How to Groom a Mini Rex Rabbit

A medium-sized rabbit with a gentle, friendly disposition, the mini rex is prized for its soft, velvety coat. Most rabbit breeds have coats composed of three layers of hair -- a dense, warm undercoat; protected by long, coarse hairs known as secondary guard hairs; then a top layer of even longer hair, the primary guard hair. In mini rex rabbits, the primary guard hairs have been bred out and the secondary guard hairs reduced to the same length as the undercoat. Like all other rabbits, the mini rex requires regular grooming to keep its coat in top condition.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft grooming brush
  • Nail clippers
  • Cotton wool (raw cotton) pads and balls
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Instructions

    • 1

      Brush your rabbit weekly with a soft grooming brush, starting from the head and working in the direction of the coat. Avoid sensitive areas such as eyes, ears and spine.

    • 2

      Use your fingers to drag out any areas of loose hair. Rabbits shed every three months, and although mini rex rabbits lose their coats gradually, you may still see loose tufts of hair around the back legs and stomach.

    • 3

      Check the rabbit's nails every six to eight weeks. House rabbits that live on carpet and smooth surfaces don't have the opportunity to wear their nails down naturally, so they must be clipped to prevent them growing unnaturally long and putting stress on the rabbit's joints. Examine the claw to find the blood supply -- a dark triangle coming down from the base of the claw. Clip the nail off below this point.

    • 4

      Clean your rabbit's ears. Use a veterinarian-prescribed ear cleaner and a soft cotton wool pad. Squeeze a few drops of cleaner onto the pad, and gently clean the base of the inside of the ear, taking care not to push the pad into the ear canal. If lots of wax comes away on the pad, repeat the process.

    • 5

      Check your bunny's eyes, and remove any tear residue with a cotton wool ball dipped in saline solution. Repeated tear stains can indicate eye problems and should be checked by a veterinarian.