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Rubber matting

K

Kiania

Young Bun
For my runs, I'm putting down paving, with rubber matting on top. I saw the sheets of horse matting on ebay, but it looked porous, so not great. I was wondering if this would be appropriate:
500mm-sq-dovetailed-checker-pattern-tile.jpg

From: http://www.horsematshop.co.uk/anti-fatigue-mats/185-500mm-sq-dovetailed-checker-pattern-tile.html

The price is about right, but I'm not sure about whether the pattern would be suitable for bunny feet. Any advice either way would be gratefully received!
 
The tiles look fine to me - I assume the markings are non-slip ridges (the screen on this netbook is a bit small to see details properly & my eyes are not as young as they used to be)

Quite a few people on here use similar shaped tiles of a thick foam - usually sold for children to play on (available at supermarkets, eBay etc), or in camping shops. There is also a much thicker rubber horse matting sold at equestrian suppliers (eg Burnhill Feeds at Cleckheaton) in large sheets if you are looking for alternatives.
 
I looked at the sheets on ebay, but they are 2ft too narrow for the run - works out cheaper to get these types of tile-like things and cut them to fit. That and they are porous, like the foam for children's play mats, and so not cleanable - I run a small animal boarding place (this is my first bunny boarding lodge), so everything has to be pressure-washer-able/scrubbing-brush-able, and porous substances like foam, or the sheets I saw on ebay, just wouldn't be able to be disinfected properly.

The markings are non-slip ridges - I wasn't sure if they were too hefty a ridge for a bun, or whether it would be fine - I worry about sore hocks :(

(ps. Sorry for the delay in my reply - I just realised that for some reason I hadn't set the forums to send me instantaneous emails when my posts were responded to - and I thought nobody wuv'd me :D )
 
have you considered using vinyl flooring, it might work out cheeper and is easy to clean

Kiania said:
I looked at the sheets on ebay, but they are 2ft too narrow for the run - works out cheaper to get these types of tile-like things and cut them to fit. That and they are porous, like the foam for children's play mats, and so not cleanable - I run a small animal boarding place (this is my first bunny boarding lodge), so everything has to be pressure-washer-able/scrubbing-brush-able, and porous substances like foam, or the sheets I saw on ebay, just wouldn't be able to be disinfected properly.

The markings are non-slip ridges - I wasn't sure if they were too hefty a ridge for a bun, or whether it would be fine - I worry about sore hocks :(

(ps. Sorry for the delay in my reply - I just realised that for some reason I hadn't set the forums to send me instantaneous emails when my posts were responded to - and I thought nobody wuv'd me :D )
Click to expand...
 
The benefit of the mats is that water will drip between them. Vinyl will just end up with a lake in the middle - or at least, that is the worry for me (it does rain an awful lot in the UK!).
 
If they are rubber tiles I think the rabbits will chew them up at the edges where the tiles meet :?
One large mat would be better
 
I agree. Rubber tiles wouldn't be so easy to clean either as it would absorb the germs and harbour bacteria.


Stator said:
If they are rubber tiles I think the rabbits will chew them up at the edges where the tiles meet :?
One large mat would be better
Click to expand...
 
I don't understand how it would end up a lake in the middle if you use vinyl ? if you were to go with vinyl it would need to be a couple of inches or so bigger than the run so the run can sit on top and the rabbits can't chew the edges, it is also very hygienic and easy to clean.[

QUOTE=Kiania;5495941]The benefit of the mats is that water will drip between them. Vinyl will just end up with a lake in the middle - or at least, that is the worry for me (it does rain an awful lot in the UK!).[/QUOTE]
 
The rubber matting I found on ebay wouldn't be washable, the ones I linked to would be - they aren't porous, so pressure washer (or scrubbing) plus disinfectant and job done.

Because with the matting there are the gaps where each tile meets, water can seep between them. With a vinyl sheet, all the water would just pool in the middle. That or the whole thing would have to be on a gentle slope, and I'm not sure how practical that would be to do. That combined with no idea where to get vinyl :) My OH suggested polycarbonate, which is his go-to material, which would at least be easier to put on a slope as it is solid, rather than fabric-y.
 
My two would eat it for certain so it wouldn't work for me. They even eat those plastic garden tubs. (the one's you cut the handles off and turn upside down for a den) Could just be mine unruly rabbits though, they also eat the ridges on the decking, their hutch, our children's bike trailer and tyres and pretty much anything else they can get near!
 
I had the same matting for my bunnies.It was easy to clean,waterproof and they didn,t chew it.I would certainly highly recommend it:D
 
What about a sheet of polycarbonate then? I presume, like rodents, rabbits need a 'starting off point' where they can get their teeth around, other than being able to chew on a flat sheet?
 
I think these rubber mats are good, but these are pretty much more expensive than I thought. If someone has any other options to buy these rubber mats in the UK then please share it with us here. It will be very helpful for us.
 
harrypeter175 said:
I think these rubber mats are good, but these are pretty much more expensive than I thought. If someone has any other options to buy these rubber mats in the UK then please share it with us here. It will be very helpful for us.
Click to expand...

This is a very old post! When I had outdoor bunnies I used rubber conveyor belt matting, very thick (1cm) reinforced and impossible for them to chew! It was very cheap because it was used, but as new. In fact as I bought some for the goat shed and the dog kennel they gave me the bunnies bit for free! I got mine from Canning Conveyor in Worksop.

On eBay you might find stable matting cheaply.
 
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