Rabbit hair loss / biting?
Adrian M asked:
Hi, we have a 4yo Netherland dwarf neutered male. We recently got him a female friend she was about 8 weeks old at the time but is now about 3months. They seem to get on well but we have started noticing a bald patch on the Male behind his head. We notice that the Female is always ‘grooming’ him around this area and often she seems to be quite intense so we’re sure it is her that’s doing it. But it doesn’t seem to be a fighting thing just over agresive grooming. Do you know if there’s anything we can do?
Caffeinated Content
Hi, we have a 4yo Netherland dwarf neutered male. We recently got him a female friend she was about 8 weeks old at the time but is now about 3months. They seem to get on well but we have started noticing a bald patch on the Male behind his head. We notice that the Female is always ‘grooming’ him around this area and often she seems to be quite intense so we’re sure it is her that’s doing it. But it doesn’t seem to be a fighting thing just over agresive grooming. Do you know if there’s anything we can do?
Caffeinated Content
April 24th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Kansieo.com
I do know that female rabbits usually pluck fur to line their nests with. I’ve only experienced the female plucking her own fur (usually from her front, aroudn the chest) – but maybe they can also pluck it from other rabbits? (actually I should say warren, not nest – they pluck it to line their warren with)
April 27th, 2009 at 2:48 am
Caffeinated Content
~x~ it could be fleas or just a skin condiction ur gonna have to take him to the vets ASAP! good luck an hope he gets better soon x ~x~
April 30th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Create a video blog
This happened to my rabbits as well. My female rabbit would always groom underneath by male rabbits ears and he began to bald. It did not effect his health so all I did was when I saw her grooming excessively there, I gave her a little tap to shoo her away and she eventually learned to not groom him there ( the hair should grow back). I would also speak to your vet because it could not be the grooming but fleas, ticks, or skin disease.
May 1st, 2009 at 6:55 am
Create a video blog…instantly.
Most new pet rabbit owners with good intentions think it is a good idea to get a second rabbit to put in with their first rabbit as “company” for the first rabbit. Although the idea is good intentioned, it is not a good thing to do. Rabbits tend to fight or chew fur among a number of different other things that can cause one or both rabbits health problems. The female is probably chewing and eating the male’s fur, thus resulting in the bald spot. It is commonly seen in baby rabbits that are left together or with their mother for too long. Often you’ll see fur chewed right off of the mother’s face. Then people wonder if their rabbit has fur mites or fleas.
Another problem that can occur is due to one of the rabbits chasing the other. Due to the constant chasing, this can make one or both rabbits turn thin. Also, by the constant running around, it can cause one or both rabbits to get sore hocks on their feet, especially if the rabbits are kept on a wire floored cage. Wire floored cages are great to keep your rabbit in if it is a medium or small breed provided you don’t keep the rabbits penned together.
You also might notice knicks on one of the rabbits ears (ear chewing), bumps on the rabbits back (back biting), or part of the tail missing (tail chewing). These are all things that can happen when two rabbits are put together.
I recommend separating the two rabbits.