WyoWool
Active member
Has anyone had success in getting a young rabbit to stop chewing it’s wool?
Purchased a new JW doe bunny (who should grow into a cornerstone of our shaded line!) however the stress during the road trip with her breeder to the show we were attending apparently caused her to chew both entire flanks while in her travel carrier on the drive. She also chewed off her sister’s fur on the drive, according to Breeder. Breeder has asked me to give her some time as the thinking is “maybe she’ll grow out of it” as she is still young.
This little doe has continued to bite off all the guard hair and the tips of her wool on both sides of her body leaving essentially only 1/4 inch of wool close to her body with a Mohawk strip of hair she can’t seem to get to in the very center midline down her spine since we’ve had her. Nothing seems to be able to grow in, her teeth find it first. Belly fur is completely fine, as are legs and neck. No signs of dandruff or allergies. We did treat prophylactically with Ivermectin paste in case fur mites were an issue, but no change.
She gets unlimited hay. Has a 24x46 (that’s not a typo) cage. Has more toys than any other rabbit here, at least 10 in her cage at any given time and they get rotated. Eats 18% protein pellets. Has great neighbors surrounding her. Also has a dark cave box to hide whenever she wants. The radio plays soft music. My rabbitry is air conditioned.
Is there anything I’m not doing??? Am I missing something? I really don’t want to give up the genes on this young lady, but I am not going to perpetuate and get a litter of fur chewers born to a half bald momma either.
I am on the fence about completely shaving her and starting over (would that even help? Or irritate her more?) or maybe even sewing her a body suit to see if that would help.
She doesn’t at all seem like a nervous wreck. She is actually a calm, inquisitive, and interactive junior doe~ one of the sweetest we have.
Purchased a new JW doe bunny (who should grow into a cornerstone of our shaded line!) however the stress during the road trip with her breeder to the show we were attending apparently caused her to chew both entire flanks while in her travel carrier on the drive. She also chewed off her sister’s fur on the drive, according to Breeder. Breeder has asked me to give her some time as the thinking is “maybe she’ll grow out of it” as she is still young.
This little doe has continued to bite off all the guard hair and the tips of her wool on both sides of her body leaving essentially only 1/4 inch of wool close to her body with a Mohawk strip of hair she can’t seem to get to in the very center midline down her spine since we’ve had her. Nothing seems to be able to grow in, her teeth find it first. Belly fur is completely fine, as are legs and neck. No signs of dandruff or allergies. We did treat prophylactically with Ivermectin paste in case fur mites were an issue, but no change.
She gets unlimited hay. Has a 24x46 (that’s not a typo) cage. Has more toys than any other rabbit here, at least 10 in her cage at any given time and they get rotated. Eats 18% protein pellets. Has great neighbors surrounding her. Also has a dark cave box to hide whenever she wants. The radio plays soft music. My rabbitry is air conditioned.
Is there anything I’m not doing??? Am I missing something? I really don’t want to give up the genes on this young lady, but I am not going to perpetuate and get a litter of fur chewers born to a half bald momma either.
I am on the fence about completely shaving her and starting over (would that even help? Or irritate her more?) or maybe even sewing her a body suit to see if that would help.
She doesn’t at all seem like a nervous wreck. She is actually a calm, inquisitive, and interactive junior doe~ one of the sweetest we have.
