Caring for your rabbits through a molt

Did you know that rabbits molt twice a year? If you notice your bunny losing a lot of fur during the spring and fall, it’s likely due to this seasonal shedding cycle. But caring for your rabbits through a molt doesn’t have to be difficult — we’ll share our top tips for keeping your bunny comfortable when the fur flies.

Why do rabbits molt?

When you find fur all over your rabbits’ run, or notice them looking shaggy or unkept all of a sudden, you’re likely witnessing one of their molting cycles. Rabbits will molt twice a year — once in the spring, and once in the fall. This natural process is triggered by the amount of sunlight and the temperature of where your rabbit is kept. Your rabbit will molt:

In the spring to shed their thick winter coat in preparation for warmer weather
In the fall to grow a thicker, heavier coat for winter
As babies to grow their adult coat
As a result of stress or illness

The entire molting process takes between 2-6 weeks. Rabbits that complete their molt in 2 weeks will lose hair rapidly, leaving large amounts of fur behind. Those that take the full 6 weeks will shed their fur more slowly, so you won’t be as likely to notice the change.

You may also notice your rabbits being slightly more irritable during the molting process. They may also scratch, bite, lick, or rub at their coat in an effort to remove loose hair. Your rabbits may not want to be held during their molting cycle, as their skin will be sensitive while growing a new coat.

Care tips for your rabbits’ molt

There are a few things you can do to help your rabbits through their molting cycles. By helping them shed as efficiently as possible, you’ll be able to get back to your favorite bunny-bonding activities.

Housing and exercise

As part of the essentials needed to care for rabbits, your bunnies’ home should be clean and accommodating. It helps to have an easy-to-clean rabbit hutch — especially during molting seasons. Excess hair in your rabbits’ hutch or run can attract insects and accumulate unwanted debris, so it’s important to remove it as often as possible.

Grooming

Brushing your bunnies can help them shed their coat faster. The buildup of fur in the process of shedding can create painful mats or restrict your rabbits’ natural insulation methods. Using brushes designed to loosen undercoat fur will help prevent matting, and help keep them comfortable. Removing loose hair also helps prevent your rabbits from ingesting too much fur through self-grooming.

If your bunny doesn’t enjoy being brushed, you can also gently pull the displaced tufts of fur from their undercoat. Only attempt to pull on tufts that are obviously extended beyond the length of their top coat — otherwise, you may risk pulling hairs that are still attached.

Diet

Your rabbits should always have access to fresh, clean water, timothy hay, and quality pellets — especially during molting seasons. Growing a new hair coat takes a lot of energy, so be sure you’re giving your bunnies everything they need to fuel their bodies. Offer healthy treats like fresh leafy greens in a Caddi Rabbit Treat Holder to give their immune systems a boost during their molt.

Abnormal rabbit shedding

Healthy outdoor rabbits will molt in spring and summer, with minimal shedding in between in order to maintain a healthy coat. Indoor rabbits that aren’t exposed to as much natural light or fluctuating temperatures may gradually shed their coats throughout the year, giving the impression that they shed year-round.

If you notice your rabbits losing an excessive amount of fur outside of fall or spring, or see inflamed patches of skin during a molt, you’ll need to contact your veterinarian. Rabbits can lose or pull their fur for other reasons, like:

Illness or skin infections
Stress
Pregnant females preparing a nest to have their litter
Fighting
Unsanitary living conditions

Provide your rabbits with consistency throughout the year to keep their stress levels low. Avoid keeping intact males together to prevent aggressive behaviors, and keep intact males and females separated to prevent unwanted litters. Monitor new rabbits closely to see if cagemates become stressed, and try to avoid frequent changes to their diet. And, always keep your rabbits in a secure, comfortable home like the Eglu Go rabbit hutch to help them feel safe in their surroundings.

Omlet and your rabbits’ molt

If you’re thinking of upgrading your rabbits’ run this fall to help them through their seasonal molt, it’s never been a better time to transition them to the ingenuously designed Eglu Go rabbit hutch. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer, pair the Eglu Go rabbit hutch with other rabbit essentials for full fur-shedding support all year round.