My Rabbits nose changed colour

Question
I adopted a rabbit a year ago, who at the time looked young. He didn't grow much since and seems to be fully grown, though I moved recently and for about a week stayed at my new place but went home every day or two to feed him, until everything was moved.  The day I came to get him he was sooooo skinny. I read up on rabbits, cause I have owned rabbits all my life and that sort of thing never happened to me before, and he could have been depressed because I wasn't around like normal, though I have been feeding him alot of fruits and treats to fatten him up, he has gained some weight and is doing fine. But a couple of days ago I noticed that his nose was dark, thinking it just got wet....until last night when I noticed that it actually changed colour (the fur), his nose and all or one side of his nose, I think he is a mix of a palomino and something else, though he hasn't grown as big as one, he eats hay, not pellets like other rabbits which I was told was fine seeing he came from a farm. Do you have any idea why his nose would change colour, is there something wrong?

Answer
Dear Dahlia,

If your bunny is acting fine and eating well, I wouldn't worry about the change of color on his nose.  This time of year is shedding season, and he may be just getting his new summer coat.  New fur is often darker than older fur (which can bleach with time and exposure to light), so eventually the rest of his face might also grow in darker, and gradually fade with time.  It's a cycle.

It's also possible that he's only now expressing a temperature-sensitive mutation (Himalayan trait) in which the cooler "points" of an animal (nose, ears, tail, and paws) grow darker fur because the cooler temperatures in those areas cause more melanin (brown pigment) to be deposited in the developing fur there.

If you're concerned, you could send me a clear digital picture at dana@miami.edu so I can have a look.  But I'm sure it's not something to worry about if the skin looks normal and there's no irritation or wetness.

Hope that helps!

Dana