Mud

I have a 2 year old lop rabbit and his hutch opens out into his own run at the back of the garden. Most of the run was grassed but due to the wear and tear (we have to go into the run to open/close his hutch, clean it out and put food into his hutch) the grass has now become mud. His rear end and back feet are caked in mud and I'm concerned about this, it's not really feasible to pave the area so I am looking for suggestions on how to deal with this problem. As the winter wears on I can only expect that it will get muddier

:wave: hi and welcome to the forum!

The only thing I can suggest is that you put something on the floor purely for when you are going in and out, like a sheet of cardboard or a cut up box or two, for example. Then when you're done, you pick it up.

As for the dirty feet, I don't know, sorry. Maybe if you can pick bits off when it's dried a bit? I wouldn't advise bathing/washing the feet though but maybe someone else with more experience can give you advice on that bit.

I would think if you could stop him from being in contact with the mud it will dry and then just brush off naturally. What about turfing the area and then being very careful about stepping on it as little a possible, or just paving the area where you walk if it's a large run? Would it be possible to move the hutch so that you don't have to step in the run? Sometimes you can have them so the hutch is at the front of the run.

Would you be able to show us some photos? Here's a tutorial on how to post photos. http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?136183-Tutorial-How-to-Post-Photos

Hi

Thanks for your responses. I will try to post some photos of the run as it's hard to explain. It's basically the far end of our lawn and garden that has been fenced off and the hutch is inside. The run probably measures about 15ft x 8ft and there are trees and bushes also inside. I can't think of any way of positioning the hutch so that we wouldn't have to go into the run, we have already re-turfed the area twice but as Harry and Jose (the guinea pig who shares it during the day) both like to eat the grass and we step over the fence onto it, it has worn out. It has never previusly been so muddy but the wet and mild weather has made it worse and I'm worried about how dirty Harry's rear and feet are. I did consider astroturf but thought dismissed it as they would no doubt chew it

ZoGann said:

Hi

Thanks for your responses. I will try to post some photos of the run as it's hard to explain. It's basically the far end of our lawn and garden that has been fenced off and the hutch is inside. The run probably measures about 15ft x 8ft and there are trees and bushes also inside. I can't think of any way of positioning the hutch so that we wouldn't have to go into the run, we have already re-turfed the area twice but as Harry and Jose (the guinea pig who shares it during the day) both like to eat the grass and we step over the fence onto it, it has worn out. It has never previusly been so muddy but the wet and mild weather has made it worse and I'm worried about how dirty Harry's rear and feet are. I did consider astroturf but thought dismissed it as they would no doubt chew it

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Some makes of astroturf are quite hard and may hurt their feet.

Can you concrete the area instead? Cheaper (I would think) than laying paving down as the floor does not have to be level before you fill the area.

By the way, it's not good for rabbits and guinea pigs to interact. I'm not sure from your post if the run is split or if they are in there together but there is a disease rabbits can carry that affects guinea pigs and also rabbits hind legs are very powerful and can injure or kill a guinea.

Could you just pave where you have to walk? Or the area around the hutch? I guess that gets the most footfall on it? I would stay away from AstroTurf for the reasons you mentioned, I could see it being chewed and the little bits causing a blockage in their tummy.

I guess we'll have to look at paving/concreting the area around the hutch to resolve the problem completely

Elena, with regards to the rabbit and guinea pigs interacting, we actually got both of them together because we took them off a neighbour who was neglecting them. He had got them when they were both young,they were housed together in a 3ft hutch, had no outside space and were often left without food or water when he went on holiday without arranging for someone to look after them

After we got them I took Harry to a rabbit sanctuary to bond him with another rabbit. These people were rabbit experts and tried several female rabbits with him but he wasn't interested. When I explained the situation with the guinea pig, they said that he has probably already "bonded" with the guinea pig. They said that whilst this was unusual, it wasn't completely unheard of and that to separate them completely would probably cause them distress. I appreciate that there are chances of diseases being spread between each species, but I think that in their case the companionship they give each other (they sleep side by side, the rabbit grooms the guinea pig and the guinea pig follows the rabbit around like his shadow) outweigh any chances of disease. The guinea pig has lots of places in the run he can escape to if necessary and is put into his own hutch each night

That's fair enough. I didn't want to not say and later feel I ought to have. If that makes sense!

Elena

No, that's fine. I know that EVERY book, internet site etc advises against keeping them together and I have tried to do what the general consensus says is is the right thing, but seems like these 2 are the exception and have decided for themselves!