Rex bunnies?

Is it common for most Rex's to get sore hocks?
And whats their moult like? does their fur come off in big clumps like Mini lops etc?

Just wondering :wave:

In my experience with Bootz, she doens't moult her coat doesn't change all that much from summer to winter and she has never suffered sore hocks.

It is very common for them to get sore hocks as the fur on the bottom of their feet isn't as thick as it needs to be.

My bridge bun Chocolate was a rex & she looked really scruffy during a moult. She had sore hocks early on, but once they cleared, they never came back.

My English spot Joey has had sore hocks though - he had thin hair on his feet

Callisto suffered with sore hocks before I had her and they were always a little pink & bald. When she moulted it would be a few hairs coming off when i stroked her and the occasional little tuft....nothing like the moults my lops have which are horrendous!

Thanks :wave:

Its because Now Fudge is being spayed hopefully in the near future i can get her a friend (rescue of course) and i need to consider all things before jumping the gun.

Fudge suffers during her moult with ingesting too much hair causing stasis etc. so her husbun to be would have to be short coated with a little moult. And because she has carpet in her cage (although that can be changed) it would mean a rex would most likely get sore hocks!

Just trying to gather as much info as possible to help my decision (although i may not be getting another bunny if my boys bond fails)

Not all rex-bunnies get sore hooks, is is possible to avoid it:3
I have 3 adult rexes and six kits (have also had a previous litter, 4 adults at most) and only had sore hooks once, when a male rabbit was in a rather small hutch (he would normally go in a run regularly but it had been raining for a few days) and the hutch hadn't been cleaned.
Since then I've made sure to keep the hutches clean, despite bad weather (perhaps extra importantly when its raining as its not good if the shavings get wet) make sure that all rabbits have somewhere soft to sit and plenty of room to move about. Since then all rexes have had a nice layer of fuzz on their feet

I know Jack's Jane's Lady Lydia is very ill with this at the moment Rexes also seem to be prone to heart disease more than other breeds...may be worth pm-ing Jack's Jane if she doesn't see this, as she knows loads about it?

Hope that's okay Jane!

Rex Rabbits are very prone to sore hocks and many cases are 100% down to genetics.
Rexes have no guard hairs on the plantar region of their feet and can loose all fur in this region before the age of 1 year regardless of environmental conditions

You can do things to try to minimise the risks eg- keeping the Rex on a substrate of deep soft hay and grass, keeping their weight down and keeping their toenails short.
But prevention needs to satrt with breeders not continuing to breed from a line known to be badly effected by the condition.

Sore hocks are painful and can be life limiting
They are not just 'a bit of sore skin' and they always need prompt Veterinary attention.


Oh yes, and Rexes can have spectacular moults !! Here's Brians



:lol:

WOW! Brian's moult is amazing! My girls have little pale pink spots on their hocks, which flare in bad weather (dumb a** rabbits sitting out on wet decking :roll but are mostly under control and get creamed when they arent.
Mine are currently moulting - seems to be all just a few hairs all over, which come out pretty easily, especially with a wet hand, but not the all over tuftiness of lops and stuff.
If they're to be inside i am guessing you dont have carpet everywhere, otherwise they would find that tough on their feet, even if their cage/bed was suitably laid out.

Thanks everyone :wave:

Jacks-Jane Brian is amazing
Well im in two minds now and really dont know what breed is suitable for Fudge :roll: She just cant have a very fluffy bunny as she is a groomer and would get all blocked up

The rooms fudge gets out to run about (and her husbun to be) all have carpet :? I do usually put big blankets down to help her feet as Fudge has small pink patches that im concerned about and then gets blankets and towels ontop of her carpet in her cage

I would just LOVE a rex, especially a chocolate I dont mind about what breed (or colour) but when it comes to Fudge i have to consider her health and choose a bun very carefully!

Well it will be a few weeks until she is fully healed so i can keep looking and then decide whats the best thing to do :wave: