Should you trim lionhead's hair around the face to allow them to see better?

[kugelschreiber]

We just got two double-maned lionheads and we keep wondering if they're maybe struggling to see with all the hair around their eyes. Do other lionhead owners trim the hair around their faces? Would be tricky to avoid their whiskers!? thanks!

 

[a reader of books]

When I had a longhaired bunny I did trim the hair around his eyes. Rabbits aren't supposed to have so much fluff around their eyes; it must make it hard to see, like you've been wondering about, so I always think it's kindest to keep it short. It also prevents hair from getting into their eyes which can irritate the eyes. But, yes, be careful around the whiskers, and the ones above their eyes as well. It's easiest with some small scissors.

 

[Shimmer]

Lionheads all differ. Most of mine are fine with regular grooming so the fur stays where it is suposed to be, and rarely causes an issue with their eyes - just check daily that there isn't fur stuck on the eyeball. I had one rabbit that did have to have her fur trimmed regularly around the eyes as it caused lots of problems and the rescue warned me about it before I got her. It's quite difficult to do and needs a lot of care. I used hairdressing scissors and just trimmed a small margin (0.5-1cm) around the actual eye, as short as I could get it, maybe on a monthly basis. You have to have a handleable rabbit and keep the scissors out of the field of vision to stop them flinching.

I've never trimmed facial fur around the cheeks / whiskers. Never had a need to.

 

[bunny momma]

I have two lionheads. Amber's fur stays out of her face; however, Zorro's forehead fur hangs over his eyes. He is a very good boy, so he let me shorten his fur with small scissors with rounded ends. I did not cut cheek fur near whiskers.
My bridge lionhead, Matty, had eye ulcers before I got her, so I made sure her fur was groomed away from her eyes.