Weekly combing Cotton time!

Combing Cotton the first time using Betty's technique! It was a very much anticipated session for me....but not Cotton, of course.

I tried Betty's method of traucing and it works wonderfully. As I am still trying to master the technique, during the combing session, I could still feel Cotton was slipping slowly downwards. Hahaha....But no worries, Cotton never gets to slip out of my 'clutches'.
 

Trancing and Clamping Cotton with my thighs

Then when it came to combing his chin area, again, he was simply uncooperative. So I remember how Betty held him - clamping him with the left arm and using the free right hand to pluck/comb any matted fur on his chin. I managed to cut and pull out one matted fur on his chin. Yay! An achievement for me!

Applying Betty's technique to comb his chin

 

Combing his chin's fur

Combing his chin's fur (Close-up view)

However, I have failed to keep him still when I have to comb his back fur. Cotton simply refused to sit still at upright so I could only comb his back fur when he was resting on the floor. Sigh...so near, yet so far. Well, I believe with practice, grooming Cotton will be easy and confidence soon.

Trancing Cotton at the sofa

The urine burnt article which I stumbled online recently really disturbed me a lot. And Cotton previously has a lot of matted fur at his butt still fresh in my mind though I have combed them all out. Once a while, I will still spot one or two matted fur at his butt areas.

This time round, I decided to try trancing Cotton at our sofa with a little pillow to level high his butt. Indeed, what I observed previously on trancing Cotton in-sync with trancing rabbit at Wiki-How. The edge or "valley" between my two cushion also helps to secure Cotton in position better. Now, almost free hands-on available, I could also comb his rear that's near and under his hind legs. Cotton cannot be blind-folded or else he will struggle more. He has to be in the know-how.

Trancing Cotton at sofa with small pillow to level up his butt

Left: Before combing; Right: After combing

I shared the Before and After photo with another bun parent who in his opinion, not much differences between the two and in the first place, Cotton's condition was great. What a compliment for Cotton.....I always see Cotton cleaning himself and maybe that's why no likely possible of urine burnt incident and plus, he's free roam at his playpen and total freedom without supervision at night. Keeping Cotton at his tip-top condition is very important for me now because he has a vain mummy (yours truly) in the first place. hahaha

Trancing Cotton

As the title describes, this entry is about trancing rabbit so if you are a rabbit lover who strongly against practicing trancing on rabbit, pleas do not read further. You have been warned.

I read a lot online about how to trance a rabbit before doing the practical with Cotton. I used to work with small animals like mice for lab experiments so I do not have shaky hands or gripe. This proven to be useful and allows me to learn trancing skill faster and Cotton does not need to go through more rounds. By the way, I'll trance Cotton only after he has eaten food because a hungry rabbit is an angry rabbit? I find that way, Cotton is in more cooperative mood with me.

While there's a debate whether to or not to trance a rabbit, I personally feel it's really up to each bun's parents to decide why and what they want to do it for (in other words, their intention is kindred to do so in the first place). Whether their buns enjoy a trance or not, is also debatable just like there will always be some crazy humans enjoy adventurous activities like bungee jumping or roller coaster ride and there will always another group of quiet humans who will be satisfied with a good book read. So only the buns' parents know their buns well and do what's best for them. 

Why I want to trance Cotton is simple: (1) for grooming purposes like nail clipping (I have not done yet but am preparing myself for that day to come) and (2) for disciplining him. Truth be told, Cotton does not seems to enjoy being tranced because he always get out of it very fast. Note: I did it step by step with Cotton before eventually deciding its time to practice trancing on him. If you follow my blog, you'll know that I proceed handling him in step by step positive progress manner. Do not trance your bun at the start if it never even allow you to carry him at all! Patience is the key to success!

I was able to trance Cotton by cradling him like a newborn baby. See picture below. To give him the sense of security, my left arm which he lies on is held close to my body while my free right hand is stroking his head down to ears constantly. I'll speak to him in a soft gentler volume - akin to hypnotizing tone. He settles well and fast in this cradling position. I also realize that lowering his head position will trance Cotton faster and easier. 

But trancing in cradling position does not allow me to groom him as I've no free hands to do so! Uncle hubby is rather clumsy at combing out his matted fur at the bottom of his hind legs and butt areas. I need to trance him on my legs....

Trancing Cotton on my legs directly proven too hard for me. Maybe I did not do it right and so I decided to improvise. First I tranced him at cradle position and then slowly transferred him on to my legs. I cannot sit with both legs stretched out straight so I sat with both legs at sides and Cotton lies between my tighs area. It worked...... but Cotton awoke fast too. After third try, Cotton was tranced longer when I (1) covered his eyes with a clean towel, (2) his head position is leveled lower than his butt and (3) stroking his belly at times. See picture below.

I'm not sure if it's me or Cotton but while lying between my tighs with his spine aligned, his body could not be kept straight. Once his butt, upper legs or hind legs tilted too much, Cotton would be awaked. Also, Cotton was slipping downwards while lying on my tighs. I wasn't able to comb much of his matted fur   :(

I think I might engage HRSS house visit grooming service and seek the bun expert for pointers on trancing Cotton. Sometimes, teaching in person still beats learning online in many ways. This is one such example. :)