my rabbits fur

Question
i have had my male  lionhead rabbit for five years the last 2 months he has started to loss fur i haven't changed his food or bedding wear the hair has gone the skin underneath is fine soft doesn't look red or sore like it has been scratching and there is no sign of any irritation but his back right leg on the overside is totally bald he doesn't come into contact with any other animals it cant be midgets he is a indoor house rabbit i have never seen this malting before would be very happy for any answers thank you collette

Answer
Hi,

first thing, check his weight.  Even if you haven't changed amounts, if he's changed how active he is, he may have gained weight.  If he has fairly short fur on his hocks to begin with, it won't take a great deal of extra weight to start wearing down the fur there.

A good thing to do is weigh him (on a digital postal-type scale that shows ounces) every time you do his nails.  This way every 6-8 weeks you can get used to what his normal weight is and see if he's going up, done, or hovering around the same.  Often it is hard just to gauge by sight.

Second thing is where he rests most of the day, Hard surfaces, wire cage bottoms, or rough carpet, can all help rub off the protective fur on the hocks, where he puts most of his body weight on.  Friction will erode those hairs.

Medical pet bedding from here: http://www.palacepet.com

It is a very plush and soft surface that if very good for rabbits that have short hock fur.  It also keeps dry if they wet on it, so that they won't suffer from urine burn on the skin of their hocks and vent area.

Final thing could be a combo of shedding and over-grooming, but I'd say the above two things are more likely.

And when in doubt, take your boy in to your good regular rabbit vet for a checkup.  If it's been a year or more you should take him in anyway.

If you need to find a good rabbit vet go here:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

to find a House Rabbit Society recommended vet near you.