Rescued Satin Angora question

Lilandra · #1 05/15/10, 05:18 PM

I got a satin angora rabbit from a kid who didn't brush it the entire winter. This rabbit was one HUGE matted mess. I took a sheep trimmer to the poor dear and cut all his fur off within an inch of his skin then I brushed the remaining mats and pulled the loose wool.
PROBLEM: bare spots and dry skin
his hair is growing in but not the angora fur in some spots.
will his coat even out eventually or is he destined to be a mutant looking half angora half standard fur messy rabbit?

rabbitgeek · #2 05/15/10, 09:09 PM

He might be molting which would be the reason for the bare patches.

If he has flakey skin, that might be wool/fur mites which can be treated with ivermectin.

Have a good day!

RiverPines · #3 05/15/10, 10:07 PM

When clipped after being so matted they will look awful with bald spots and what looks like just hair growing in. No worry. For one the wool for fiber is the under coat, especially in Satin Angoras. They have guard hair. Some have a lot of guard hair, some very little. The rabbit is actually doing it right, getting back the protective guard hairs first. The wool will grow back in in time.

The flaking skin is normal when angoras have been matted badly. Dont worry about it. Keep the bunny matt free and the skin will heal and balance back out.
Under matts the skin cant shed dead cells or dirt. It turns into bad dander and the skin does get drier. Now that the dander can fall away and the skin can breath it will self heal.

It will seem worse than what its is for about 3 months.

I have rescued several angoras in lousy shape like this. Thats how I got my number one English breeder! He was a mess but 2 years later he is fabulous!

Lilandra · #4 05/16/10, 10:39 AM

THANKS!
the little guy is just a wonderful rabbit, he comes up to me when I feed him and the gang and still wants to be cuddled even after several long days of brushing him. He got out of his cage when I first got him and paid a visit to my satin doe (my rabbits are in a modified colony set up segregated by sex, in goat style stalls with wire tops) now he's a father of several cute bunnies. I am glad to hear his looks are temporary.