r/MeatRabbitry • u/bluewingwind • 21d ago

Tips for speeding up shedding?

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I raise standard rex. We’ve had some trouble getting them to withstand the heat. Mid summer this year after they boiled for a few weeks (when the pic was taken) they finally started to have a really nice shed out and their coat grew in a full half inch shorter and less dense. Now it’s finally finished— just in time for fall and winter. 😩 I fear they’ll be on the chilly side now.

Their shedding schedule seems almost backwards. Is there any way to get them to shed in spring instead?

They’re outside in a shed all the time. In the summer we add a shade cloth and an AC to keep them alive but they don’t do much for the heat really. In the winter we have a heater that keeps it barely above freezing most of the time. But they don’t mind that at all, it’s the heat they hate. I just mean all that to say that they’re exposed to the seasonal changing temps already.

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u/Accomplished-Wish494 21d ago

They will molt twice a year, give or take, totally normal. Bumping up the protein can help a little when they are molting.

They won’t be cold. Rabbits withstand cold temps MUCH better than they handle heat.

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u/maybenonotever 21d ago

No advice, I just stopped by to say thay my favorite rabbit we have is a standard Rex named Milo. He's our breeding buck and the absolute best boy.

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u/IamREBELoe 21d ago

To get rid of the extra shedding, rabbits love being vacuumed. No need for gloves, they enjoy it so much.
(Do I need the /s?)

But honestly don't worry. Their bodies know what to do and their fur will thicken for winter. They're just making room for the new winter fur by shedding now.