Why Is My Dwarf Rabbit Chewing on Herself?

The dwarf rabbit is an European breed of domestic rabbit. The dwarf rabbit is characterized by its small size, which is caused by a specific dwarf gene. Due to its small size, the dwarf rabbit is prone to certain health issues, which can lead to self-chewing. The dwarf rabbit is also prone to general skin problems, which can lead to chewing and biting.

  1. Urine Burn

    • Your dwarf rabbit's legs are short in relation to her body. In some cases, this disproportion can lead to problems with urinating. Rabbits that have difficulty urinating cleanly may suffer from urine burn, where the caustic constituents of urine irritate the skin. This irritation can lead to your rabbit chewing at the fur around her belly in order to achieve relief. If left untreated, the irritated skin will most likely become infected, given its proximity to the urine.

    Molar Spurs

    • Rabbit teeth grow at a particularly fast rate and to prevent them from over-growing, rabbits typically chew on grass to wear the teeth down. Because the dwarf rabbit has a smaller head in relation to the size of its teeth, molar spurs are more common, as it takes less time for the molar to over-grow. Molar spurs can cause your rabbit to drool, which causes irritation to the fur around the mouth. If your rabbit is chewing at the fur on her face and attempting to bite at the fur close to her mouth, molar spurs are a probable cause. If you suspect your dwarf rabbit is suffering from molar spurs, consult your veterinarian.

    Eczema

    • Eczema is a skin condition that causes the skin to become flaky, dry and in severe cases, raw and bloody. While eczema typically affects most rabbit breeds, it is a particularly serious issue with dwarf rabbits due to their habit of obsessively grooming. By attempting to clean the affected area, a dwarf rabbit is likely to compound the issue, leading to infection. Once infected, a likely response is obsessive chewing of the itchy area.

    Mites

    • Mites are small parasites that burrow underneath the skin. A mite infestation typically leads to mange, an infected inflammation of the skin. The inflammation can be extremely uncomfortable for your dwarf rabbit and is likely to lead self-biting.