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Bald patch above eye

G

Glingle

Warren Veteran
So I’ve come home from work today and just noticed that Beans has a large bald patch above his left eye. He doesn’t seem bothered by it, but what has caused it? He does interact with Pickle through the bars. It doesn’t look particularly inflamed. He is moulting heavily at the moment, but eating and drinking and behaving normally.
My thoughts are, mites, a scratch from Pickle as they have been fighting when we’ve tried to bond them and they have boxed each other through the bars occasionally, overgrooming as Pickle does groom him through the bars at times, or just rubbing up against the bars as he does stick his nose right through as far as he can to see Pickle at times. Any ideas? His other side is normal. Apologies for the photo overload!

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awww, poor little bun. my best guess would be somebun has nipped him. Overgrooming or mites I'd expect slower / less extreme balding. My bunnies were rotters behind bars. No grooming & lots of attempts to nip & bat each other
 
I think it is probably the result of a recent scuffle. Often fur loss does not happen immediately, but a few days after a scuffle as any scratch sustained heals and the 'dead' fur falls out.
 
Thanks for the thoughts and info. You’re probably right that it’s from a scuffle (love that word!). I’ll keep an eye on it. They did have a bit of a brawl last week as I obviously hadn’t shut the divide properly and Beans had escaped into Pickle’s side. I won’t do that again! I heard a noise and found them scrapping. They saw me though and legged it away from me before boxing again. I love the fact that despite fighting they were still wary of being picked up by me. I thought I’d checked them both over throughly for injuries, but must have missed that. I’m hoping that they haven’t done it through the bars as they do give each other the odd lick through them and I don’t want to take that interaction away unnecessarily. Obviously though if needed I’ll put some fine mesh across the bars so that they can still see each other but not get at each other. Bunny politics is hard work! :lol:
 
Glingle said:
Thanks for the thoughts and info. You’re probably right that it’s from a scuffle (love that word!). I’ll keep an eye on it. They did have a bit of a brawl last week as I obviously hadn’t shut the divide properly and Beans had escaped into Pickle’s side. I won’t do that again! I heard a noise and found them scrapping. They saw me though and legged it away from me before boxing again. I love the fact that despite fighting they were still wary of being picked up by me. I thought I’d checked them both over throughly for injuries, but must have missed that. I’m hoping that they haven’t done it through the bars as they do give each other the odd lick through them and I don’t want to take that interaction away unnecessarily. Obviously though if needed I’ll put some fine mesh across the bars so that they can still see each other but not get at each other. Bunny politics is hard work! :lol:
Click to expand...

Injuries sustained after a scuffle are often not immediately obvious. It is usually as healing occurs ( tissue hardening.scabs/fall out of fur) that makes the issue more obvious. Usually superficial scrapes are not a problem and resolve quickly. But puncture wounds (from a bite) or scratches to the surface of the eyeball can become more of an issue.
 
Honestly, these bunnies are a law onto themselves. Pickle was grooming Beans through the bars last night and then flopped out next to him. Half the time I go into the kitchen, they’re either sat next to each other, or a bunny goes running past me, so was obviously up near the divide. The other is still sat by the divide. Yet, every time I try to reintroduce them, we get proper fisticuffs...:roll:
 
Glingle said:
Honestly, these bunnies are a law onto themselves. Pickle was grooming Beans through the bars last night and then flopped out next to him. Half the time I go into the kitchen, they’re either sat next to each other, or a bunny goes running past me, so was obviously up near the divide. The other is still sat by the divide. Yet, every time I try to reintroduce them, we get proper fisticuffs...:roll:
Click to expand...

Have you tried cleaning out both of their scent glands, putting some strong smelling herbs around a 'neutral' bonding pen, using a Valerian based plug in diffuser eg

https://www.animeddirect.co.uk/pet-...RXkYaEWQmTuLF9hmaeY3lT5hwpJmN9hxoCuPUQAvD_BwE

Playing a relaxation music CD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvW0QLka3Hs

Making distraction toys such as cardboard tubes stuffed with loads of strong pong dried herbs and hay
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Have you tried cleaning out both of their scent glands, putting some strong smelling herbs around a 'neutral' bonding pen, using a Valerian based plug in diffuser eg

https://www.animeddirect.co.uk/pet-...RXkYaEWQmTuLF9hmaeY3lT5hwpJmN9hxoCuPUQAvD_BwE

Playing a relaxation music CD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvW0QLka3Hs

Making distraction toys such as cardboard tubes stuffed with loads of strong pong dried herbs and hay
Click to expand...


I'd never heard of this (in the context of bonding). Always good to to have another trick up your sleeve. So full scent glands make rabbits smell objectionable to other bunnies ?
 
joey&boo said:
I'd never heard of this (in the context of bonding). Always good to to have another trick up your sleeve. So full scent glands make rabbits smell objectionable to other bunnies ?
Click to expand...

It is no guaranteed method of success and indeed it can sometimes make things worse ! But in the past I have used it as one of many 'tools' to try to aid a tricky bonding. It's important to clear out the scent glands of BOTH (all) Bunnies involved at the same time. If you just do one Bunny it almost always ups the anti.

I am absolutely no expert on bonding, but over the last 20+ years or so I have found a few things that have helped. Things that may well be 'poo poo'd' by the 'experts' !

Creating an environment with alot of sensory distractions (sensory as in sense of smell) certainly seems to have been of benefit IME.

I find that acceptable in total preference to 'stress bonding' which I do not like at all. Things like car rides/putting Bunnies in a bathtub, putting Bunnies into a pet carrier and placing carrier onto a washing machine on spin cycle etc. I am afraid I find that to be cruel.

But as I have said, I am not professing to be an 'expert', I just do what I personally feels to be right for the Bunnies I am attempting to bond :)
 
Jack's-Jane said:
It is no guaranteed method of success and indeed it can sometimes make things worse ! But in the past I have used it as one of many 'tools' to try to aid a tricky bonding. It's important to clear out the scent glands of BOTH (all) Bunnies involved at the same time. If you just do one Bunny it almost always ups the anti.

I am absolutely no expert on bonding, but over the last 20+ years or so I have found a few things that have helped. Things that may well be 'poo poo'd' by the 'experts' !

Creating an environment with alot of sensory distractions (sensory as in sense of smell) certainly seems to have been of benefit IME.

I find that acceptable in total preference to 'stress bonding' which I do not like at all. Things like car rides/putting Bunnies in a bathtub, putting Bunnies into a pet carrier and placing carrier onto a washing machine on spin cycle etc. I am afraid I find that to be cruel.

But as I have said, I am not professing to be an 'expert', I just do what I personally feels to be right for the Bunnies I am attempting to bond :)
Click to expand...

well I'm with you there JJ. Not sure there is any right way for bonding , there are certainly no universal rules (or if there are the bunnies of the world are keeping them secret) but having different stuff to try is all good. I hate stress bonding too - plus I don't think bonding rabbits under abnormal conditions is that sustainable.

you now have my mind single mindedly focussed on cleaning out scent glands - a lovely job in this weather. Do you know I totally forgot they existed. Joey Boo & Mouse haven't been checked for about 3 years & Rudey has not yet had the pleasure (though his other mum may have)
 
joey&boo said:
well I'm with you there JJ. Not sure there is any right way for bonding , there are certainly no universal rules (or if there are the bunnies of the world are keeping them secret) but having different stuff to try is all good. I hate stress bonding too - plus I don't think bonding rabbits under abnormal conditions is that sustainable.

you now have my mind single mindedly focussed on cleaning out scent glands - a lovely job in this weather. Do you know I totally forgot they existed. Joey Boo & Mouse haven't been checked for about 3 years & Rudey has not yet had the pleasure (though his other mum may have)
Click to expand...
Oh gawd scent glands [emoji51][emoji51][emoji51] not in this weather! The smell gah its one of the worst smells.. Well actually I had one bun that was particularly stinky the rest are just kinda stinky [emoji38]

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk
 
Maybe TMI but Rudey's were pristine, Joey's a little mucky but just on one side, Booby not feeling co-operative but I'm pretty sure hers were clean. Poor old Mousey though! she loses, my beautiful little stink bum. She does keep herself clean elsewhere but maybe scent glands are a bit too much for her
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Does it make me even more weird that I like the smell of Rabbit scent glands................... :oops:
Click to expand...

Well as a little treat I could post you Mouseypies produce?

eta chuckling about if it were a parcel (obviously wouldn't be) what you'd tell the PO clerk.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Does it make me even more weird that I like the smell of Rabbit scent glands................... :oops:
Click to expand...
[emoji51][emoji51][emoji51][emoji51][emoji51] How... Even... [emoji51][emoji51][emoji51][emoji51][emoji51]

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk
 
:lol: :lol: :lol:


Okaaaaaay......
I may regret asking this. How exactly do you clean out a scent gland?
 
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