Rabbits are naturally clean animals, often spending a good part of their day grooming themselves and each other. Irrespective of the breed, all rabbits shed to some degree. At times, the amount of loose fur that these tiny animals can be quite something! Our domesticated rabbits are very different to their wild cousins and even the best-groomed rabbits need some help from us to stay tangle-free, healthy and avoid health problems due to ingesting too much hair.
Regular grooming is an essential part of looking after your pet rabbit and having the right equipment will make all the difference. Here’s our updated guide to help you give your bunny the best grooming care, ensuring they stay clean, comfortable, and stress-free.
Essential Rabbit Grooming Equipment
- Rabbit Grooming Brushes: A soft, gentle grooming brush is a must for keeping your rabbit's coat smooth and free from knots. A small slicker brush is also an excellent tool for reaching deep into the coat to remove loose hair from the root and prevent mats. Regular brushing reduces the risk of your rabbit ingesting fur, which can lead to digestive problems such as like gastrointestinal stasis.
- Grooming Glove: A grooming mitten can make the process easier and more enjoyable for your rabbit as it mimics petting while gently removing loose hair.
- Rabbit-Safe Trimmer: Long-haired rabbits in particular can benefit from a specialised trimmer designed for their thick coats and delicate skin. Trimmers are perfect for older rabbits or those less able to self groom. Keeping their fur shorter helps to keep them cleaner and prevent mats from forming, especially around hard-to-reach areas like the hindquarters. Look for quiet trimmers that won’t scare your rabbit. Our Showmate II rabbit trimmers are the perfect ultra-quiet trimmer for small pets including rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and dogs.
- Nail Clippers: In the wild, rabbits naturally wear down their nails through digging. Pet and house rabbits, however, don’t tend to spend the same time making burrows, so their nails can grow quickly and become uncomfortable. Regular nail trimming is essential to prevent overgrowth, discomfort, and damage to your furniture or flooring. Use nail clippers designed for small animals, and consider a nail file to smooth any sharp or rough edges. Both nails clippers and a file can be found in our Essentials Pet Grooming Set
- Styptic Powder: Just in case you accidentally clip a little too far into the nail and catch the 'quick', styptic powder is great for stopping any bleeding quickly and painlessly.
- Flea Comb: Yes rabbits can get fleas too! Although there are less prone to fleas than dogs and cats. A simple fine toothed flea comb gently and affectively removes fleas, larvae and eggs from the hair without the need for additional chemicals. Flea combs are also great to be used as barrier when using your trimmers to protect the skin from accidental nicks.
How to Groom Your Rabbit
By getting your rabbit used to handling and grooming from an early age, they'll soon learn that grooming means pamper time and become relaxed and still as they enjoy their grooming sessions. Grooming offers many benefits, providing essential bonding time with our pets and carrying out vital health checks. Getting hands on with your rabbit allows to to spot potential issues such a parasites, fly eggs, eye infections, sore hocks or injuries that may warrant a trip to your vet.
Groom your rabbit on your lap whilst sitting on the floor rather than on a chair or table. This is so should they jump off, they won't fall from a height that could injure themselves.
- Brushing: Regular brushing is important for removing excess fur, particularly during shedding seasons. For long-haired breeds, daily brushing is recommended to avoid mats, which can form quickly and cause great discomfort to your bunny, pulling their extremely delicate skin. Always be gentle, brushing in the direction of hair growth, and mix it with plenty of strokes to keep your rabbit relaxed. Don't forget to groom their tummy and sanitary areas too to watch out for flystrike.
- Trimming: A high-quality rabbit trimmer is a great investment if you have a long-haired or older bunny. Use with comb guards tp protect delicate skin and trimming too short. Focus on areas that tend to get matted, like the hind legs and belly, and always be careful around sensitive spots. If your rabbit is nervous, try to keep grooming sessions short and calm, using treats to reward them.
- Nail Care: Nail trimming is an essential part of rabbit grooming. Wrap your rabbit securely in a towel (like a burrito) and clip just the tips of their nails, avoiding the quick to prevent discomfort. Avoid lying your rabbit on their back as this can put them in trance like state that is actually a high fear response.
- Keeping Rabbits Clean: Rabbits generally don’t need baths. In fact, bathing can be very stressful and dangerous for them. Focus instead on keeping their living area clean, changing their litter box regularly, and using rabbit-safe cleaning products to maintain a hygienic environment.
Be Extra Careful With Your Rabbit's Skin
It's important to remember that a rabbit's skin is incredibly delicate, much like tissue paper, and can tear easily if not handled with care. When grooming, especially when using scissors or trimmers, always be gentle and cautious.
We highly recommend using a rabbit-safe trimmer with guard combs. These provide a safer grooming experience that using scissors as they create a protective barrier between the blade and your rabbit’s skin, reducing the risk of cuts or injuries.
Scissors should be used sparingly and are best kept in the hands of professional groomers. Bull nosed scissors are designed with rounded points to prevent accidental injury should your pet move suddenly.
Never use scissors without a barrier such as a comb between the skin to avoid catching the skin. Scissors should only be reserved for small touch-ups, as even the smallest nick can cause discomfort and a great deal of damage.
Tips for Older or Long-Haired Rabbits
- Use a rabbit trimmer to help maintain the coat of older rabbits, as they can find groom themselves thoroughly difficult.
- Groom daily to prevent mats, particularly around the hind legs, bottom and belly.
- Keep grooming sessions short and calm for nervous or sensitive bunnies.
Summary
Essential equipment for rabbit grooming includes brushes, grooming glove, specialised trimmer, nail clippers, and styptic powder.
Daily brushing is vital for long-haired rabbits and during shedding seasons to prevent fur ingestion and mats.
Trimming with a rabbit-safe trimmer keeps long-haired or older rabbits clean and tangle-free.
Looking for the best rabbit grooming trimmers and accessories? Check out our range of products designed with your bunny's comfort in mind, or contact us for expert advice on keeping your rabbit happy and healthy.
Do you need to bathe your rabbit?
Well, that’s a very common question and realistically, the answer is no. As we mentioned before, rabbits are sticklers for personal hygiene.
A good part of their day is spent grooming themselves and their fellow bunnies if they are lucky enough to have company. This makes baths rather unnecessary for rabbits.
Not only this, but there are instances where baths have been downright traumatic for these little furballs of joy. Like cats, most rabbits detest water and a bathing experience can stress them out and even cause heart attacks.
It is really important that you keep their surroundings clean, dry and aired out. Be sure to clean their litter boxes regularly and use newspaper-based, unscented litter to tackle odour problems and to absorb urine efficiently.
How do I care for my rabbit's teeth?
Rabbits should have an unlimited and fresh supply of grass, hay and oats at all times for healthy gums and teeth. Rabbit are grazers, and eating and little and often throughout the day helps to keep their teeth evenly ground.
It also keeps any molar spur (sharp points in teeth) from developing. Molar spurs can be problematic as it can cause immense pain to your bunny and that can result in issues related to digestion.
Fresh hay and rabbit chews to give them something to safely gnaw on are ideal for keeping your rabbit occupied and their teeth healthy.
Should my rabbit have regular vet check ups?
It is important to schedule routine checkups for your rabbit with a vet. A vet will perform a thorough check on all the vitals of your rabbit’s health. This includes an examination of the eyes, teeth, feet, mouth, belly and genitals and also to ensure they stay up to date with their routine vaccines against Myxomatosis and VHD.
They'll also show you how to safely trim your rabbits claws if you haven't done this before.
