My Bunnys fur problem

Question
Hi!
I've had 6 single rabbits in my life, 4 while in midwest and now my 2nd in CA.  Current pet is my first Lop-ear.  I've never seen this before.  He has a great appetite, and behaves normally, but his fur looks just terrible lately.  It is very disheveled all the time, tufts sticking out, no bald spots, and yellowish residue all over back half.  I never see him grooming.  He eats lots of bunny pellets, dried mango, fresh carrots & tops, some alfalfa (doesn't like it much), and daily 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats with some raisins.  We let him run around our yard on weekends.  Brushing doesn't seem to help.  What to do?  

Answer
Dear Rhondi,

If his coat has just started to look this way, it could be that he's starting a shed cycle.  Sounds as if his fur is yellowed from urine stain, which can be because he's spraying (if not neutered) or leaking (if he has a urinary tract infection or bladder stones).  Brushing a bunny is pretty much useless because the fur is so slick.  Better is to moisten your hands and rub the bunny thoroughly.  The fur will come off on your hands, and you can roll it off, then do it over and over until he's cleaner.

Secondly, you need to fix his bad diet.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/feeding.html

for complete information on this.  But from the sound of it, his diet is *way* too high in starch.  This might be contributing to the poor quality of his coat, if he is missing essential nutrients.  Alfalfa hay should be replaced with timothy hay.

For more information on proper bunny care and training, please visit www.rabbit.org

And for a good vet who can neuter your pal, see

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope that helps!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana