Spring Creek Gems®
Netherland Dwarf Rabbits
"The Gem of the Fancy"
East Tennessee
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GROOMING
Netherlands don't require a lot of grooming as a rule. Their short sleek fur will generally keep itself. There are some things you'll need to do regularly, and some tools to do them.
Your hands: One of the best grooming tools. Petting keeps the fur sleek, and helps remove dead loose hair. You can dampen your hands to catch more. The natural oils on your skin will add gloss. Molting bunnies may have tufts of loose wool sticking out all over. Just pull the tufts out with your fingers.
Slicker brush: This type of brush has fine wire bristles with an angle at the end. This is useful for molting bunnies. It pulls out loose wool very easily. It can also loosen gunk on soiled fur. Be careful. The bristles are sharp. Don't dig too deeply against the bunny's skin.
Softer brush: A small human hairbrush is good for light grooming.
Nail clippers: There are many different types of animal nail clippers. In a pinch, you can use your own fingernail clippers. I like the kind made for small dogs and shaped like scissors. It can be hard to tell where the quick (the blood vein) is on dark colored nails. It takes some practice. As a rule, trimming the nail to the fur length on the toes is safe. For small jrs, just snip off the sharp points as it can be very hard to see such small nails. If you do draw blood, don't worry. The bunny won't bleed to death. A steptic pencil is handy, but I just apply pressure with a clean tissue until the bleeding stops.
Small scissors: Handy to remove hardened stuff on fur, mats, etc.
Cleaning. Rabbits generally keep themselves clean, but caged bunnies are subject to conditions they can't always keep up with. Bucks spray, and this nasty stuff can be reflected off their cage walls onto themselves or their neighbors. It's especially frustrating for white fur. It can stain and be nearly impossible to remove. Clean stained fur as soon as it's noticed. Once it's set in, it probably won't come out until they molt. Another issue may be dirty tail. I see this most with bunnies that tend to be fat. It's as if they are too pudgey to reach the tail, or that they eliminate to close to the wire or cage wall. It could be caused by a bout of diarrhea. Loose wool from molting can be a cause as well. I also see it on kits that spend too much time in the nestbox. Baby bunnies have woolier fur and it tends to hold stuff. This is a reason I remove the nestbox at about 3 weeks of age. Manure and urine can become stuck to the fur and will continue to build up if not removed. It can cause infection. Dry "dingle balls" can be pulled out with your fingers. I keep a small pair of scissors handy for the balls that just won't come out. It may take a more aggressive approach to remove a messy build-up. I hold a rabbit's tail under warm running water, and work the mess out with my fingers. This will usually get most of it. A safe shampoo can help get the rest. Make sure the rabbit is as dry as possible before you take it back outside to cooler temps. If it's very cold, you may want to keep it inside until dry. It's not recommended to ever completely submerse a rabbit in water.
Shampoo or fur conditioners: "Classic Coat" is a solution recommended for cleaning rabbit fur, and available through rabbit supply dealers. It's safe, and may help brighten stained fur. It also adds a nice gloss for the show table. I use it full strength for stained fur. I carry a small spray bottle of Classic Coat diluted by half with water to shows. I spray a bit on my hands and rub onto the coat. Then brush the fur both forward and backwards to get it well distributed. Then brush with the soft brush, and finish with a good petting.
Tattoo Tool and Ink: A rabbit that is to be shown will need a permanent ear number tattoo in its left ear. The number identifies the rabbit. It can be numbers, letters, or a series of both. ND's ears are small, and it's best to keep the number short. You can tat a name in a longer ear. Ear numbers are helpful for keeping track of rabbits that are all the same color such as BEW or REW. Ink is usually black, and made by several manfacturers. India Ink is a recommended type. There are 3 types of tattoo tools.
~ Clamp: This is a heavy plyer style of clamp. A clamp kit usually comes with a set of letters and/or numbers. The digits are made up of sharp pins, and slide into the clamp. The clamp is quickly and firmly pressed on the ear to create small holes in the shape of the digits. Ink is then rubbed into the holes to create the tattoo. The tat will appear as a series of dots. Painful for the rabbit.
~ Battery Operated: This is a pen shaped tool that runs on batteries. The needle is moved quickly up and down by the small motor. The needle is dipped in ink and the tat is written as with a pen. The tat will look like it was written in magic marker. Less painful. Requires a steady hand.
~ Touch-up Pen: A simple pen or dowel with a needle inserted in one end. The needle is dipped in ink. An entire tat can be made by making dots in the shape of the digits. Most often used to touch-up a faded tat. Also useful for a small temporary mark to identify kits. The mark can be later tattooed over with the permanent ear number.
~ Controlling the bunny: Because tattoos are painful, you'll need a way to control the rabbit. It helps if you have someone to hold the rabbit while you do the tat. For a clamp tattoo, the bunny must not be confined too tightly. It must be able to jerk and jump or it could break its back. For the pen or touch-up style, you can wrap the bunny in a towel or "bunny bag", or have someone hold it firmly for you.
Related Info: Glossary; Links
* DISCLAIMER * This article was written from personal experience and opinion, and some input from other breeders. It is intended as a guide only. Other breeders may disagree or have other methods.
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