Laminate/Wood floor

daphnephoebe · Dec 18, 2015

So we might be changing the floor downstairs. (We have really rubbish carpet that is cheap and was laid when they sold the house). We want to change it to laminate or real wood flood as bunnies sometimes pee over the top of their trays and its difficult to get out of the carpet and has a habit of staining and stinking the place out after a while... especially if I don't catch it in time and it is starting to drive my OCD mental.

But... how do bunnies cope on wood floor? We don't have wood floor anywhere around the house and the only time they have experience it is for a night at my parents, and they spent most of the time in their crate.

joey&boo · Dec 18, 2015

I think it will depend on the individual rabbit how well they cope with it. I've had rabbits who will literally maroon themselves rather than venture on to laminate, others than will only use it to access something worthy (treats / outside), some don't seem to care. Its been a big issue for me in the past. Ideally they need flooring with some resistance like the ground they would naturally walk on as wildies

Jack's-Jane · Dec 18, 2015

daphnephoebe said:
So we might be changing the floor downstairs. (We have really rubbish carpet that is cheap and was laid when they sold the house). We want to change it to laminate or real wood flood as bunnies sometimes pee over the top of their trays and its difficult to get out of the carpet and has a habit of staining and stinking the place out after a while... especially if I don't catch it in time and it is starting to drive my OCD mental.

But... how do bunnies cope on wood floor? We don't have wood floor anywhere around the house and the only time they have experience it is for a night at my parents, and they spent most of the time in their crate.

Personally I would not be happy with a Rabbit spending most of their time on a wood/laminate floor. Sore hocks can develop and also some Rabbits just cant/wont hop about on it due to the lack of traction. Larger breed Rabbits can also become more prone to back problems due to both their weight and the necessity to have a different gait to hop about on a surface lacking traction. But as stated, this is just my personal opinion. Perhaps you could put some rugs down on the new floor. Ones that would be relatively easy to wash should any 'accidents' occur.

daphnephoebe · Dec 18, 2015

Jack's-Jane said:
Personally I would not be happy with a Rabbit spending most of their time on a wood/laminate floor. Sore hocks can develop and also some Rabbits just cant/wont hop about on it due to the lack of traction. Larger breed Rabbits can also become more prone to back problems due to both their weight and the necessity to have a different gait to hop about on a surface lacking traction. But as stated, this is just my personal opinion. Perhaps you could put some rugs down on the new floor. Ones that would be relatively easy to wash should any 'accidents' occur.

I like the rug idea. Their run which attached to their base would always have a rug and we'd have a couple around the room as the front room is huge.

I've spent my morning off trying to clean the urine off the carpet in their run. Its near on impossible.
The wooden floor would be probably softer than the carpet at the moment. The person that sold it put carpet down onto the concrete base - no underlay etc. We've had a small sore already on Phoebe's hocks because of this floor.

We may even be moving - we're deciding after the new year. So bunnies may even get their own room in a new house.

MightyMax · Dec 18, 2015

daphnephoebe said:
I like the rug idea. Their run which attached to their base would always have a rug and we'd have a couple around the room as the front room is huge.

I've spent my morning off trying to clean the urine off the carpet in their run. Its near on impossible.
The wooden floor would be probably softer than the carpet at the moment. The person that sold it put carpet down onto the concrete base - no underlay etc. We've had a small sore already on Phoebe's hocks because of this floor.

We may even be moving - we're deciding after the new year. So bunnies may even get their own room in a new house.

I have laminate and wood floors almost everywhere. I have never had a bunny with sore hocks, and they all manage perfectly!

I put down some Ikea cheap mats in some places, and occasionally a blanket if it's really cold in a particular room. Bunnies learn to manage easily on it, I have found

Tracy · Dec 18, 2015

I wouldn't want a completely slippery surface for my bunnies, so I'd use some rugs too.

Sometimes a slippy surface can work in your favour though, Sugar & Roo have lino and a rug in their kennel and when they race to the bowl at feeding time, Roo hits the brakes just after he gets onto the lino section and skids the rest of the way to the bowl. It's so funny, he has it timed to perfection, he beats Sugar every time. :lol: To be first to the food, controlled skidding is the way to go. :lol:

MightyMax · Dec 18, 2015

Tracy said:
I wouldn't want a completely slippery surface for my bunnies, so I'd use some rugs too.

Sometimes a slippy surface can work in your favour though, Sugar & Roo have lino and a rug in their kennel and when they race to the bowl at feeding time, Roo hits the brakes just after he gets onto the lino section and skids the rest of the way to the bowl. It's so funny, he has it timed to perfection, he beats Sugar every time. :lol: To be first to the food, controlled skidding is the way to go. :lol:

:lol:

MiniC · Dec 18, 2015

Yep I agree with the "something worthy" comments - laminate suits some more than others. We have laminate & rugs at a reasonable spacing. You can get rag rugs that are small enough to stick in the washing machine? Alternatively easy wash carpets and a steamer maybe?

daphnephoebe · Dec 18, 2015

Tracy said:
I wouldn't want a completely slippery surface for my bunnies, so I'd use some rugs too.

Sometimes a slippy surface can work in your favour though, Sugar & Roo have lino and a rug in their kennel and when they race to the bowl at feeding time, Roo hits the brakes just after he gets onto the lino section and skids the rest of the way to the bowl. It's so funny, he has it timed to perfection, he beats Sugar every time. :lol: To be first to the food, controlled skidding is the way to go. :lol:

:lol: brilliant. I can't see the girls doing this tho as we scatter feed. (Helps stop Daphne from mounting Phoebe).

Washing the carpets isn't an option at the moment. The quality of this one is dreadful and would probably fall apart!

I've managed to get the stain out for now... baking soda & vinegar.

MiniC · Dec 18, 2015

daphnephoebe said:
Washing the carpets isn't an option at the moment. The quality of this one is dreadful and would probably fall apart! I've managed to get the stain out for now... baking soda & vinegar.

Oh no I didn't mean for these carpets! When we bought carpets recently, they showed us some 'stain proof' carpets. Not sure if this was just sales talk though!

MightyMax · Dec 18, 2015

I have to say I think a steam cleaner is the best possible thing for cleaning carpets, the ones that don't get thrown into the washing machine, that is :lol:

kattymieoww · Dec 18, 2015

My bridge pair of house rabbits would not walk any where except on carpets.They never once entered the bathroom or kitchen they both had vinyl flooring down.Rio would even stretch his neck out full length when I was in the kitchen for treats ,not one claw would touch the vinyl flooring.

NewBunnyFan · Dec 18, 2015

My bridge bunny Fudge was fine on the laminate floor but my two current bunnies hate it!! Leo will venture on small parts of it but whenever Saxon goes on to the laminate floor he has to be rescued as he can't seem to move his back legs across it!!
They live under my stairs so have old duvet covers down in their living area and I have had to buy a runner and a rug to lead them from under the stairs to the living room where their cardboard castle (which has a blanket under it!!) and forage box is. I must say it isn't a bad thing they don't like laminate floor as we don't have to worry about them going behind the sofas and chewing cables or anything!!!

daphnephoebe · Dec 19, 2015

Thanks for all the replies.

We know Daphne is fine with it because they stay in my old room at my parents which has laminate floor and Daphne runs over it without issues.
Phoebe has only been on it once but happily ventured around the room on it. (A little hesitant to begin with)

They don't like the vinyl floor in the kitchen but will venture onto it if they fridge door is opened.

I should think they'll be okay as if we did change from carpet it'll be solid wood which has more grip on it than laminate. We may do the office upstairs as they like to cause trouble in there and see how the cope before doing the whole downstairs.

Julia25 · Dec 19, 2015

daphnephoebe said:
So we might be changing the floor downstairs. (We have really rubbish carpet that is cheap and was laid when they sold the house). We want to change it to laminate or real wood flood as bunnies sometimes pee over the top of their trays and its difficult to get out of the carpet and has a habit of staining and stinking the place out after a while... especially if I don't catch it in time and it is starting to drive my OCD mental.

But... how do bunnies cope on wood floor? We don't have wood floor anywhere around the house and the only time they have experience it is for a night at my parents, and they spent most of the time in their crate.

My bunny who lives outside. When she comes in for playtime she takes it easy, no long or quick movement. After a while though she does get a bit more confident and starts doing proper hops.

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Laminate/Wood floor

daphnephoebe

Wise Old Thumper

joey&boo

Wise Old Thumper

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

daphnephoebe

Wise Old Thumper

MightyMax

Banned

Tracy

Warren Veteran

MightyMax

Banned

MiniC

Wise Old Thumper

daphnephoebe

Wise Old Thumper

MiniC

Wise Old Thumper

MightyMax

Banned

kattymieoww

Warren Veteran

NewBunnyFan

Warren Scout

daphnephoebe

Wise Old Thumper

Julia25

Alpha Buck

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