Rabbits shed their old coat between 4 and 6 weeks from birth, while fast growing or moulting rabbits change their coat early. Thereafter they do it annually. Shedding begins from the head then backwards and downwards, ending with the flanks and the belly. Rabbits in this phase should not be mated, but fed with extra food, since this is required for the production of a new coat.
However, extremely dry hair or staring coat where the hair stick up, are symptoms of ill-health.