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Grooming
Rabbit Grooming Checklist
Weekly grooming tasks to keep your rabbit healthy and comfortable
🧼 Daily Grooming
- Check bottom for soiled fur
- Spot clean if soiled
- Check for wetness or staining
- Look for droppings stuck to fur
- Check for matts around tail area
✂️ Weekly Grooming
- Brushing — Short-haired: 2-3x/week. Long-haired: daily.
- Nail trimming — Every 4-6 weeks
- Ear cleaning — Check for wax, debris, odor
- Teeth check — Overgrown, drooling, eating less
- Anal gland inspection — Clean if needed
- Floor time — Check for bald patches from sitting
🩺 Monthly Health Grooming
- Full coat inspection — matts, parasites, wounds
- Weigh rabbit — record in care log
- Check droppings — normal size and consistency?
- Bottom wash if soiled — use warm water only
- Check for fly strike indicators
📏 Nail Trimming Schedule
| Rabbit Size | Every | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Small (<1kg) | 4 weeks | Small cat clipper or human nail clipper |
| Medium (1-2kg) | 5 weeks | Cat clipper |
| Large (>2kg) | 6 weeks | Dog nail clipper or Dremel |
If you hit the quick (the pink part), use flour or cornstarch to stop the bleeding. Never cut past the quick.
🫧 Fur Types & Brushing
| Fur Type | Brush Frequency | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Short ( Rex, Normal) | 2-3x/week | Rubber zoom groom or soft brush |
| Medium (Satin, Lyra) | 3-4x/week | Slicker brush |
| Long (Angora, Jersey Wooly) | Daily | Steel comb + detangling spray |
Never brush a dirty coat — it pushes debris into the fur. Always brush, then bathe.
⚠️ Grooming Red Flags — See a Vet
- Drooling or wet chin — dental issue
- Very long nails that are curling
- Bald patches with red/inflamed skin
- Matted fur that can't be brushed out
- Foul smell from coat
- Rabbit not grooming themselves
🧼 Before Grooming
Have everything ready before you start:
- Small room or bathroom — easier to catch escapes
- Treats for cooperation
- Brush, comb, nail clippers
- Cornstarch for nails
- Breath freshener — rabbit breath should not smell