How Often Do You Brush Your Rabbit(s)?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
September 16, 2008 12:43am CST
And what type of brush do you use?
My 13 year old rabbit has short hair and he only sheds once a year. I brush him every so often throughout the year, but only towards the end of summer does he finally need brushing and plucking about once a week. I use a plastic fine bristled brush on him because he likes that and it works for him.
My younger rabbit (about 3ish) has somewhat longer hair, I guess more of a medium length, but still definitely not long. She seems to shed constantly. I am always plucking her. She hates brushing so usually I just pluck her fur instead. But I do have one of those zoom groom brushes I use sometimes too and it pulls out a lot more hair than the other brushes I've used. Despite all that brushing I still have to vacuum quite often and she's even clogged up my computer fan before with her fur!
Not only does brushing your rabbits keep the house cleaner, but it is also important to their health since they can get fur balls like cats do.
So what do you use? Do you brush your rabbit(s) often?
3 responses
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
16 Sep 08
You have a 13 yr old rabbit? Wow! I've never seen one live that long. You obviously take good care of him.
I never brushed my rabbits, they wouldn't let me. About once a week I'd just get my hands a little damp and give them a good petting. That usually pulled most of the loose hairs out.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
16 Sep 08
Thanks! I got him when he was 4 years old from a girl who was moving away to college and couldn't keep him. He was overweight then and on a pellet only diet. Now he's been on a mostly pellet free diet (hay and veggies instead) and has been doing very well on that. He does occasionally get pellets as a treat, but only a couple times each month.
My other rabbit isn't on a pellet free diet, she gets timothy pellets plus orchard grass hay and veggies too. But the older rabbit did get timothy pellets when he was younger here too, it's just that pellets can often create problems in older rabbits and so far I've avoided those (knock on wood!).
The rabbit rescue told me the average age for rabbits with good care should be about 10 to 12 years, so I guess 13 isn't super old.
I think my rabbits must shed a lot more than yours did though, as it would take forever to pet away all of their loose hairs. Although I have considered getting one of those gloves to trick them.
