Holland Lop Rabbit Grooming

Rabbit Grooming Information For Showing Rabbits

ARBA Has Rules

Grooming is regulated by ARBA. So it is important that you do not add anything to coat your rabbit's fur to add an artificial luster or texture. Luckily, you can have great success with just the basics: nail clipping, brushing, and removing stains.

How To Clip Rabbit Nails

Start by clipping nails, if you didn't do this at home. I always mean to, but things can get busy in the barn just before a show.

You can use cat nail clippers or small dog clippers. Visit the grooming supplies page of Precious Pet Rabbits to see the clippers I recommend.

Cradle the rabbit in your arm like a baby. Hold his feet one at a time with your cradling hand. Pull back the fur and clip beyond the quick. The quick is easy to see in white-nailed rabbits, so practice on them first. After a while, you can estimate where the quick is on dark nails. Or, you can ask a friend to hold a flashlight behind the nails to illuminate the quick.

If you cut the nails too deeply, they will bleed. It will look more serious than it is. Either use styptic powder to shop the bleeding or put the nail into some flour or cornstarch to begin the clotting.

For long nails, clip just the tips and repeat again in a week. That will allow the quick to recede gradually.

Don't forget the "thumb" nail on the front feet. They can get very long before you realize it, curving in, making it difficult to clip.

Brush Your Rabbit

Use a 4" rabbit brush (or cat slicker) on your rabbit's coat. Take care to remove as much dead fur as possible. Make sure you remove any dried fecal matter, knots, hay, and other stray objects from the fur as you brush. Smaller rabbit brushes are made especially for faces and smaller areas.

Stain Removal

Remove stains next. I like to try peroxide first. It is especially effective on food stains. When I had Mtn's Doni, he kept a food stain between his eyes because his muzzle was so short, he had to press his face against the feeder to get pellet out. But the peroxide cleaned it up perfectly at the beginning of each show.

You can also use a rinse-less rabbit shampoo with whitener such as Classicoat. Spray the stain and use a towel to massage the fur. Then towel dry. Don't forget to re-brush that area when dry. I find that the shampoo works best over several days' use. You may want to start the process during the week before the show.

Final Touches

After the rabbit is brushed, clipped and stain free, dampen your hands slightly and rub down both sides of his or her body to remove dead fur. Continue you rub down and back until no more dead fur flies free.

I also use a static-reducer from Fox Allen Farms. Pandora Allen gave me a sample last fall and I love it. It especially helps fur that is just starting to open, that is, is beginning to die in preparation for a molt. And it makes longish fur look a lot neater.

Holland Lop Rabbit Grooming

Rabbit Grooming Information For Showing Rabbits

Entering Rabbit Shows

Packing for a Show

Before Judging Begins

Grooming Holland Lops

Holland Lop Show Order

The Judging

Path to Best In Show

The Details of Rabbit Shows