if they are indoors then it can vary quite a bit. You wont necessarily see that much fur around but if you stroke her you might find you get loose fur coming away. Its totally naturaly.. cats do it too! :wink:

Ok...so I have nothing to worry about? It's just natural, and just plain happens? WHEW!! I actually got really worried there for a second! LOL...warning: new bunny owner on the loose!! :lol:

sxfe_121 · Mar 30, 2006

paris started just white and broken grey patches...but shes started to get a sandy colour mixed with the grey now?

Aspen'n'company · Mar 30, 2006

My buns are all moulting now, it is one **** of a clean up! They do moult in v-shaped patterns in there heads, and a very distinct line on their boddies, usually.

maherwoman · Mar 30, 2006

Aspen'n'company said:
My buns are all moulting now, it is one **** of a clean up! They do moult in v-shaped patterns in there heads, and a very distinct line on their boddies, usually.

How funny...thanks for letting me know!

Happy Hopping · Mar 30, 2006

but why the v shape, but my young rabbit is doing it too.

melaniejb · Mar 31, 2006

Poppy gets patches on her that change colour...a few weeks ago she had two black splodges on her face and now they have gone (I'm quite glad that they've disappeared, they didn't suit her at all!!!!! :? :lol: )

Tamsin · Mar 31, 2006

They seem to moult in a line backwards from the head to tail and from along the back down the sides. I would guess the v might be to do with the bone structure underneath on the head? That's only a guess though

It's most pronouced in rabbits that have fur that's agouti or similar (e.g. chinchilla like Maisie) ... that's because the fur is different colours at the tips to the base so as the new fur comes through different coloured parts show.

Here is Alfie mid-moult:

His 'moult line' have moved all the way down along his back to his bum and the fur above is new and the bit before his tail will be the last to fall out.

Not all rabbits moult quite that dramatically. Some will go more tufty in sections rather than a neat line but it generally still moves along the back and down.

Tam

beckiboo186 · Mar 31, 2006

Does sound like she's moulting, But she might be like Charlie, He has a strip above his nose all the time, he's never got rid of it. Dont bother me, makes him unique

. Can you see it? xx

My Boy back in healthier days

BEcki xx

maherwoman · Mar 31, 2006

melaniejb said:
Poppy gets patches on her that change colour...a few weeks ago she had two black splodges on her face and now they have gone (I'm quite glad that they've disappeared, they didn't suit her at all!!!!! :? :lol: )

I feel a bit guilty, but I have to admit, I've been thinking the same about Maisie's "v" on her nose. I can see that it's gradually moving up her head, though, so it looks like it's definitley molting. Whew...

Ya know...I, of course, would have loved her anyway, and thought her the cutest dang bunny alive no matter what...but like you said, it just isn't as becomming as the solid pretty gray she is normally.

maherwoman · Mar 31, 2006

Tamsin said:
They seem to moult in a line backwards from the head to tail and from along the back down the sides. I would guess the v might be to do with the bone structure underneath on the head? That's only a guess though

It's most pronouced in rabbits that have fur that's agouti or similar (e.g. chinchilla like Maisie) ... that's because the fur is different colours at the tips to the base so as the new fur comes through different coloured parts show.

Here is Alfie mid-moult:

His 'moult line' have moved all the way down along his back to his bum and the fur above is new and the bit before his tail will be the last to fall out.

Not all rabbits moult quite that dramatically. Some will go more tufty in sections rather than a neat line but it generally still moves along the back and down.

Tam

Thanks for letting me know! Yes, I've noticed that it's definitely the lower color in each fur strand that I'm seeing pronounced...it's what made me wonder. I guess with such a color variance above vs below, it really shows during molting, huh?

Either way, though I've mentioned it's not terribly becomming, it is DEFINITELY endearing and quite adorable to watch progress.

Just out of curiousity, what is agouti, technically?

Thanks again!!

P.S. I've been thinking she was possibly Chinchilla, but can't seem to find out for sure. I can't tell if she's got Chinchilla COLORING, or is a Chinchilla BREED. Can you tell at all? Do you possibly know the characteristics of the breed? She's only three months old, so there might be things that aren't quite showing up yet as far as breed exactness is concerned. Thank you!

Happy Hopping · Mar 31, 2006

See, I thought it was moulting too. But shouldn't there be fur flying around the house? I can't see one piece of fur so far.

Maher, does your bunny has fur flying around the house?

Because my past rabbit has shed furs in the past, usually twice a year, and I need to vaccum almost daily to clean out the fur. But so far, there is no fur flying.

By the way, this is so funny, have you guys seen those Japanese super hero sci-fi cartoon? I remember a lot of those super hero has a V shape above their nose too.

racheyrabbit · Mar 31, 2006

Kahlo has a 'v' shape too. You can see it quite obviously in this pic...

She's had it ages though, and seems to be in a constant moult. I suppose its because she's a house bun. She's developed some ginger patches behind her ears too, which are incredibly cute!

sarsimp · Mar 31, 2006

Yep - my Pip has a more pronounced 'V' when he's moulting too

Tamsin · Mar 31, 2006

Agouti is the same colour as wild rabbits though is varies abit in shade. Each strand of fur is multiple colours instead of one, shades of grey,brown and black. It makes the fur look flecked if you look closely.

I think the chincilla colour is genetically related. It basically the same as agouti but it's black,white/grey instead of brown.

I'm fairly certain that she's chinchilla coloured, I'm not sure about the breed though. She's probably a mix breed unless she was from a breeder. Most petshops/rescues are muddled up buns

maherwoman · Apr 1, 2006

Tamsin said:
Agouti is the same colour as wild rabbits though is varies abit in shade. Each strand of fur is multiple colours instead of one, shades of grey,brown and black. It makes the fur look flecked if you look closely.

I think the chincilla colour is genetically related. It basically the same as agouti but it's black,white/grey instead of brown.

I'm fairly certain that she's chinchilla coloured, I'm not sure about the breed though. She's probably a mix breed unless she was from a breeder. Most petshops/rescues are muddled up buns

Ok, cool. Thanks for explaining. It's a term I haven't heard before. It's definitley what she is, and by the colors you mention as being Chinchilla colored, sounds like she's that as well. When I blow on her fur, the bottom colored ring is a VERY dark gray, then a ring of light gray, then another much smaller ring of dark gray, and finally a very thin ring of light gray.

From what I know, her mama is a white bun, and her daddy is a similiarly-colored gray lop. So, she's definitely a mix.

We're not sure yet about the ears (if they'll stay up, or fall), which is something that's been in question only because they realllly flop around a lot. Ultimately, as far as the ears, only time will tell.

But yeah, from what you tell me, she's Chinchilla colored.

Thanks!

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