Last Updated on May 31, 2023 by
This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.Just like most hairy mammals, rabbits are going to shed their fur, or molting as it is more commonly known. On this page, we want to share with you a little bit of information about rabbit shedding, as well as provide you with a few tips and tricks which should ensure that rabbit shedding is as hassle-free as possible, both for you and your rabbit.
Do Rabbits Shed?
Yes., rabbits Shed. The reason why rabbits shed is so that they are able to grow a new coat of fur. The shedding process will also help the animal to shift its winter coat. After all, your rabbit will need thicker fur during the winter months in order to ensure that they stay nice and warm.
As they head into summer, they will start to lose this thicker fur to ensure that they do not overheat during the warmer months.
How Often Does A Rabbit Shed?
Honestly, this is a tough question to answer. It is going to be completely dependent on the rabbit, and it is something that you are going to need to look out for yourself. Generally speaking, rabbit shedding is going to happen at least twice per year. However, some rabbits are known to shed every three months or so.
If you are regularly grooming your rabbit, then you should be able to spot when rabbit shedding occurs. You will start to notice the hair loosening up around their nose, and over time, they will start to shed their fur across their bodies.
You may spot hairballs around your home frequently too or inside their hutch. Basically, you are going to know when rabbit shedding occurs. It is going to happen like clockwork too. So, once you know which frequency your rabbit is shedding at, you will be able to predict roughly when it is going to happen again.
Remember; if you have a rabbit with a longer coat, then it is likely that they are going to be shedding a lot more frequently.
Change of Behavior
When a rabbit is shedding, it is likely that you will spot a change in their behavior. They tend to become very defensive, and some rabbits can be quite aggressive, during the shedding process, particularly when they are in the height of it (i.e. when the fur is starting to be shed from the bulk of their body).
You may find that the rabbit will barely let you touch it at this time. Sadly, it is something that you will need to do. You are going to need to groom your pet in order to help them through the shedding process. You need to be doing it at least once per day, particularly for rabbits with longer fur like the Lionheads, otherwise, the fur will become difficult to manage.
What Can Help You While Rabbit’s Shedding?
When your pet rabbit is shedding, it is vital that you groom them. This will serve multiple purposes:
- It will stop you finding hair around the home.
- Your rabbit will not get caught on furniture and other items, which could cause pain.
- Your rabbit is less-likely to ingest a fur-ball, which could actually cause death (albeit rarely).
It is worth noting that rabbit shedding can cause the rabbit’s skin to be a bit more sensitive. This means that you will need to invest in a quality grooming kit for your rabbit. You will want to make sure that it comes complete with a soft brush.
You will also need to be incredibly gentle when you are running the brush over the rabbit’s skin. This will ensure that your rabbit is in the minimum amount of pain when it is molting.
If you are looking for suggestions for grooming tools to help with rabbit shedding, then you will find that we have found a good selection of them: Best Rabbit Brush For Shedding.
These are the ones that we use with our rabbits, and that means we know that they are going to be fantastic for your animals too.
Can You Stop or Reduce Rabbit Shedding?
You can’t. It is a completely natural process. The only thing you can do to stop finding hair around your home is to brush the rabbit regularly. You don’t want to stop the shedding process anyway. The rabbit will either get too hot or too cold.
Rabbits May Not Want To Be Held When Shedding
It is worth noting that when a rabbit is shedding, it is unlikely that they will want to be held. They tend to get a little bit feisty. This is because their skin is going to be incredibly sensitive. The best thing you can do when a rabbit is shedding is to not touch them.
The only time that you should be touching them is if you are grooming them with a soft brush (they love this!). This does mean a week or two without cuddling up to your rabbit, but we are sure that this is going to be fine for you.
