CORNERSTONE FIBRES

Rabbit Care Program

I brush most of my rabbits only once a month. The French or French crosses need minimal grooming to grow beautiful, long, mat-free coats. The English and Giant rabbits though I find need to be brushed about every other week. Blowing cuts down on grooming alot. Sometimes if the weather is humid or they are very active they need to be brushed every week to stay mat-free all over. I have not yet tried a Groomer's blower unit, but have found a 4.5hp shopvac with blower unit vacuum to be a handy blower for grooming the more densely coated animals. I usually begin by grooming the stomach. I place the rabbit in my lap on its back with its ears pinned lightly between my knees. Beginning at the chin I part a section of wool to the skin to get a beginning point and then brush the wool lightly with a fine toothed comb in small sections till I have covered all of the underside of the rabbit. To finish I may use a cat slicker brush to give a fluffy finished look to the surface. Most often I don't as I am only concerned with keeping the bunny as mat-free as possible. Some words of warning. Rabbits should be accustomed to being handled and placed in all kinds of positions when small. Do not pick up your newly acquired rabbit and flip it upside down unless you are very sure it is use to this practice. A frightened rabbit can kick out hard with its hind legs and rip a person up quite effectively with its hind toe nails. It is also possible for a rabbit to break its own back while kicking the hind legs to avoid something that has frightened it. Once I have finished the stomach area I usually place the bunny on a stand on its feet and proceed to groom the back and sides same as the stomach. Part the wool to the skin in a place behind the ears and working in small segments with a grooming comb work your way to the tail end of the bunny. Does may become nervous as you near the tail area. Firmly but kindly insist she sit for grooming, while bearing in mind that she may interpret the grooming in the tail area as the unwanted attention of a buck rabbit. Using a blower is faster then combing. Again remember the rabbit may have to get use to the noise of the blower and the sensation of the air parting the wool. Try to blow or comb the wool in the direction it grows. Do not blow in the bunnies ears. When working near the ears cover them with one hand to save the bunny any irritation from air blowing at high speed into its ears.