Wire-bottomed cages

People sometimes have issues with rabbits in wire cages.

They cite: broken nails, kits with broken legs, sore hocks and bumble foot.

Bumblefoot:
Seeing as I have no clue what bumblefoot is other than an infection guinea pigs can get in wire cages (which is why guinea pigs should not be housed on wire). I did a bit of research. Ah...and I learned that bumble foot in rabbits is known as sore hocks. Sore hocks that I know about.

Best solution is prevention!
1. clean, clean and clean. Keep things clean.
2. breed for good hocks. Just like anything else, health can be bred for. Breed for animals with thickly furred feet. Fur acts as a natural cushioning agent.
3. provide resting mats for animals susceptible to it. Keep them clean too! :)

Kits with broken Legs
Haven't seen this. Therefore can't talk with it much.

Prevention is simple enough. Fill the bottom of the cage with tons and tons of hay, or way more resting boards than what is normal. Voila! Kits and their legs are safe! :)

Broken Nails
I suspect that this too can be bred for. Breed for rabbits with slower growing and/or stronger nails. But I don't know that for sure. Just a suspicion as most things can be bred for and I know when trimming the nails of 21 adults....their nails really vary in thickness, sharpness and rate of growth, even among similar species.

BUT prevention is once again very simple. TRIM NAILS! Very regularly, every 4-6 weeks, take out your bunnies, trim their nails. Multi-task if you might....trim nails, brush coats (if moulting), take pics, weights and such like. BUT trim those nails regularly. Short nails don't catch on cage floors.

Rabbit Care

Due to a recent attack on my character and standards of practice by a member of Golden Bunnies (a pet rabbit group based in the UK) I thought I might mention my standard of care of my bunnies.

1. my bunnies are kept in wire cages for their health and safety. Resting board provided for each rabbit, some who use them for their intended person, others who don't.
2. they get fed pellets, hay, greens etc. daily
3. they get fresh water daily

They are kept clean of excrement (falls through the wire bottoms to a rack below for easy of cleaning).

Babies are kept with mom until at least five weeks of age, often longer.

They get daily pets, regular exercise time and resting boards.

I train them to behave better if they are poorly behaved and have often managed to rehome (to pet homes) poorly handled rabbits from other folks.

Moved two kits

So I moved two of Friend Bounces smallest kits over to be with Sally. Sally only has four kits, Friend Bounce with 12 so I figured move out the two smallest to give them a better shot at life.

They look a fair bit different than the other four so telling them apart shouldn't be too much of a hassle. And in time I'll switch them back to their own momma.

ND Doe - September 23

Surprise surprise! To me and her former owners.
This doe had four kits today!

Glad I saw her "making bones" this morning as I walked into the rabbitry.

On reflection Dave is pretty sure dad is the ND Buck.

Sally - September 23

Four kits born this mid-morning.

They look big and healthy. Probably all magpies.

Looked again on Sept 24, might be a lilac jap in there as well.

Rosie - September 20

Dad is Gold Rush.

Five kits born.

All Dark. Might have a silver martin in the mix. :)

Rosie is busy making a nest

Doing chores tonight and miss Rosie is busy making a nest.

Hoping for nicely coloured healthy kits. :)

Hopefully a lovely little doe in the bunch too!

Wouldn't that be nice????