Like most animals with fur, rabbits shed that fur at numerous occasions all through their lives. The technical time period is molting. In case your rabbit sheds sometimes, that’s completely regular and nothing to fret about. Nevertheless, in case you discover that your rabbit is abruptly shedding greater than normal or their fur is beginning to look “patchy” in locations, that’s usually an indication that your rabbit isn’t feeling nicely and desires veterinary care.
Should you’re apprehensive about your whiskered fur child as a result of their fur appears to be thinning quickly, we’ll talk about 15 totally different causes, damaged into three sections, why this is likely to be occurring, the way to assist and when your rabbit must be seen by a vet.
The 4 Regular Causes Your Rabbit Is Shedding
1. It’s Springtime.
Rabbits within the wild shed twice a yr, in spring and autumn. Home rabbits might set up their very own molting patterns, shedding 3-4 occasions per yr or constantly all year long, however they often shed most noticeably in spring. That’s when a rabbit will likely be busy eliminating their heavy winter coat. Once more, that is 100% regular and nothing to fret about. Some rabbits will likely be shedding for weeks, and even so long as 3-4 months.
2. Your rabbit is a child or has simply hit 4 or 5 months of age.
Rabbits undergo a number of shedding patterns all through their life. Quickly after weaning at 4-6 weeks of age, the preliminary smooth child coat step by step begins to get replaced by a thicker intermediate coat. The primary time the common grownup molting sample begins is essentially the most noticeable as a result of the vast majority of rabbits will likely be 4 or 5 months outdated when it occurs and thus nonetheless fairly small. For big breeds, this occurs at round 6-9 months of age. At this level of their life, a rabbit will shed their child and intermediate fur, and it is going to be step by step changed by grownup fur.
3. Your Rabbit Might Have a Situation Known as “Coat Blow”.
Coat blow is an occasionally described situation the place huge quantities of fur begin shedding out of your bunny, and in some circumstances, they may develop small bald patches 1. Fortunately, that is regular generally, and often, a brand new coat will start rising instantly. Coat blow isn’t usually seen in rabbits, but it surely does occur. Nevertheless, in case your bunny’s pores and skin stays naked or begins to look crimson, infected, or irritated, a go to to your native vet is advisable. Irritated, bald pores and skin is probably going an indication of sickness.
4. Your Rabbit’s Molting Has Simply Begun
When rabbits molt in regular circumstances, they usually begin by shedding fur from their head. The shedding then spreads down the neck and again, then down the edges of their physique, and finishes on their rump. So in case your rabbit appears usually wholesome and you’ve got seen shedding beginning on their head, it is likely to be an indication their molting has begun. If there’s any doubt about your rabbit’s well being, it’s best to get them checked out by your vet promptly, as many diseases in rabbits progress quickly and a few might be very painful and life threatening.
The 4 Housing, Atmosphere & Stress Causes Your Rabbit Is Shedding:
1. The Enclosure or Atmosphere Fluctuates Too A lot
Insufficient enclosure kind and surroundings may trigger your rabbit to shed excessively or continually. If the enclosure is positioned in a room or space that incessantly has draft fluctuations, the rabbit will possible shed inconsistently all yr spherical in irregular patterns, quite than seasonally.
2. Your Rabbit Might Be Harassed
Home rabbits can get stressed and anxious fairly simply. Wild rabbits reside in holes within the floor, the place it’s at all times darkish, and are energetic at daybreak and nightfall. In your house, the place there’s a number of gentle, overexposure may add one other stressor. Stress may cause your rabbit to shed much more than normal. A method to assist is to offer your rabbit a darkish hiding place to relaxation in the course of the day. Additionally, if there’s a number of commotion, noise, or different pets in your house, transfer your rabbit to a room away from the chaos and any “predator” kind pets, equivalent to canine and cats.
3. Your Rabbit Might Be Overcrowded or Bullied
Compulsive hair chewing (barbering) and over-grooming are irregular behaviors inflicting bald patches, often associated to emphasize because of overcrowding and bullying or on account of insufficient weight loss program with inadequate fiber. Rabbits are territorial animals, and at occasions, a brand new rabbit is likely to be bullied by present rabbits, and they’ll barber the newcomer. Closely pregnant does may exhibit aggressive habits. If aggression occurs between rabbits, it’s greatest to separate them to forestall accidents and stress.
4. Your Rabbit Is Pregnant and Nesting
Pregnant female rabbits (does) might pull out their very own hair from the abdomen, chest, and flank areas. This fantastic hair is used to line the burrow earlier than giving delivery. Does usually tend to pull giant portions of hair if they’re careworn or if there’s not sufficient high quality nesting materials current. Comparable hormonal adjustments in a doe with a false being pregnant may cause the identical habits.
The 7 Sickness or An infection Causes Your Rabbit Would possibly Be Shedding:
1. Your Rabbit Might Have a Pores and skin An infection
Skin infections, most frequently bacterial, can result in irregular or extreme molting in rabbits, alongside different indicators. Rabbits dwelling in heat and humid climates, in addition to these which can be unable to groom themselves effectively (usually because of ache, arthritis, weight problems or sickness) are notably vulnerable to bacterial pores and skin infections. Moisture from the surroundings or the rabbit’s urine and feces collects within the fur and on the pores and skin, particularly across the hindquarters, tail, and thighs the place the rabbit can’t simply attain. The pores and skin turns into friable, smelly, infected, and contaminated. This may worsen and result in fly strike.
2. Your Rabbit Might Have Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a lethal viral sickness in rabbits that additionally impacts the pores and skin, however the indicators often contain pores and skin lumps and swelling across the eyes and genitals, usually ulcerated and weepy, quite than shedding. It spreads by way of contact with wild rabbits or from mosquito and flea bites. Sadly, myxomatosis is sort of at all times deadly, usually inside days of discovering first indicators, and the virus has no remedy. When it occurs, your bunny will quickly endure excessive well being adjustments, a few of which can embrace adjustments to their fur.
3. Your Rabbit Might Have an Exterior Parasite
Many exterior parasites may cause irregular shedding in rabbits, and this can usually result in thinning of the coat, fur loss with bald patches, pores and skin irritation, and typically an infection. Some rabbits is likely to be notably itchy and can scratch, inflicting additional pores and skin sores and alopecia. A few of these parasites embrace fleas, mites, lice, and maggots. These infestations will also be related to pores and skin wounds, discharge, dangerous odor, or a mucky backside. A few of these tiny little critters might be seen by the bare eye in your bunny, and a few might be transmitted to folks, resulting in vital pores and skin irritation and itchiness.
4. Your Rabbit Might Have Ringworm
Ringworm is a fungal illness that may have an effect on not solely your rabbit, but additionally folks and different pets, equivalent to cats and canine. It’s very contagious, and spores can survive within the surroundings for months and even years. Affected rabbits have patches of hair loss and crusty, scaly pores and skin, particularly on their face, eyes, nostril, and limbs, typically with ulcers. Rabbits who’re careworn or unwell for different causes are additionally vulnerable to an infection.
5. Your Rabbit Might Have a Tear Duct Downside
Typically rabbits could also be shedding greater than normal however solely round their eyes. If so, the issue is likely to be that one thing is affecting their eyes and, extra particularly, their tear ducts. For instance, in case your rabbit’s higher teeth are rising lengthy roots, it could affect the tear ducts and trigger them to water greater than regular.
6. Your Rabbit Might Have an Eye An infection
Eye infections may cause the identical drawback, and the tears may cause the fur round your rabbit’s eyes to shed closely. A blocked tear duct may cause the issue, too, in addition to a respiratory an infection. Regardless of the trigger, taking your rabbit to the vet to deal with its eye situation is important. Fur loss across the mouth and chin, or fur changing into sticky and moist, is likely to be an indication of dental illness in your rabbit that wants immediate veterinary consideration.
7. Your Rabbit Might Have an Autoimmune Dysfunction or Different Well being Downside
Autoimmune problems, dietary deficiencies, tumors, and unwanted effects from drugs can all lead to a number of or bigger areas of hair loss that resemble extreme shedding. All of those require your vet’s consideration.
All of those problems and diseases would possibly trigger irregular fur loss, additionally referred to as alopecia. What’s necessary to grasp is that alopecia is an indication quite than an precise illness. In case your rabbit has alopecia for any of the above causes, a go to to your native vet is warranted instantly to find out what’s inflicting it and to deal with the trigger, not simply the signal. Many of those problems trigger a critical and life-threatening sickness if not handled promptly.
Balanced nutrition, common grooming, and a clear rabbit pen are important to forestall and spot early indicators of parasitic and different pores and skin circumstances or normal diseases. Contact your vet instantly in case you suppose your rabbit is in poor health or might need a pores and skin irritation or parasites which can be inflicting their extreme shedding. By no means apply flea therapy supposed for canine and cats to your rabbit, as this may be toxic. Chubby, sick, pained, or arthritic bunnies can’t groom themselves nicely to maintain the mite inhabitants below management. In case your rabbit will get a mite infestation, your vet will look at them totally for an underlying sickness that is likely to be stopping their immune system from maintaining the mites below management.
Will Brushing Assist My Rabbit When They Shed?
It’s advisable to brush short-haired rabbits a number of occasions every week and long-haired rabbits day by day. Brushing can be important when your rabbit is shedding to assist them shed their outdated fur quicker. All the time be light and by no means drive the fur to come back out if it’s not unfastened.
Not solely does brushing assist your rabbit shed, but it surely additionally retains their fur clear. Sure, they clear themselves, however some components of their our bodies are troublesome for rabbits to succeed in. Lengthy-haired breeds might require brushing greater than as soon as a day.
Ultimate Ideas
Should you have been questioning why your rabbit was shedding a lot, you now know that there are a number of potential causes, and a few of them would require acceptable and immediate therapy out of your vet. Rabbits can typically molt continually, however that is often most evident within the spring and autumn. In addition they shed for the primary time at 4 or 5 months outdated on common, relying on their breed, as a way to exchange their child and intermediate fur with grownup fur.
In case your rabbit is abruptly shedding excessively, it is best to assume one thing is fallacious. Your pet is likely to be careworn, anxious, or affected by one in every of many potential underlying illnesses. The information we gave above ought to assist with stress, however visiting your vet will likely be essential for anything.
Featured Picture Credit score: Irina Kozorog, Shutterstock