Grooming Lionhead Rabbits – The Complete Guide
Rabbits are pretty good at grooming themselves, however lionhead rabbits need some extra help due to their long fur. Grooming is essential especially in the shedding period, if you don’t want all your home covered in rabbit fur.
Grooming a lionhead rabbit is a bit different compared to dogs, however with a little practice and a good guide, you will be able to make this pleasant for your bunny.
Grooming Lionhead Rabbits
In the following I’m sharing with you the complete guide on how to groom your lionhead rabbit and how to keep your pet calm during this process.
1. Brushing
Brushing is the most important part of grooming when it comes to lionhead rabbits, as they have long and heavy fur. Brushing is essential as it avoids constipation or even respiratory issues.
At the beginning, the brush type will depend a lot on your pet and what it is happy to tolerate. Some owners start with brushing gloves as these seem more like petting tools rather than brushing ones.
However, such gloves are not able of removing the undercoat loose fur. That is why eventually switching to a proper de-shedding brush is highly recommended. An excellent tool is the FURminator brush.
This is quite practical as it reaches all the way to undercoat fur and it safely stores all the excessive fur without releasing it into the air. The FURminator brush is super-adaptable to brushing lionhead rabbits, but the biggest challenge will be making your rabbit accept it.
Start by sitting down and making the rabbit come into a petting position. Try petting it first with your bare hands and slowly introduce the brush into one hand, using the other hand to pet it.
Brush from the head downwards, in the fur’s direction. You can try switching the direction at some point and see how your rabbit reacts. Once you see tufts of fur coming out, simply collect them with your hand.
2. Trimming
Many lionhead owners need to do some extra hair maintenance apart from brushing, as this breed has particularly long fur. Occasional trimming is, therefore, an inevitable part of their grooming process.
A simple pair of scissors will do fine. Start by sitting down again, but this time try bringing your pet into your lap. This will ensure that your pet is super-steady when you hold it, and it does not make any sudden moves.
Cut out the excessive length of the fur slowly, starting from the top and doing micro movements. You do not have to be a hair stylist here, so do not worry about ruining your rabbit’s haircut. Here is a super-helpful video showing how simple trimming is.
Trimming should be performed occasionally, once you notice there is excessive length in the fur.
3. Trimming Nails
Nail-trimming is probably one of the scariest grooming parts for every pet owner and it is often avoided. However, with today’s amazingly safe products it is not that complicated (or dangerous) anymore. Also, it is essential both for your rabbit health and for the well-being of your furniture.
One of such products is the JOFUYU Pet Nail Clipper, which is remarkably similar to the clippers that veterinarians use. It allows an easy trimming performance, and it follows the natural shape of their nails.
If you have a partner who can help you trimming nails, it is probably easier to do in two. Pet your rabbit first, to ensure it is calm and steady. The most important thing when trimming nails is keeping the rabbit steady and not to cut their quick, which is a visible vein growing through their nails.
Wrap your arms around your rabbit and gently pull out the paw you wish to groom. Once you see the quick and know where it ends, simply clip the nail under such point.
Nail trimming schedule depends entirely on how fast their nails grow. Make sure to provide enough scratching and digging points for your rabbit and this will make nails grow slower.
4. Cleaning Ears
Some rabbits grow wax residues into their ears, and this can harm their health. Doing regular ear inspections is essential, but it is better not to perform ear cleaning unless you consult your veterinarian first.
Once your vet suggests the right cleaning solution, you should pour some into your rabbit’s ears. To do that safely, it is suggestable to ask your partner for help. Also, try wrapping the body of your rabbit into a towel to avoid any sudden movements. Gently massage the bottom of the ears once the cleaning solution is inside, and then clean ears out with a cotton ball.
5. Teeth Cleaning
Some owners like cleaning their rabbit’s teeth with the use of appropriate products. However, we find that offering them the right choices of food is more than enough. Natural sunlight is just as important to make their teeth strong and healthy.
Also, it is good to do occasional check-ups to make sure they are not growing in.
How Often to Brush Your Lionhead Rabbit?
Try brushing your lionhead at least 2 or 3 times each week and prepare yourself for daily brushing during their shedding seasons.
Their heavy fur sheds at least two times per year, and these are usually heavy sheds. Lionhead rabbits can shed even more frequently, especially when living indoors all the time.
Can You Give a Lionhead Rabbit a Bath?
Giving lionhead rabbits a bath is never a good idea, as they do not seem to like being soaked into water.
Also, they have heavy fur and being wet can bring to serious health complications. Instead, try performing some spot cleaning or dry baths if your rabbit gets dirty.
How to Calm Your Lionhead Rabbit while Grooming?
If your rabbit is agitated even after following all the previously explained tricks for calming it down, try placing a light towel or cloth over its head.
Not seeing what is happening around them can often calm them down quite successfully. And make sure to double-check they can breathe normally.
Wrapping Up
Regular grooming is really important for rabbits. Not only this helps preventing some serious health complications, but it also makes their lives easier.
On top of that, grooming is a good occasion to check on their general health and spot some unwanted changes.
