Hair Hair Everywhere

I remember one Spring when my rabbitry was at peak numbers.  I will admit, it was a little chaotic space wise, but the real issue was molting.  Not only were there several bunnies molting, but some of those bunnies had beautiful lush winter coats - coats that were now drifting across our rabbitry and covering solid surfaces.  As a clean freak, I was slightly horrified.  The shop vac was getting a real workout and when the temperatures dropped in the evening, I would open things up and use the fans to push some of it out.  To appreciate this, you need to understand that hollands can really vary in terms of coat density and length. 

You can have a bunny like this with short, even hair that barely molts.

You can also have a bunny like this, with long, lush hair that sheds like a dog.

So what is the best way to handle a molt?  What do you do with all that hair?  

1.  Daily or sometimes twice daily brushing, preferably outside.  Some people have specific brushes or combs that they feel are very effective.  I never found one that I really liked.  If you aren't careful, you can end up creating knotted balls of fur, that eventually require scissors to remedy.  I've tried the FURminator and the Hair Buster Comb.  My next venture is to buy the SleekEZ.  I will update this post after I have used it for a while.

2.  Once your bunny is fully into it's molt, you can use a lint roller.  If you try this too early, it will pick up hairs that are not released and your bunny will notice that you are pulling out it's hair.  How can you tell?  If you are brushing your bunny on a regular basis and don't seem to be making a dent in removing the loose fur, it's time.  Look at Bear, in the picture below.  After a good brush, Bear still has loose hairs sticking to the fur on her face.  Can you see the tufts that are loose and almost falling off of her side?  A smooth swipe of the lint roller in one direction, will pick it up.  Remember to LIGHTLY roll it over your bunny's back, just glossing over the fur.  

3.  At some point, your bunny might be molting so bad that just petting it will create clouds of airborne fur that send strands into your mouth.  Very unpleasant.  Now it's time for the easiest, most effective way to remove loose fur.  Take your bunny over to the sink and place it on a towel on the counter.  Don't worry, you aren't bathing your bunny.  I suggest using treats at this point as a distraction tool.  You need your bunny to sit happily in one place.  Turn the water on to a low stream and wet your hands.  Next, pet your bunny in the wrong direction.  Magic!  Your hands will be covered with fur.  Now it seems like putting your hands under the water will just wash off all the hair and send it down the drain - but it doesn't.  The hair slowly slides down your hand until it hangs in clumps.  At this point, you can just wipe it all off on a paper towel and then repeat.  Not only does this method remove hair, but it keeps it from traveling through the air AND it cools your bunny off a little bit.  

Thankfully, molts usually happen only twice a year and last for a couple of weeks.  During that time, make sure your bunny has some healthy greens to boost its vitamin and mineral levels because molting takes a lot of energy.  If you see that your bunny is spending a lot of time grooming, consider adding papaya enzyme tablets to its daily diet to help break down ingested fur.  Be sure to keep an eye on your bunny's eating habits, because it is crucial that it stays hydrated and maintains regular digestion.