Getting your hands on one of the best rabbit brushes will help keep your bunny tangle and mat-free. Like most pets, rabbits tend to shed hair, which makes grooming a rabbit an important part of rabbit care. Rabbits are naturally very clean little creatures who will spend a good portion of their day tending to their appearance, but their fur can become matted (especially if you’ve got a long-haired rabbit breed) and they sometimes need human help when it comes to keeping their coat looking its best.
Shedding can be light or heavy depending on the time of year, but brushing will greatly help to lessen the amount of fur you find on your floors. If your bunny is grooming themselves excessively, this can cause digestive issues, so regular brushing can help minimize tummy troubles. Regular brushing also helps to stimulate the natural oils in your rabbit's skin, which keeps their coat looking shiny.
To help you decide on the right grooming tool for your bunny, here's our roundup of the best rabbit brushes.
The best rabbit brushes 2024
Best overall rabbit brush
One thing to mention straight away is this comb can't be described as a budget buy. There are far cheaper combs on the market, but we haven't found one that we think is quite as good. In fact, the manufacturer says it promises you won't find another comb that compares (albeit falling short of a money-back guarantee). But what's behind such a strong boast?
Well, as affirmed by many user reviews, this patented comb removes a great amount of excess hair and that's down to the design. Each tooth of the comb, for instance, is of a sufficient length to get into the undercoat and the rounded ends mean it does so without scratching the skin. Meanwhile, the plastic sleeves act as a band to catch fur. They create friction too and this stimulates fatty acids to transfer to the coat.
Even so, it may take a little bit of practice. The instructions say you should comb along the growth pattern of your rabbit's hair and then switch to start combing against the hair. It may take a small amount of time to get your bunny used to it (and to perfect the technique) but by going slowly, users say it starts to work a treat.
Reasons to buy: If your rabbit has a lot of hair to remove and you value innovative, patented features.
Reasons to avoid: Not a budget buy.
Best rabbit brush for detangling
Sometimes a rabbit's hair can become tangled, knotted and matted and that can make grooming with a conventional brush rather painful. If you feel a resistant tug when you're running a standard comb through fur, the kindest way of dealing with it is to use a rake comb with stainless steel blades to cut through the problem patches.
As well as making light work of the tangles by slicing the matted hair into more manageable, separable strands, it also removes the loose undercoat. It's certainly a friendlier alternative to whipping out a shaver and the good news is that it won't cause huge problems for your bunny's skin either since the product has been designed to minimize irritation thanks to its rounded edges.
Reasons to buy: If you’ve got a long-haired breed.
Reasons to avoid: If you don’t have tangles to deal with.
Best rabbit brush for easy cleaning
For tangles, knots and mats that don't look like they need to be cut, a slicker brush is a great way to keep fur in tip-top shape. Such brushes are suitable for any pet and can be used as part of your weekly grooming regime to help you keep on top of your bunny's excess hair.
With this product, a few soft, short strokes is often all that you'll need. The rounded pins help create a flowing coat but reduce the amount of pull on the skin although some users report the pins being a little too spaced apart. There's every chance that your rabbit will enjoy the experience too since the brush massages the skin, increasing circulation of the blood and making grooming a more pleasurable experience.
One of the best features, though, is the easy manner in which you can dispose of the hair and dirt you've removed. There's a button on the back of the head, in easy reach of your thumb from the non-slip naturally fitting handle. Pressing it causes the bristles to retract and that will allow the waste to fall, with the remaining strands easily swept and wiped away.
Reasons to buy: Easy to clean, removes dead undercoat hair and massage tips reduce scratching.
Reasons to avoid: Some customers found the pins were sharper than they expected.
Best grooming gloves for rabbits
A good alternative to a brush is a grooming glove and this pair is about as premium as they come. It makes for a compelling product; one that has 260 tips spread across tough flexible medical-grade silicone, each of a sufficient length to brush unwanted hair away. As you move your hand over your rabbit's body, you'll also be giving them a massage and, if you find hair on your furnishings, you can use the glove to remove those too.
The only thing we'd like to point out is that the description says the gloves can be used when bathing a pet. There's no doubt that it would work well in water but be aware that this product is designed for a number of pets including dogs and it's not advisable to bath a rabbit. They are generally clean pets and bathing them will likely strip their fur of natural oils and maybe cause distress.
Reasons to buy: Easy to use, offers gentle massage and comes with a storange bag.
Reasons to avoid: Gloves might not be a suitable size for everyone.
Best rabbit grooming kit
If you're not sure whether you should grab hold of a slicker brush or a massage brush, then why not grab them both. While you're at it, it may also be a good idea to snap up some nail clippers and a file. Expensive? It doesn't have to be.
With this set, you don't need to make any decisions, making it ideal for novice rabbit owners. You'll get six grooming items in a handy value pack and you can simply get on with the various tasks at hand. For starters, the slicker brush's stiff pins will remove excess hair and help to reduce shedding. The softer massage brush can then help distribute natural oils across the coat by gently massaging the skin.
Using both should help with matted hair and they'll help to keep a rabbit's coat in very good shape. While you perhaps shouldn't expect the same quality as products sold individually, users are, for the most part, more than happy with the quality. So long as you're careful when using the slicker brush, you'll be able to groom without scratching the skin. And that will lead to a very happy bunny indeed!
Reasons to buy: You need a full grooming kit for your rabbit.
Reasons to avoid: You’re looking for one specific and excellent brush.
Best multi-purpose rabbit brush
While the primary aim of a rabbit brush will be to keep your rabbit's hair tangle-free, extra features are nice too, which this particular brush provides. As well as functioning how a rabbit brush traditionally does, it also serves as a massage brush. The beads on the end assist blood circulation, and will not scratch their skin.
The idea behind this brush is ease of use, and this is provided in spades. The handle is nonslip, making it easy to wield, and with just a click of the button, the hair on the brush will be dispensed with, making it easier to use next time around.
Some reviews have reported that this brush isn't as small as advertised, leading to the bristles getting caught in their pet's hair, but these complaints are generally few and far between. Overall, this is a useful and reliable tool that should fit the bill for your rabbit.
Reasons to buy: Works as a brush and massager and easy to clean.
Reasons to avoid: Might not be great for smaller rabbits
Types of rabbit brushes
When it comes to brushes, there are several options available and Dr MacMillan explains the differences.
Combs and rakes: “These are best for gently teasing tangles and dead fur from long coats. They can go deeper into the coat than some other types of brush."
Soft-bristled brushes: "These are best for rabbits with smooth, short coats. The bristles gently remove dust or hay and spread the rabbit’s natural oils through its coat. You may find it doesn’t shift much of their dead hair, however.
Rubber curry brushes: “These work best for rabbits with short to medium-length fur. The rubber brush lifts loose fur while giving your rabbit a gentle massage."
Slicker brushes: “These help to remove dead fur and are great for rabbits with medium or long coats. Slicker brushes have multiple, stiff bristles on a wide, flat brush head. These are at an angle to help catch loose fur. The bristles on slicker brushes are usually made of metal so these must be used gently and with care on rabbits."
Grooming gloves: “These are a useful tool to help remove loose fur from short-haired rabbits. They can work well for rabbits who are nervous about being approached with a brush but tolerate being stroked and handled."
How to choose the best rabbit brush
The rabbit brush you choose will depend to a great extent on your overall aim. In general, you can leave a rabbit to their own devices and only intervene when you feel it's appropriate, but there's no harm in using a brush with stiff bristles to remove dead hair on a semi-regular basis. You can then step up to a slicker brush if the hair is becoming tangled.
"When choosing your brush, look at your rabbit’s coat type," says Dr MacMillan. "A rabbit with a very sleek and short coat like a Rex or Dutch rabbit will be fine with a grooming glove or soft-bristled brush.
“However, a long-haired Angora or lion head will require a comb or a rake, and perhaps a slicker brush. If you are not sure about your rabbit’s coat type then speak to a professional groomer, staff at the pet store or your vet."
Rebecca is a vet surgeon who graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2009. She has a wealth of experience in first opinion small animal practice, having done a mixture of day-to-day routine work, on-call emergency duties and managerial roles over the years. She enjoys medicine in particular and she is proud to have recently achieved a BSAVA postgraduate certificate in small animal medicine (with commendation). She writes on various feline and canine topics, including behavior, nutrition, and health. Outside of work and writing she enjoys walking her own dog, spending time with her young family and baking!
