Grooming is very important to keep your rabbit looking and feeling its best. There a lot of factors in keeping your rabbit's coat looking it's best. Here's the steps I use to keep Rosie groomed.
Grooming: More Than Just Keeping the Fur Shiny
Brushing Up
Brushing is a must for rabbits. They groom themselves, so you don't want them to ingest any hair. How often you need to groom your rabbit depends on what kind of fur they have and how long it is. For example, rex rabbits may not require much grooming. However breeds like the angora (to the right) need brushing up to a couple times a day.
Cleaning the Annal Scent Glands
Yep, this is definetly a discusting topic. However, that doesn't change the fact that cleaning you rabbit's anal scent glands needs to be done. All you need is a few cotton swabs and some lukewarm water. You just flip your bun on their back. Be extremely gentle and careful, your this can be very stressful! I usually have someone else hold my rabbit. It helps them be secure. Then you just clean the little crease arouind their genitals. Just check during your rabbits grooming routine if the area is dirty. Some rabbits get dirty faster. You should be able to tell after a couple times of cleaning.
Molting
Molting is that time when your rabbit sheds way more than it should. It usually occurs about every three months. When your rabbit is molting, it will need more frequent grooming. They can shed quite a bit, so lint rollers are nice to have on hand. Hair will get everywhere in bad moltings.
Trimming the Nails
Though it may seem like a small task, trimming your rabbit's nails is extremely important. If you don't clip your rabbit's nails enough, they can actually get them caught in objects and break some limbs! When you trim your bun's nails, there are some very important rules to follow. First off you never ever cut the quick, or red part of the nails. Second, you stop when the tip of the nail turns white. Third, you don't use regular people nail clippers, you use either dog, cat, or rabbit ones. (The ones to the left.) Lastly, take your time and be careful. Do whatever it takes. I usually save the days veggies and give them in the process to keep Rosie calm.
