THE MOLTING CYCLE IN RABBITS

So you go to do your rabbit chores and you see fur in one of the rabbits drop pans, or some hair in the cage corner or sides (even in the crocks). It looks like your rabbit is loosing hair or shedding, well it is! Molting is when a rabbit looses its coat (shedding) and grows a new coat, This is also known as “blowing their coat”. A molt can last from 2 to 6 weeks, or more, it varies from rabbit to rabbit and from breed to breed.

The rabbit molts regularly at different stages in its life. The baby coat is replaced by an intermediate coat when the rabbit is about 4 to 5 months of age. After this molt the adult coat develops, after the adult coat is fully in, The molts are much more noticeable. Molting naturally occurs seasonally but may be brought on by stress and diet, When the adult rabbit molts the rabbits coat may appear very sparse, until it grows in again. This can sometimes leave small bald patches on the rabbit. If the rabbit is healthy the bald spots will begin to become pigmented by new hair growth and then start to grow normally.

The rabbits molt usually begins on the head, moving down the neck and back then towards the stomach, but some rabbits molt in patches all over their bodies. The molt can also get stuck. Know as being “Stuck in the molt”. This usually happens on the rabbits flanks, just above the tail, and on the belly. Some rabbits are known to molt almost continuously in these areas. By adding extra protein to their diet, this will help them “blow” their coat faster. I use Calf Manna to do this, 1 Tblsp per day when they are molting. You could also use Black Oil Sunflower Seeds.

Rabbits shed every three months. Every other time they will have a light molt that may not even be notice. Then the seasonal molts, Which are the heaviest molts are generally at the end of the winter season their winter coat is fully grown and no longer needed for protection. This is the heaviest of the molts. The next heaviest is at the end of summer or in early fall. Their summer coat molts away to bring in the prime thick winter pelt. Rabbits shed in different ways some will take a few weeks others will be ready to get rid of their old coats in a few days and these fast molting rabbits need to be groomed!