Long Hair Rabbit Care
If you have a long haired rabbit, then you have a lot of responsibility for grooming it. Long haired rabbits are entirely dependent on you to help them groom and manage their coats because they are quite incapable of doing it effectively themselves. Left alone, their fur will get nasty and tangled and matted up, to the point where it can even cause skin tears sometimes.
If you don't have at least half an hour a day to spend on grooming your rabbit, then please do not get a long haired rabbit. At some points of the year, when your long haired rabbit is moulting, its fur will come out in large clumps, often creating a pile of fur bigger than the bunny itself. You have to help the bunny by removing this hair as otherwise it may eat it and experience intestinal blockages which can very quickly kill a bunny.
As is probably obvious by now, long haired rabbits are complete freaks in the genetic sense of the word. They would never survive in nature, and rely on you to help them survive in your home.
You will need to invest in a good rabbit comb, one that can remove the fur which your long haired bunny will shed on a daily basis. If you get a wire tipped comb, be careful when grooming your rabbit not to press down too hard, or you risk breaking the skin. The same rule applies if a rabbit has developed tangles and mats in its coat (which can happen even if you are a conscientious owner.) Do not, under any circumstances, try to brush out heavily matted fur. It is better to cut these mats out, carefully of course, so as not to damage the bunny.
If you have a long haired rabbit you will have to spend plenty of time getting it used to its daily grooming, because in order to properly take care of it you will need for the rabbit to at least accept being held on its back so that you can brush out the soft long fur on its tummy, and check for tangles and dirt between its rear legs. Some owners recommend clipping the genital region for better hygiene, and I would agree as this cuts down on the rabbit soiling itself with loose fecal matter. Lose fecal matter can come about from changes in diet, perhaps too many greens, or a new treat. Overnight your pretty bunny can turn into a stinking soiled mess - which is why you must check on the bunny daily.
Sounds like a lot of work? It is!
