white dandruff on male rabbit

Question
Hi,

My male rabbit is six years old and has been getting white dandruff along his spine.  We thought maybe it was walking dandruff.  We took some and layed it on a black paper but we didn't see anything moving.  Everyone we have talked to says rabbits take care of bugs themselves but he does not take care of this.  We have another rabbit and they live in cages next to each other but he doesn't have this.

Answer
Hi,

no, rabbits will not just take care of bugs themselves.  If he has an infestation of something you need to get a diagnosis from a good rabbit vet so he can point you to the medicines that will work that are safe for rabbits (not all are and some can kill them).

I would just take him in for a general wellness exam and show the vet the skin flakes along his back.  He ought to be looked at every year, and at age 6, he is technically considered an older guy and the vet may want to see him every six months to make sure if problems arise, they are caught sooner (will be less expensive and less lethal for your bunny, in the long run).

He may not be drinking enough too, as the weather is getting hotter and his skin may be drying out.  Make sure he's getting enough water.  

If it does turn out to be an infestation of something you'll need to treat both rabbits as they live in close quarters.