You may be surprised to learn that you should properly groom your pet rabbit in order to maximize his health. Rabbits are similar to cats in that they like to keep themselves clean and tidy. They will persistently lick their fur in order to keep it clean. During this process, the rabbit will often ingest a lot of hair. However, unlike cats, rabbits are unable to vomit and therefore they are unable to throw up fur balls. A buildup of fur balls in the rabbit’s belly can actually lead to starvation and death.

Rabbits go through a shedding cycle about once every three months. During the shedding period, many rabbits will shed a substantial amount of hair and will even go bald in certain spots. Unless you assist them in removing this hair, they will groom themselves and ingest a substantial amount of fur. With some rabbits, you can simple run your fingers through their coats and pull out the excess hair. Others, like long haired rabbits, require more maintenance including the use of brushes and scissors to keep the hair at a minimum.

There are two types of effective brushes you can use on your rabbit, petting brushes and slicker brushes. Petting brushes are more gentle on the rabbit’s delicate skin, but slicker brushes are more efficient at grabbing and removing large quantities of fur. The type of brush you choose to use should depend on your rabbit’s temperament. Remember to always be gentle while grooming your rabbit, as they can become easily frightened or upset.

If your rabbit begins to act lethargic and listless after shedding season, it is possible that they have eaten too much of their own hair and they have become unable to digest their own food. If this occurs you should consult a specialized rabbit veterinarian. With consistent, proper grooming skills, your rabbit should maintain a healthy coat and stay free from hairball problems.

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