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Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color

Sara
By Sara . Updated: January 16, 2017
Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color

Rabbits are soft, little, and perfect as a pet in every household. These shy, gentle creatures are just pure delight to hold and cuddle. People who have rabbits as pets sometime become worried when they realize that their rabbit’s fur is changing its color. Most people think that their rabbit is sick or is suffering from some medical condition. But the color change in rabbit’s fur is quite a natural process called molting.

In this article we will know why rabbit’s fur changes color.

You may also be interested in: Why is My Rabbit Aggressive?

A little introduction to rabbits

Earlier rabbits were thought to belong to the rodent family. But recent research have found that rabbits are actually lagomorphs, i.e. plant eating mammals who have fully furred feets and two pairs of upper incisors.

Rabbits shed their fur quite frequently and when the fur regrows back it is soft, clean and there might be slight or complete change in color. Rabbits that are living in their natural habitat instead of being a pet at a household often changes color according to season. The changed color of their fur acts as camouflage and saves them from predators.

Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color - A little introduction to rabbits

Molting in rabbits

Molting in rabbits is the process of losing the fur coat so that a new coat grows back in its place. Molting in rabbits occurs regularly at several stages in its life. Molting in rabbits varies according to their breed and sometimes they can even vary for 2 rabbits of the same breed, depending on the conditions they are kept at home (for instance, colder or warmer temperatures). Usually the period of molting lasts from 2 weeks to 6 weeks.

When your rabbit is a baby of 4 – 5 months age it will shed its baby fur coat and grow an immediate coat. Then it will grow an adult fur coat and after that you can actually notice the change in color whenever they molt.

Usually a rabbit sheds its fur at an interval of every 3 months. Light molts may occur in between that period but they are barely noticeable. Heavy molt occurs when the rabbits molts seasonally. At the end of the winter season and at the end of the summer you will notice heavy molting.

Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color - Molting in rabbits

Why do rabbits molt?

Rabbits molt due to two main reasons:

  • Molting while growing up: The fur color of rabbits change every time they molt as they grow up. This is a natural process.
  • Molting due to seasonal change: When a rabbit molts with every change in season, their fur color changes. They molt at every season change to regulate their body temperature.

How do rabbits molt?

In a rabbit, molting usually begins from the head. Then it progresses down the neck and the back. Then the molting occurs in stomach region. For some rabbits, the molting process is uniform throughout the body as molting patches appear throughout their bodies without any distinct pattern. In some rabbits naked skins are exposed when the fur from that region is shed completely during molting.

Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color - How do rabbits molt?
Image: s219.photobucket

If you want to read similar articles to Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Tips
  • If your rabbit is losing fur or changing its color don't worry, is not a sign of any sickness, it is only a natural process of molting.

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2 comments
darnita washington
reading about rabbits and the different ways of there life cycles made me think about everyday life. for example... the rabbit sheds during different ages, growing into a grown rabbit, which is the same as humans growing into adult hood. molting is, to me another stage of life or a change in life either for seen or not for seen. for example, if a rabbit is scared they protect themselves by going into a mode where no one can get to them. even with insiders/ famlies.... molting is another way of shuting down feeling sorry for yourself etc, in a human aspect. but animals have feelings so it would go for them to... who would of thought that a soft rabbit would know survival insticts, and know what to do when someone is trying to hurt them. so they are very smart brillant animals.
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Joanna
I was getting worried about my rabbit.
Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color
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Why does a Rabbit’s Fur Change Color

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