Hairballs in Rabbits

Hairballs in rabbits can become very dangerous and possibly lead to death if not treated when first spotted. This is more likely to happen in malting season as this is when they are loosing more fur and cleaning themselves more frequently which means that they are more likely to digest lots of fur causing what is also known as a fur ball. This is quite a rare condition in domestic bunnies yet there is still a risk.

They may become dehydrated so you have to be aware of this as well as this could lead to death from becoming dehydrated. Make sure they always have access to lots of fresh water everyday.

The domestic bunnies which are kept indoors are at more of a risk as they are in a 'warm house which the heat can cause them to malt more then ones which are outside. If you do keep your bunny indoors, remember to groom them everyday (especially if they are long haired which should be groomed everyday anyways) but if they are outdoor you won't have to groom them that much in the winter but you will have to everyday in the summer.

When your bunny malts, it starts at the top of the forehead and goes right down the body and can sometimes last up to several weeks and they can appear malting continuously. They will malt twice a year, but if they are indoors it can be quite a few years.


Symptoms - The symptoms for hairballs in rabbits includes:

Smaller or fewer droppings, droppings which contain quite a bit of hair and your bunny is unwillingly to move around freely.


Treatment/Prevention - They will need lots of fiber in their diet so make sure that lots is available at ALL times. This will help keep your bunnies digestive system moving. You should make sure that you brush them AT LEAST once a day to get rid of the molting hair so they won't digest it. If you think your bunnies digestive system is slowing, make sure that you take them to the vets immediately as this could lead to gut stasis.

I hope this post helps you to know more about hairballs in rabbits and that you now have a better understanding. Here are some bunny products which I thought you may like! take a look if you are interested: