Rabbits groom themselves in various ways. They often lick their body and make sure that they look tidy and neat. They are so perfectly clean that their shelter can smell odd but not the creatures. They have the grooming capacity for self-cleaning and that helps them to stay out of dirt all the time.
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What does rabbit grooming mean?
Grooming of the rabbit usually means brushing the fur, trimming the fur when needed, and removal of mat and debris, etc. Their body parts like eyes, ears, nails, and anus need cleaning as well.
When a rabbit grooms itself then it licks all the parts of its body as much as possible. If you have adopted more than one bunny then you will see the bunnies licking each other after the period of getting to know each other. This is a gesture of showing affection and they are seen doing this when they are attached to each other. The grooming of other rabbits is part of their expression of bonding.
Do rabbits groom themselves when they are happy?
Bunnies often are seen grooming their body like the feline ones. This is a sign commonly found among pet rabbits. When they groom themselves during the day, it means that they like it here at your place and are free from worries. It is not exhausted, stressed, or morose. So you can be worry-free regarding the condition of the rabbit at this time.
Why does my rabbit groom me so much?
When the pet rabbits lick the face of their owners, then it is obvious that they are pretty well bonded with their owners. They love and trust him or her and wish to be near them all the time. The trust of a rabbit is not easily gained and thus, it will be much more difficult if your rabbit is unable to trust you. The emotional bonding from the pet rabbit is something that you will get when it will lick you and groom you.
Also, the rabbits want to be petted and they show this sign by licking their owners. The grooming of the owners is usually a symbol to show that the rabbits want some attention from the owners and want to spend some time with him or them.
Grooming is also a kind of assurance for them that they are alright and safe. This state of mind should not be disturbed, so when you see the rabbit grooming itself, you can enjoy the site without any tension.
What are the types of grooming?
The grooming of rabbits can be divided into three categories. When the rabbit is grooming its own body then it is called auto grooming. When two rabbits are grooming each other then it is called allogrooming. Sometimes the rabbit is seen grooming its owners and then it is called social grooming. Grooming has various representations in the mind of the pet rabbit.
When the rabbits are in the jungle, it tries to tone down their scent and that is why it grooms its body. The grooming makes their scent go unnoticed. So this grooming habit makes them difficult to be caught by the predators and thus increasing their chance of living. This is a defensive habit that helps them to stay safe from their predators.
Grooming their body also cools down the rabbits. They are unable to sweat due to the absence of sweat glands in their body. So they will not be able to sweat and cool down when the weather is extremely hot. Licking their body decreases their body temperature and will not let them overheat. Grooming also makes them shed the fur that is excess and that makes them feel even cooler.
The grooming session also entertains the rabbit. So when the rabbit is enjoying its time, you will see it grooming its body. But it does not mean that the rabbit will groom excessively as that will be harmful to the rabbits. The hairs on their coat should not be too less as that is the protective layer for them and do many goods for them.
Rabbits also enjoy the soothing feeling of grooming. When they are anxious or stressed then also they groom their body, which is a way of calming their own self. When you see them destructively grooming their body, you can guess that they are much stressed. Then you should stop them from doing such activities and give them some treats or play with them to deviate them from the over-grooming.
Grooming is also a kind of bonding and expressing dominance for the rabbits. When one rabbit grooms the other one, it is mostly regarding showing dominance or power of hierarchy over the other rabbit. The dominant one usually does not groom but the docile one will do so. So from watching the rabbits grooming each other, you can guess which one is docile and which one is acting dominatingly.
Can a rabbit groom its body altogether?
Rabbits are quite self-sufficient in the matter of grooming. As we humans do not need anyone else to groom us, in the same way, the rabbits, when they are in the wilderness, take care of their all grooming needs.
After waking up, they groom their body in a regular way. However, domestic rabbits need the help of their owners to be fully groomed. You cannot only rely on their licking habit and ignore the brushing of their coat. You need to brush their coat often and make sure that you wash them with proper shampoo so their coat remains free from mat and dirt.
Check the rabbit when it is grooming its body. A matured and healthy rabbit should reach every part of its body and groom all the corners. If you find that the rabbit is not being able to touch any corner of its body part of avoiding grooming that particular portion then checks it thoroughly to know if it has some infection or pain over there.
Why my rabbit is unable to groom itself?
The owner should always be alert regarding the rabbit’s well-being. If he or she finds that the rabbit is having a matted coat, the fur is not shining and the legs and tummy are not clean then it is obvious that the rabbit is not grooming itself on the daily basis.
When the rabbits are affected by flystrike then this condition can be seen. This is a situation when some flies lay eggs on the body of the rabbit. The maggots hatch on the body and it causes the rabbit to go through lethal conditions within 24 hours of infection.
In such conditions, the rabbit will not groom it, not eat and relax, and will show agitated and frustrated movements. Rabbits like to groom themselves as much as they love to play and run around. Their exercising schedule and grooming schedule are never missed as long as they are healthy and happy.
How do you groom your rabbit?
Grooming your rabbit will incorporate a few steps. You need to be properly equipped as well to make sure that you are ready for the grooming session of your rabbit.
To begin with, you need a hair brush. The hairbrush should not be a regular one used by the humans, rather it would be bristled one and not the one with teeth, as the teethed combs are much harsher on the fur coat of the rabbits.
Along with the brush, there should be a comb. The matt in the fur needs to be untangled and removed, which will be done with the help of this comb. The metal combs are not for the rabbits, so if you find that the metal ones are luxurious and smart looking, still finding a good quality plastic brush will be best for your rabbit. Metal teeth of the brush are often much harsh on the rabbit and hurt them while brushing.
Scissors are also part of this rabbit grooming kit. Sometimes the tangles in the fur coat of the rabbit get too stubborn and that need to be chopped off. You cannot pull the hair for long as the rabbit will get hurt and will not sit calmly after that. So cutting that part makes sense as rabbit fur will grow soon.
Nail clippers are an obvious part of this kit. Rabbits have long nails that keep growing. The wild rabbits usually get to use their claws for lots of reasons and that makes their nails short and clipped in a natural process. But the domestic rabbits do not need to climb the trees or make burrows every day, so their nails need to be clipped after a certain interval. The nail clipper should be a hardy one that will cut off the hard claws of the rabbit.
Q tips and cotton pads are a must, as sometimes there can be injuries and blood spills which can be managed with the help of cotton pads, etc. Also, keep handy a styptic pencil which is needed when there is any scratch or cut.
How should you start grooming the pet rabbit?
The rabbit, when you decide to groom it, should be in a calm and composed condition. If you find that the rabbit is feeling agitated for some reason or not sitting in one place, then try grooming some other day. Grooming is something that the rabbits enjoy, especially the brushing part. This should be done every other day.
Brushing makes their fur coat healthy and shiny. Also, it helps the rabbit to enjoy the session, so brushing should be done first in the grooming period. Nail clipping is alarming for the rodents so you should not try to clip the nails first as it will get them annoyed.
After brushing the body is done thoroughly you should proceed with the checking of various body parts of the rabbit. The leg, bottom part of the body, and the belly should be well checked for scratches or cuts. There can be marks of such injuries due to the fighting among them.
The smell of the rabbit should be checked, usually, they do not smell bad, but if they do, that means their scent glands are clogged and need your attention and cleaning.
Claws need to be checked to see if there is dirt clogged there or if the toenails need clipping and trimming. When the body parts are all checked and found dry, then you need not do anything and leave the pet.
Why my rabbits are biting each other fur?
Rabbits groom each other when they bond well and also sometimes when they want to show the hierarchy. But the result may not always be a pleasant one. From licking each other’s body to biting each others’ fur, it is called barbering. This is a harmful habit and should be prevented from the beginning.
Usually, the grooming is done by the docile rabbit and towards the dominant rabbit, But barbering is just the opposite, it is when the dominant one starts attacking the docile rabbit. Sometimes a docile and submissive rabbit can act violently when it is facing stress, anxiety, or depression for some reason.
Barbering or biting the fur off each other is not a negligible habit as it can lead to serious problems. There can be permanent and serious damage to the fur coat and the health of the rabbits if they keep doing such things with each other.
How to identify the excessive grooming of rabbits?
As we have just now discussed the grooming habits of the rabbits, this can be identified by checking the body and condition of the fur coat of the rabbits. You may see a part of the fur coat getting bald patches which is most of the time a result of the barbering or over-grooming.
Separating the rabbits, in this case, will help them. Sometimes rabbits are unable to bear the presence of each other and they should not live together. You should not force them to live in the same cage as that will make them hurt each other and even themselves.
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