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Forum DIET & CARE Grooming long haired buns

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    • katiep
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        I wanted to see if anyone has any tips on grooming long haired buns.  Smokey is a Jersey Wooley.  When we got her, her hair wasn’t too long she was just a bit longer than normal.  When she became in adult it became much longer and now has a thicker under coat.  I try to keep up with the brushing but it doesn’t help when you have a bunny that does not like it and an owner who is inexperienced at grooming a long coat.  I have had to take her to the vet to be groomed twice because it became too matted since she has become an adult.  I’m not trying to be a bad bunny mommy but I don’t know what to do.  I can’t afford to continue to pay $50 each time to get her groomed and I need to do it myself but she absolutely hates it and starts to bite after 10 minutes.  And 10 minutes every few days is not enough to keep up.  I use a slicker which seems to only brush the top coat and i use a metal pet comb to try and get the undercoat but thats when she starts to bite.  My husband has tries to hold her still while I comb as fast as I can to get as much done as possible but she gets all riled up and bites him.  We’ve tried covering her head while we groom but she still gets squirmy and bites through the towel.  I felt that she has two mats right now that are a little bigger than a quarter on her shoulder blade area that I attempted to get losened but she was not having it.  The vet showed me how to do it, hold the tangle by the base of the skin and tangle and work it little by little.  However, this take awhile and Smokey is not patient enough for this.  This is why I’m turning to the forum to get some help.  Any tips will be greatly appreciated!    Here are pictures taken of her!  Just so you all have an idea what I’m working with.

         

         


      • bunnytowne
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          What a beautiful girl she is.     Ah you have  quite the dilema there.    For undercoats  and long hair I like to use the hairbuster comb.  They have a website put in hairbuster comb and it should show up.

          As far as her biting and squirming around.  For one thing you said she is an adult I take it about 1 year or so.   Well…. I find that when I put the bunny on a high table or even the kitchen counter they tend to behave better.   So you may try that if you haven’t already. 

          Also give her a few treats to hopefully keep her occupied for a little bit  and that may help her come around in time to sitting still for grooming time. 

          It isnt easy with an upset bunny.    Perhaps you can also groom her a few times a day for a short period of time as well.

          The slicker brush is a good brush too but no it doesn’t get into the under coat.


        • katiep
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            Thanks! She knows she’s beautiful too, thats part of the problem…she is a PRINCESS! I do have a comb that is like that…a little smaller for easier use and to pick out the mats. It’s just difficult when Smokey doesn’t want to do something and you do….she wins. I will try grooming a few short times when I feel a mat coming on. Unfortunately, when my bunnies are out of their pen they do not eat. No treats, not even their favorite treats! I wish that would work, i would give her a few extra raisins to get a good combing in! Thanks for the advice!!


          • katiep
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              I just wanted to post back and say I took your advice bunnytowne! Usually my husband and I groom her on the coffee table with a towel underneath her. But she sees the ground and it isn’t too far up so she gets nippy and fussy. So this morning I put her on the kitchen counter with a towel and I got both mats (mostly) out! She actually groomed me and didn’t nip like “please mommy, i love you, i’m done!” so i finished with the little piece of mat I was working on and thats it. I will groom her again in a few days to give her a little rest but it’s mostly out! It worked SO much better! Thank you so much again!


            • Lintini
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                Hey Katiep, I have a persian cat with very VERY similar problems to yours. He has a really long top coat and super fuzzy undercoat and it’s a complete disaster. And like you, I have to keep up with it because 100$ groomer trips just aren’t practical for me when I can do it myself.

                I really like this comb called the furminator –

                http://www.furminator.com/

                I think you can pick it up and any petstore, it works miracles on heavy coats. If this isn’t available to you I recommend any brush that looks like a rake that you pick up leaves with.

                I use this comb on mats

                http://www.petco.com/product/14590/Four-Paws-Ultimate-Touch-Mat-Removing-Combs.aspx

                I think these brushes will probably help you more, the biggest thing is to just keep at it or it gets out of control very quickly. I would do 10min sessions every day. She will get used to it when you groom her on a regular basis, and you can give her treats say after, 5min, then at 10min and make it a routine, but not a horrible experience. Then after the grooming you can sit her on your lap for awhile and use it as a bonding experience for you so that good comes after the grooming. Well, good luck and keep at it, long hair is hard to take care of!

                This is Gandalf, I have to brush him every day


              • bunnytowne
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                  OH wow.  Yes I can imagine that cat needing a groom every day.  Pretty cat.

                  Glad it worked for  you on the counter.  Cotton is the only bun that takes food from my hand when not in the cage. Ruby won’t take it til she is in the cage or it is on the floor of her play area.   Frustrating isnt’ it.

                  Wow she really calmed down for you getting the matt out.  Thats good. 


                • katiep
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                    wow! beautfiul kitty!! adorable picture! I think i’ve bought almost every comb out there! From a flea comb to a furbuster! My vet (who has done the grooming) recommended just a metal comb which is what i’m using to get mats out and a slicker for the top coat. I asked my vet about that de-shedder brush (the first one you had listed Lintini) and she had said that it could be bad for a bunny’s skin because it has a blade underneath the comb. I guess a rabbits skin is even more sensitive than a cats. I would love to have all that extra fur out like on those commercials though! <> Wish I could shave her sometimes! But being fluffy is important to Smokey, she got mad once when we cut the mats out and she had bald spots. She gave us bunny butt for a week or so! I’m just going to continue to brush her on the counter as its what works. 4 out of 6 of my bunnies will take treats outside the cage, unfortunately not Smokey…. but thanks for you advice everyone!!!! Smokey’s fur and skin greatly appreciate it! One more grooming thing, how do you groom the skirted area around the feet and tail?


                  • Lintini
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                      Yea I can see the problem then, most de-shedder and mat spliter combs can be sharp. I also use a metal comb as well as one that looks like a rake. It was trial and error with us and the groomer directed us to what she used on him. The biggest thing is just keeping up with grooming everyday. I’m glad to hear bunnytownes idea worked!

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                  Forum DIET & CARE Grooming long haired buns