Matted fur on rabbit, help!!!!!

[MommaOrp]

just acquired a long haired rabbit but it needs a bit of sorting out! its really matted, ive tried brushing and cutting but its all over the poor things body and cutting seems impossible, any other ideas?

 

[annie3001]

try bathing the rabbit and cutting/triming back hair while wet. i used to do that for the dogs. i had one dog that became angry when brushing time came around. instead, i would bathe him, and take care of his matted hair then.


good luck

 

[bobwhitelover]

Use a SEAM RIPPER!!! Thats what i use and its like MAGIC!

 

[Glenmar]

Wetting matted hair will make the mats tighter. Be careful not to rip the skin if you pull. Rabbits have delicate skin. The safest way would be clippers.

 

[Okie Amazon]

Sounds like a shave job is in order. If he's really matted, it'll be hard to clip with scissors without cutting him. x2 on the DON'T BATHE. You will make the mats worse, UNLESS you can see that the mat is hair clumped up with dirt. If it's all hair, water is the worst thing you can do.

 

[equine623]

Find a professional groomer. Seriously, you can tear a rabbit's skin by pulling too hard and forget about the damage that can be done using scissors. Even if using a clipper, the skin is loose enough that it often catches between the teeth of even a short blade with close together teeth. Get it done once, then keep up with brushing...its not worth risking the sliced skin. IF its not matted down to the skin, you can try a lot of patience and a detangling product but its still a lot of pulling on the rabbit and easier on him to just have it shaved off.

Good luck!

 

[debilorrah]

DO NOT bathe the bunny. That will make the mats tighter and wind up hurting the skin. Shear the babe and start over. Then groom the bunny with a slicker brush and a comb that has wide teeth on one end and closer teeth on the other end.

 

[86121]

Shave!
I rescued an angora cross with a ton of mat's that actually caused open soars all over her poor little body. We saved as much hair as we could, but the shave was the best thing we could have done for her. The fur grew back beautifully and her soars and cuts healed brilliantly.