Since rabbits groom themselves all the time, do rabbits have furballs like cats do?
by 
CatLady
ANSWERS: 11
-
Rabbits do regurgitate fur at intervals that has been ingested when grooming. In order to help this process, we put a very small dab of vaseline on a finger placed on the rabbit's mouth.for them to lick off (they won't like it) every 6 months or so. I've only seen this suggestion in one book, but it works well and keeps the process easy for them. One wouldn't even have a chance to observe this with feral rabbits but domestic rabbits that live in cages will have major clumps of fur in their cages or around their mouth - and this is what is happening and it's natural..
-
Rabbits cannot and do not "vomit" furballs like cats do. They do not have that reflex. Therefore, it is vitally imporant that rabbit companions groom their bunnies regularly, esp. during shedding seasons. Furballs are difficult for the rabbits to pass, can cause obstructions in the stomach and the result can be death due to the delicate gastrointestinal system.
-
Rabbits can get hair balls and some times it will create a hazard, but what I do is I give my rabbits half of an orange in their cage once a month.
-
it is important to brush your rabbit weekly. daily if it is a long haired rabbit such as a angora,lionhead.etc... i give my rabbit a little bit of pinapple juice once a month to prevent the blockage. it wont cure the problem if the rabbit is blocked but it will help to prevent it.
-
Fur can be a serious issue as far as ingestion. Rabbits do indeed groom themselves like cats, however like was said, it cannot be vomitted. This can be ESPECIALLY dangerous in long-haired breeds. I myself keep an English Angora and Jersey Woolies. I lightly mix sunflower seeds (like, bags of birdseed that is all or mostly sunflower seeds) in with their feed. The seeds contain oil, which is a bit of a laxative and can help the rabbit pass things more easily.But be careful, feed in moderation as it can cause diarrhea. Start off with a small bit and work you rway to higher doses to introduce bunny to the seeds. Most rabbits absolutely LOVE the seeds. Most of mine will dig through their feed and make a mess to get to the good stuff. A seperate bowl of seeds may be in order. The sunflower seeds, because they contain oil, are also GREAT to making bunny's fur smooth, soft, and very shiny. Yay for seeds.
-
Rabbits don't need to be groomed once weekly. for short haired rabbits just rub them a lot and pull out gently clumps of shedded fur that are still 'stuck' this way they don't have to do it and get make the hairballs. for angoras youre supposed to blow them so that the hair doesn't matt and brush so it doesn't shed too badly and they get furballs. get a slicker brush for most rabbits and groom when shedding, or you can use one of those grooming gloves
-
Yes, rabbits get fur balls like cats do. To get rid of hair balls give your rabbit some grass or timothy hay twice a week, and give them a little bit of pinapple once a month
-
yes... they will die from ingesting the hair so, be sure to brush the fur every week
-
The fur does build up inside the rabbit but they don't vomit up hairballs like cats as they are incapable of vomiting. You should brush your rabbit often, especially if they are a long haired breed. And you can also use pineapple juice, unsweetened 100% pure pineapple juice, as a treatment for constipation, hairballs, and diarrhea. Feeding good quality hay all the time will help to keep the fiber in your rabbit's diet, too which will help with hairballs.
-
Rabbits don't have fur balls because they can't vomit. Ingested fur is usually mixed in with feces and eliminated. If the fur forms a ball in the stomach it will probably lead to GI Stasis and death. To prevent fur balls and any other obstructions in the digestive system, rabbits should be fed a diet high in fibre. This means good quality, high-fibre pellets, unlimited amounts of grass hay, and appropriate fresh veggies. My vet also recommends papaya enzyme tablets (30 mg) to aid digestion. I don't know about long-haired rabbits, but short-haired rabbits should be groomed during moults so that they don't ingest all their fur. Moults occur every three months or so. I've tried various brushes but find that using my own wet hands works best. Resources: House Rabbit Society http://www.rabbit.org House Rabbit Network http://www.rabbitnetwork.org Rabbit Advocates http://www.adoptarabbit.com/ Ontario Rabbit Education Association http://www.ontariorabbits.org/
-
I used to keep French and English Angoras and my answer would have to be "brush and comb" and hay hay HAY!! My vet recommended timothy hay as alfalfa contains a great deal of protein by comparison which rabbits do not handle as well. I let them free-feed on the hay and cut back a bit on the pellets; plus lots of exercise will keep those bowels moving. An occasional papaya pill (found in the vitamin aisle of any store) or some pineapple was appreciated quite well.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC