Rex rabbit- Sore hocks help please

I do know that sore hocks are extremely common in Rex rabbits but I can't seem to find something that'll work it out.

I have a fully grown female mini-rex, and it's only her back feet in one certain spot. It kinda looks like it's starting in the front feet too, but not very much.

I can already tell you she's not over weight, her nails are very short, and I had been getting money to add a rest spot in the hutch since I've been getting it fixed up for winter time.

But in the mean while, I need a rather quick way to get her healed up and back outside to grow her winter coat.
If you have any suggestions for what the resting spot in the hutch should be, I'd love that. I'm not sure if I should just get a piece of wood and pile straw in and clean it out when it needs it.


Thanks.
-Al

I'm sorry to here about your bunny's poorly feet.
First of all she needs to see a vet to check for infection and have treatment for that if necessary. They can also check for health problems that may be affecting the way she stands.
Then you need to think about what she is standing on and see whether it can be improved. She need something deep and soft that she can sink her toes into. what is she bedded on at the moment?

I need a solution that doesn't involve a vet because I can't afford it and two my mom doesn't believe rabbits really 'require' vets so she'd never pay for me.
I also don't believe it's a health problem, I think it's just how she is. She's always on high alert in the hutch since it's not in the best of spots and I'm pretty sure she runs back and forth all night.

Her feet seem fine, they're not bleeding with the plastic floor of the cage I switched her to inside, so it's the wire floor that's hurting her.

I'm not sure what solution I should seek with wire floors in a hutch, I'm not sure if she'll eat blankets or anything because her and her daughter are extreme chewers.

I looked up some stuff and would a wooden plank with a heavy layer of straw be good enough? Hutches are hard and expensive to change, but it's the only solution to my house troubles with them weeing all over my carpets when the house isn't even ours.
But the wire hutch, the wire is large enough for her nails to stick through.

I can't really afford jack for I'm not exactly an adult, and I have no constant income, only to my client's accord do I get paid.

Hello,

In answer to your posts... firstly rabbits (particularly rexes with their predisposition to sore hocks) should not be housed in a wire bottomed hutch. As you have suggested, I would definitely recommend fitting a wooden base as a flooring (I'm sure that someone else will be able to advise you better than me on what type is best - I'm not exactly great with DIY). Rabbits should be bedded on hay rather than straw - although you could use a base layer of straw and then cover this with hay. The hay is less sharp and also provides them with a good source of fibre which is very important (I assume that she does have access to hay elsewhere?). A rest spot/nest area should be enclosed. I'm not sure what your hutch layout is at the moment - but you can find plenty of housing ideas/guides if you use the search function on this website.

You're right to be worried about using blankets with 'chewer' rabbits, as if they ingest the blanket this could cause a gut blockage, which could be fatal.

You mention that your rabbit is not in the best of spots, and from her behaviour, it sounds as if she is very stressed... is there somewhere that you could move her to? If you recognise that her hutch is not in an ideal place - hopefully you have considered this already? Otherwise are you able to litter train her (it is not that difficult - again lots of threads on here about how to do this) so that she can stay inside?

As far as veterinary attention is concerned - I can assure you that rabbits certainly do require veterinary attention. Besides anything else, they require a myxomatosis vaccination once every 6 months, a VHD vaccination once a year, and all rabbits should be spayed at around 6 months old (female rabbits are highly prone to uterine cancer, and without being spayed their life expectancy is almost halved). Rabbits are prey animals and so hide any pain/injury very well. This means that by the time they show any signs of illness, they may already have been suffering for a while - it is therefore incredibly important (I really can't stress this enough) to get them to a vet as soon as you notice any change in behaviour/diet/poo outcome etc. If your rabbit has sore hocks - then she really does need to be seen by a vet, as if she develops an infection or abcess, then this could be fatal.

Lastly, rabbits are definitely not cheap animals (trust me - my bank account has taken a major hit since getting our rabbit). At a very basic level they require food/hay/toys/vet treatment. There is a lot of information on this forum about the care of rabbits and costs involved - perhaps you could show this information to your Mum, so that she can see that rabbits really do need a lot of care/attention and are absolutely not cheap. I hate to say it, but if she cannot be convinced, and you cannot afford to give her the care she needs - perhaps you should re-consider whether you are able to give her the home she needs.

Sorry to be negative - I really do hope that you manage to sort everything out.

Wow, sorry that was such an essay! Didn't mean to ramble so much :?

Aleceia said:

I also don't believe it's a health problem, I think it's just how she is.

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Well I'm afraid you're wrong about that, sore hocks - pododermatitis is a well documented health issue with many contributory factors. If her hocks are sore then they need at the very least a check by the vet for infection. Any infection present will not heal itself and will only get worse and ultimately infect the bones in her feet - at which point treatment becomes extremely difficult and expensive and long-term chronic condition.
Sore hocks are also extremely uncomfortable and often very painful for a rabbit - pain stops bunnies eating - bunny not eating = GI stasis which IS fatal in just 24 hours in some cases and always requires vet attention. Whichever way you look at this your bunny needs to be seen by a vet, however I fear this is falling on deaf ears She may need antibiotics and pain relief.

Bedding should be as cushioned as possible - wire bottom cages are one of the most common causes of sore hocks. The floor of her hutch should be a wooden base with thick bunny safe litter and then deep soft hay on top, NOT straw -this is too abrasive and will make the condition worse. Soiled bedding and wet bedding will also cause scald that will make her feet worse and therefore she needs to be cleaned out atleast daily, if not several times a day to manage her foot condition. How strange that you would want to keep her somewhere where she is constantly on alert and unable to relax?:? Stress will only make her condition worse - as rabbits release stress hormones that prevent adequate healing taking place and inhibiting recovery.

If they are spreading to her front feet then she will soon be in a lot of discomfort and this needs attention now. I'm afraid I agree completely with Wigs, if you can not afford or are unwilling to provide her with what she needs, then she might be better off handed in to a rabbit rescue where someone WILL give her the appropriate care.

The wooden flooring would certainly have to be changed at times which would seriously be no big deal as my dad always has wood somewhere.
Is there any concern with rabbits chewing wood also..? I usually give my rabbits willow sticks but I'm not sure pine(untreated) is okay for them..
Also, I have a normal hutch that you see online, one side is open with wire around it and has an enclosed space for the rabbits to have their privacy.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to trust the Does with the cloth for the reason of them eating it. They've ripped apart one of my shirts once but I don't believe they ate any of it.

Yep, We were planning to move the hutch closer to the house due to the winter weather in Maine being quite extreme.

There's absolutely not way I can keep her in the house and litter train her, because I have three cats and my mom has two very large dogs. I think I might go out and buy another indoor cage if I can afford it. Try to get my mom to help me along with this..

And I know they're not cheap animals, I've had one for 8 years and he's still doing well.
And yeah.. I know, but I know for sure that I need someone that's owned a rabbit before to take this rex. Most of the people I know wouldn't spend a dime on a rabbit to take it to the vets, if I could they'd all be fixed and have everything they need and more. I want to devote myself to my rabbits, but some people I live with are ignorant in the aspect that small animals don't need vets according to them.

@prettylupin:
I can assure you she's eating like a horse =3=
She usually eats more than all of my rabbits. She'll eat all her hay within a day and so on. I've always been scared of GI stasis, but I don't think it'll happen. I'm just going to buy a good plastic bottom cage that won't hurt her.

I'll get to using some thicker shavings and hay for bedding.

Also, I am NEVER unwilling to give my rabbits what they need. I don't attempt to not give them what they need, if the economy was better I think I could afford everything they need and want. It's the issue of affording a vet with rabbit knowledge, vets in my state aren't cheap and are extremely rare to find as well.

Aleceia said:

I'll get to using some thicker shavings and hay for bedding.

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I would avoid wood shavings like the plague - they are extremely abrasive to the feet and are not recommended for buns with existing sore hocks. If you can't source a softer paper based litter then just make sure you put a very thick pile of hay over all the shavings so none are exposed.
I will reiterate however that your bunny needs to see a vet. Don't assume that just because she is eating well that she is not in pain - as a prey species they are designed to hide it well.

I think that untreated pine is ok, but the wood should be treated before you use it. I know that pet shops in the UK sell special wood treatment that is safe for rabbits, as a lot of the commercial big brands are harmful to them - so you may have to do a little research on this (I'm afraid I don't know what is available in the US).

If you provide her with chew toys and other things to occupy her, this should help to prevent her from wanting to chew her hutch, and will keep her entertained as well Other than willow sticks, you can provide things like the cardboard toilet roll inners (if you stuff them with hay these make great toys/treats) and fruit branches if you have any fruit trees near you (e.g. apple/pear - just make sure that you use only the branches of trees that are not toxic to rabbits).

Aleceia said:

There's absolutely not way I can keep her in the house and litter train her, because I have three cats and my mom has two very large dogs. I think I might go out and buy another indoor cage if I can afford it. Try to get my mom to help me along with this..

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That does sound good if you are able to get the money (assuming that there is somewhere away from the cats/dogs that she could stay and be let out for exercise etc).
...However if your Mum is willing to help you out money-wise, I would rather use the money to get proper vet treatment for her feet asap. I really think that this is incredibly important, and as said in previous posts, they are likely to only get worse Whilst it is good news that she is eating well now, you will need to keep a close eye on her, as if her feet do become more painful, this may change, and then GI stasis will become a real issue.

Aleceia said:

And I know they're not cheap animals, I've had one for 8 years and he's still doing well.

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Sorry - didn't mean to lecture here... but I know that I certainly didn't fully appreciate to begin with just how much of my salary was going to be spent on our rabbit each and every month :? Is there anyone else that could help you with costs? Do you have reasonable pet insurance rates over there so that you could pay a little each month but know that emergency treatment and unexpected costs would be covered? Otherwise are there charities/rescues that could help with paying for vaccinations/treatment etc when needed? (Sorry - don't know how these things work in the US, but perhaps it is worth doing some investigating if you haven't already to see if you can get help elsewhere?).

Unfortunately there are bound to be times when even the most well-looked after rabbit needs veterinary attention, and there will be unexpected vet trips. If and when you do need to go to the vets, if your Mum isn't willing to pay for it and it is more than you are able to pay on your own, then what happens?

sore hocks/rex

Aleceia said:

I do know that sore hocks are extremely common in Rex rabbits but I can't seem to find something that'll work it out.

I have a fully grown female mini-rex, and it's only her back feet in one certain spot. It kinda looks like it's starting in the front feet too, but not very much.

I can already tell you she's not over weight, her nails are very short, and I had been getting money to add a rest spot in the hutch since I've been getting it fixed up for winter time.
like you say-not over weight,,then consider the type of floor she walks on,,i have three rex,s--i watch their weight and they walk on formica boards,or cloth,linoleum-floors--the hock still show signs of wearing--but not open sores,,hope this helps--sincerely james waller:wave:
But in the mean while, I need a rather quick way to get her healed up and back outside to grow her winter coat.
If you have any suggestions for what the resting spot in the hutch should be, I'd love that. I'm not sure if I should just get a piece of wood and pile straw in and clean it out when it needs it.


Thanks.
-Al

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the walk surface must be softer,,sincerely james waller:wave:

prettylupin said:

I would avoid wood shavings like the plague - they are extremely abrasive to the feet and are not recommended for buns with existing sore hocks. If you can't source a softer paper based litter then just make sure you put a very thick pile of hay over all the shavings so none are exposed.
I will reiterate however that your bunny needs to see a vet. Don't assume that just because she is eating well that she is not in pain - as a prey species they are designed to hide it well.

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I agree on the wood shavings, after finding this place I have cut them out completely and Mini's hocks (well, hock) are starting to look a lot better.

@prettylupin:
I planned to do the very thick hay, but I'll take a look around for a paper-based litter type stuff. Maybe cheaper than the shavings.
And I know, but at this point I can't do too much, all I can do it try. Maybe if I look in the rights places I'll find a person who knows what it's like to have an animal that needs a vet and they'll donate.

@Wigs:
I found a large wooden red ceder box, it's made with rather closely fitted planks of ceder wood. Ceder doesn't often need to be treated so we're going to try to find roof shingles to put on it. But I'll look into this wood treatment thing, the hardware store that I go to to by my Aspen shavings didn't have rabbit safe stuff.

I've been using the toilet paper rolls for a while x3 But I never thought of stuffing them with hay xD; I'll give it a try. I know my grandmother has some apple trees she doesn't spray anymore, I'm not sure about pear trees though.. Never seen one..

She's not willing to help me out, I talked to her about it and we're in too much of a rut to do a vet visit and treatment, just the visit is $70 and they'll want to do blood work which is over $100(USD). But I'm watching her, tonight we're starting a neosporin treatment, I'm going to wrap her foot and cushion it and see what she does to it before I head off to bed.

I wasn't too surprised.. since usually all my money usually went to one thing anyway. Using it on an animal that I loved just to death was something that I would never trade. As for the costs, I have no friends with jobs like that.. so no one to help really. And pet insurance is about $200 a month, I only make $80 a month with my current nitpick. But I've heard rumors of a pet insurance that covers rabbits as Exotics. And it's not too expensive, I'll give them a call.
The shots.. there are no free clinics that I know of that that do rabbit shots.. Tell you the truth, we never got shots for the rabbits since they're mainly inside rabbits. I really couldn't come up with that reason myself anyway, when I got my first rabbit I was quite young and and didn't think much of the vet side of things. If I could afford them, I would. But many people that had rabbits before me in my family always said they never had gotten shots for their rabbits.

As for what happens, I'll be 18 in less than a month. It'll go on my credit and I'll pay it off eventually. I'll be able to get a job in my field of study most likely. I do web design, it maybe a small business, but it's a good paying one and it's something I love to do. The vets here might be over priced, but they're more than happy to do payment plans as far as I know.

Good luck with getting the hutch sorted - I'm sure your bun will appreciate the hard work. And I really hope the foot treatment helps her out - please keep us posted on how she gets on.

I really didn't realise how much vets and insurance costs were there... hopefully the exotics insurance company will be a slightly more reasonable rate.

As for web design - my oh is a web designer (search for Stompfrog and you'll find him ) and he earns waaay more than me. I'm sure that once you get started you'll be earning enough that you don't have to worry about these costs anymore.