Some rabbit breeds, like Angora rabbits and other long-haired types, are more susceptible to suffering from tangles in their hair and fur. This can be a bit difficult to deal with; regular brushing is always advisable, especially during the periods when the rabbit is shedding its hair.
However, even when you groom your pet rabbit regularly you might realize that its hair gets tangled up and clumpy anyway. If your rabbit's hair is tangled, continue reading this AnimalWised article and discover our best tips for grooming at home.
Brushing your rabbit
Brushing your rabbit regularly is an essential aspect of pet care; you need to groom your rabbit's fur to keep your pet looking good, but most importantly it is a condition for its good health and safety.
Removing dead hair from your rabbit's coat greatly decreases the risk of your pet suffering from dangerous trichobezoars, that is, hairballs in the stomach. Long-haired breeds should be brushed daily.
In addition to preventing hairballs, regular brushing helps to stimulate blood circulation and distribute natural oils, which keep the rabbit's skin healthy. This practice also provides a perfect opportunity to check for parasites, skin conditions, or injuries.
Best tools to brush your rabbit
The length of the bristles on your rabbit's brush must be appropriate for the length of its fur. Short hair requires brushes with short bristles; medium-length hair needs brushes with medium-sized bristles; long hair requires longer bristles.
If the brush is made of plastic, the bristles must end with ball-shaped tips to avoid damaging the animal's sensitive skin. You can also use metal brushes, but they should be used with caution.
Horse hair brushes are very effective because they are thick, soft, and firm all at the same time. They also also very useful in that they are electrostatically charged. This means the dead hair is drawn like a magnet to the horse hair bristles, clinging to the brush. This is the best brush to deal with a rabbit's hair tangles.
For rabbits with particularly sensitive skin, consider using a soft rubber grooming mitt. These mitts are gentle and can help massage the rabbit's skin while removing loose fur, making grooming a pleasant experience for your pet.
How to brush your rabbit to get rid of tangles
In order to brush the rabbit thoroughly, you should brush both in the natural direction of the hair as well as against it.
You should begin start brushing by going against the natural direction of the hair, without going too deep. This raises your rabbit's fur in advance for the next step. Then, still against the direction of the hair's growth, try to use the bristles to separate the rabbit's dead hair from the dermis so that it adheres to the brush with shorter strokes and a slight twist of the wrist.
Once you have thoroughly brushed against the natural direction of the hair get rid of the dead hair attached to the bristles. Then, start combing in the hair's natural direction using the same brush quite gently.
It's crucial to be patient during this process, especially if your rabbit is new to grooming. Offering your rabbit a treat afterwards can help create a positive association with being brushed, making future grooming sessions easier.
Careful with sitting rabbits!
The part that is usually not brushed properly is the rabbit's backside. But it is precisely there, on the rabbit's bottom, where the biggest tangles can be found. Therefore, you should take care to brush this area thoroughly.
If a rabbit likes being brushed, it will sit down during the process - which makes it easier for us. Sitting is a comfortable position for the rabbit because it is relaxing, and it also allows it to be attentive in case it needs to run away. Many rabbits are not thrilled about this part of the brushing process - rather the opposite - but it really is necessary.
While brushing the backside, ensure that you gently lift the rabbit's tail to access the fur underneath. Be cautious and attentive to your rabbit's body language to prevent causing any stress or discomfort.
How to use scissors
In order to detangle a rabbit's hair, it's best to use thinning scissors. This hair-cutting instrument lightens the density of tangled hair, which makes the knots easier to untangle and leaves some of the hair intact.
Thus, your rabbit will not have an uneven haircut, unless you really are a terrible hairdresser.
When using scissors, always keep them parallel to the rabbit's body to avoid cutting skin. If the tangles are too close to the skin, it might be best to seek professional grooming assistance. Regular trimming of the fur around the hindquarters can also help prevent tangles from forming in the first place.
Stay with us at AnimalWised to discover all about caring for pet rabbits, including what's abnormal rabbit teeth growth and how to deal with it and whether you can bathe your rabbit.
If you want to read similar articles to My Rabbit's Hair is Tangled - Grooming at Home, we recommend you visit our Beauty tips category.