Trim Whiskers

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This topic has 11sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by BanditCamp.

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- 04/20/2017 at 12:59 PM
  VelvetLopBunz
  Participant
  40 posts
  Some of Velvet’s whiskers are looking a bit frayed and curly on the ends. It’s kind of like when my hair gets split ends, I know it’s time for a trim. So I thought can I trim the very ends of a few whiskers. I’m not talking cutting them off or anything like that, but just trim off damaged looking ends.
- 04/20/2017 at 1:53 PM
  Paige
  Participant
  149 posts
  Hmm i dont think it would hurt Velvet but his(her?) whiskers are another one of their senses, but as long you dont cut too much it should be fine
  I have cut a few on accident on my nun Peter when cutting out mats on his face , he was fine afterward
- 04/20/2017 at 2:13 PM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  I find the concept of whisker trimming a little bizarre! Never heard of that before.
- 04/20/2017 at 2:51 PM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  I wonder if that would change their depth perception since they feel with their whiskers.
- 04/20/2017 at 3:03 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  You shouldnt. Rabbits use those to feel around, and with their horrible eye sight, whiskers are needed. Any length you cut them too could effect your bunny in a negative way. Some rabbits/breeds are also prone to curly, wavy, or otherwise not straight whiskers
- 04/20/2017 at 3:29 PM
  Paige
  Participant
  149 posts
  Mikey
  But i assume that it would be bad for the whiskers to keep growing damaged?
- 04/20/2017 at 3:51 PM
  pinknfwuffy
  Participant
  660 posts
  Their whiskers fall out or break off naturally. I’ve found a few in Olaf’s cage. I would just leave them be. They’re either growing in that way on their own or being bent when he/she sleeps on them. Over time they’ll be replaced.
- 04/20/2017 at 3:53 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16877 posts
  I don’t think it’d be bad for whiskers to keep growing damaged. They just grow to a certain, genetically programmed, length and then they fall off.
  Some breeds of dogs get their whiskers trimmed for aesthetic reasons (poodles f ex), but it’s purely because humans have decided they look better without whiskers.
  
  Bam once burned off his whiskers on one side. I had a tea light burning on the table and Bam climbed up and curiosity killed his whiskers. But they grew back just fine and I learnt to always put tea lights in lanterns.
- 04/20/2017 at 3:56 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  Paige, some rabbits/breed naturally have nonstraight whiskers, so abnormally shaped whiskers are not a problem As the others said, whiskers will grow to a length and then fall out. Just wait for them to fix naturally
- 04/20/2017 at 5:48 PM
  Paige
  Participant
  149 posts
  Oh i had no idea that they fall out, okay that makes more sense thank you all !
- 04/21/2017 at 10:26 PM
  Q8bunny
  Participant
  6345 posts
  Leave them until they fall out. They help with ‘depth perception’ when navigating territory. Think of them as a cane for the blind – the longer the whiskers, the more advance warning a bun has regarding what’s in front of their face (where there’s a total blind spot)
- 04/22/2017 at 9:46 AM
  BanditCamp
  Participant
  451 posts
  Whiskers are higly senisitive. Cutting them is a bad thing they will call off naturally, my bunny has long whiskers too but whiskers play an important role is letting a rabbit know they will not fit somewhere. They also let a bunny gauge distance and know if there’s an edge or a drop they they can’t see below them.
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