If you brush your rabbit's fur regularly and properly care for it, grooming is not required. But if dead hairs accumulate on the body, fall into tangles and harden, then grooming the rabbit will be the only way to alleviate the animal’s suffering and prevent skin diseases. Let's find out how to properly cut a rabbit's hair, and when this procedure can be avoided.
Why does a rabbit need a haircut?
Grooming a rabbit is necessary only if the animal develops tangles that cause discomfort and can provoke the development of dermatitis. Matted dead hairs tighten the skin and cause itching. The animal tries to get rid of them and often itches. As a result, scratches appear in which pathogenic microflora quickly develops.
However, experts note that after cutting, rabbit fur grows back slowly and unevenly. This is explained by the fact that hair is cut at the same time: both young and already finished growing.
An alternative to cutting is plucking. This procedure not only rids the rabbit of excess hair and fluff, but also increases blood flow to the upper layers of the skin. This stimulates growth and improves the appearance of the coat.
Important! Plucking is an ineffective method in the presence of formed tangles.
What should the end result be?
This is what the final result looks like:
So, in the end result we see that the rabbit's claws do not extend beyond the fur.
If you are cutting a rabbit's claws for the first time, it is better to cut it a little smaller at first so that the claws come out from under the fur. This way you will not hurt the rabbit and over time you will learn to trim the claws yourself.
Remember, nail trimming is stressful for a rabbit. Therefore, when you finish trimming your rabbit’s claws, be sure to pamper him with a treat so that he will quickly forget the insult.
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Required Tools
For everyday care of rabbit fur, massage mittens, combs and combs of varying thickness are used. For long-haired breeds, you should choose tools with sparse teeth. This will allow you to carefully comb the fur from head to tail without damaging the skin.
If there are tangles that are just beginning to form, they can be sorted out with your fingers or plucked out. Large tangles must be cut off with sharp-edged scissors or a tangle cutter.
The procedure should be completed by combing the wool using a slicker brush. It is best to choose a model with protective balls at the ends of the teeth.
Interesting! To improve blood circulation in the upper layers of the skin, you should comb the fur several times against the growth of hairs, and at the end of the procedure, smooth them again from head to tail.
Professional grooming is carried out using a special rabbit clipper. To carry out this procedure, you must have the appropriate knowledge and skills. Therefore, during the hot season, it is worth visiting a beauty salon for animals once a month or calling a specialist to your home.
For short-haired breeds, you can use a massage brush and comb, and during the shedding period, a furminator.
What to do if they stink
In general, rabbits do not have their own natural smell, so this problem rarely arises. This is most often due to the fact that you pay little attention to cleanliness in the cage or that the rabbit goes not only to the tray. You need to completely empty the litter from the tray 1-2 times a week. It is recommended to wipe the tray itself with apple cider vinegar once every two weeks, this will get rid of any odor. If everything is in order with cleanliness, then take the rabbit to the veterinarian. Sometimes an unpleasant odor occurs in uncastrated animals. Problems with odors also occur with intestinal infections and intestinal problems (in this case, rinse the rabbit’s bottom with warm water or wipe with a baby wipe once a day).
How to cut a rabbit's hair
Before trimming a rabbit's fur, the pet should be picked up and soothed by stroking. Next, you need to place the animal on your lap or on a table, and secure the limbs with your left hand. Before cutting, the wool must be combed with a comb and completely free of dirt and foreign matter.
Trim the rabbit with large pointed scissors according to the following pattern:
- A longitudinal parting is made along the spinal column. Along it, on one side, the wool is cut in long narrow strips in the direction from the ridge to the belly. The second side is cut symmetrically to the first. Fur 4–5 mm long is left on the animal’s body.
- The belly fluff is trimmed only on males. Due to the danger of injuring the nipples of females, you can only slightly trim overgrown hairs, but using a furminator or clipper is strictly prohibited.
- It is worth trimming the hair on the head, ears and paws of a rabbit only if its length exceeds 5 cm, or if formed tangles are already noticeable on them.
- If, during the haircut, defects are formed that spoil the appearance of the rabbit, then you should not try to correct them. This will significantly lengthen the duration of the procedure and make the pet nervous. And after correction, the length of the coat may decrease significantly, which will negatively affect the overall health of the animal. After 3-4 weeks, the hair will have grown so much that the flaws in the haircut will be practically invisible.
Important! Within 2-3 days after the haircut, a bald rabbit may become inactive, show lethargy, and refuse to feed.
If the rabbit behaves restlessly during the grooming, then you need to ask someone to fix its head and paws. However, if the animal has a panic attack, the procedure should be stopped. In the future, you should consult with a veterinarian about the use of acceptable sedatives.
When breeding rabbits for the purpose of obtaining fluff, plucking is carried out. The first procedure is performed on rabbits aged 2 to 2.5 months. Then it is repeated every 2 months for up to a year. Then experienced breeders pluck the fluff once a month due to uneven hair growth. This allows you to minimize losses and maintain good hair condition of your pets.
If you do not regularly pluck or trim your rabbits, the fur stops growing more than 8 cm, becomes dirty, falls out and becomes tangled. This negatively affects not only the appearance of animals, but also provokes dermatological problems.
Caring for a cat after castration in the first hours
After castration, a cat needs special care. Most veterinary clinics provide post-operative hospital services. In a special box with optimal climatic conditions, the operated pet is observed until it completely recovers from anesthesia. Once convinced that the cat’s condition is satisfactory, it is handed over to its owners.
Care in the first hours after castration comes down to monitoring your pets
If such a service is not available in the clinic or castration is performed at home, it is important to follow the following care recommendations:
To transport a cat after castration, it is recommended to use a loose carrier with a folding top and an absorbent diaper on the bottom. It is forbidden to transport an operated pet in your arms or in a car seat, as when waking up from anesthesia, it can harm itself or its owner. During transportation and further postoperative stay, the cat is placed on its side; It is recommended to lay an anesthetized, operated cat on the floor, since when it comes to its senses, it may fall off the table/sofa/bed. A common symptom of anesthesia sleep is uncontrollable urination. Using an absorbent diaper placed on the floor under the pet will make it much easier to eliminate such a nuisance; During anesthetized sleep, body temperature drops by 1-1.5°, so to prevent hypothermia, the operated pet is placed next to a heating radiator. It is strictly forbidden to place animals near electrical appliances with an open heating element. Instead of a battery, you can use a heating pad or a plastic bottle with hot, but not boiling water, which is placed next to the cat under a bedding or blanket
It is important that the heat does not come into contact with the cat's perineum, as this will cause bleeding. During the warm season, no additional warming procedure is required; for a more comfortable awakening from anesthesia sleep, it is recommended to close the curtains on the windows, since bright sunlight causes irritation of the optic nerve; Anesthesia sleep lasts from 15 to 120 minutes. depending on the method of administration and dose of the drug
During this time, it is necessary to monitor the cat so that it does not bury its nose in anything and suffocate. In addition, cats in this condition do not blink, which can cause the cornea to dry out. It is recommended to drip sterile saline solution, contact lens liquid, or eye drops without antibiotics into the eyes several times;
A protective collar will prevent your pet from licking the wound, further irritating it.
- Often waking up after anesthesia causes aggression in the pet. Therefore, it is recommended to provide the cat with complete rest for 24 hours, limiting access to him by other animals or children. It is forbidden to forcefully wake up your pet. Depending on the individual characteristics, after waking up, the cat may experience an unsteady gait, vomiting, involuntary urination, and a lethargic and drowsy state. This condition can last up to 8 hours, which is normal and should not cause concern;
- the wound on the scrotum after castration is not sutured, so it is recommended to minimize the amount of filler in the tray or replace it with absorbent paper. This will prevent the ingress of small filler particles and subsequent complications;
- A few hours after surgery, there may be slight bleeding from the incision, which is normal and safe for the cat. You can lightly dry the wound with a gauze cloth. In case of significant bleeding of more than 1 ml, you should urgently contact the doctor who performed the operation;
- Medicines prescribed by a veterinarian will help relieve pain. You can tell that a cat needs pain medication by dilated pupils, meowing, pursed paws, and aggression when attempting contact;
- You can prevent the possibility of damage to the healing incision by the cat’s rough tongue during hygiene by wearing a protective collar around the neck for several days. Such a product will limit the cat’s access to the wound without affecting food intake in any way.
Note! Veterinarians recommend castration in the fall or winter months, as during this period the likelihood of infection of the incision during rehabilitation is lower. In the summer, as a preventive measure for infection, the doctor prescribes a 5-day course of antibiotic treatment.
Selecting a location
Choosing a place for a rabbit
You should not place a cage with a rabbit near a radiator or near air conditioners. For these pets, any overheating is dangerous. At a temperature of +20°C, rabbits will be very comfortable. Animals are afraid of other pets, computers, TV, bright sunlight, and drafts.
It would be ideal to place the cage away from noise sources and from a window.
It is important that the place is bright and calm. The hallway, kitchen, corridor will not fit
When ventilating the room, avoid drafts. If you place the cage on the loggia, you will increase the likelihood of the animal overheating. Keep in mind that the loggia must have good ventilation and suitable temperature conditions.
For owners of private houses, you can make an enclosure with a canopy and fence it with a small fence. This way, the animal will not be afraid of either rain or overheating, and you can let the rabbit walk outside in the summer.
