This was originally posted August 2017
Heck, ya! Most rabbits will go through an annual moult. Sometimes it looks awful, sometimes you'll hardly notice. Depends on the rabbit and sometimes the weather. It's the end of August here and my rabbits are in full moult!
Here's poor Chester. He moults all over, all at once. This is a picture before his second brushing.
Here is after his brushing. He's not overly impressed with me, but he looks grumpy on a good day.
Here's poor Levi before his brushing. He starts moulting from his head back. This is his first moult, he's a year old.
Here's most of the fur from Chester's brushing. Mind you, this is a two pound rabbit. Bigger rabbits, more fur.
Some rabbits don't moult so drastically. This is Luna's litter pan. Other than some loose fur strands, and this fluff in the pan, you wouldn't even know she was moulting.
Care: Rabbits should be brushed on occasion. But when they moult, you will need to brush them. Rabbits will try to clean themselves but when they moult, it's a lot more fur. When they ingest that much fur, it can cause a blockage. Unlike cats, rabbits can't vomit. So the blockage stays there and that can be deadly. You will not be able to brush it all out at once. You may need to do it several times over the course of a week or even several weeks. Making sure the rabbit has lots of fibre is also important. Hay is great for this. Wool block If you suspect wool block, you should consult a rabbit-savvy vet. Less interest in food, smaller droppings, less droppings, lethargy. In the mean time, you can remove pellets and feed hay. Some claim papaya and pineapple help with moving a blockage along. I have not had this issue so I have not tried it myself, so I can't comment any further. Woolly and Angora breeds are more prone to wool block. Rex fur Rex rabbits also moult but brushing them can ruin that beautiful coat. Take a damp cloth or damp hands and just run your hands over them to remove any loose fur.
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