Did rattan mat cause sore-hocks?

[Bashful_Lamb]

I have recently noticed that my rex-mix Roo has developed pink places at her hocks! They don't look bad yet but I am slightly freaking out and have ordered a bunch of stuff online after forum-surfing...will still want to give my specifics q's a go here though as some things were unanswered!

My buns were free roaming on a combination of soft high and low pile rugs as well as wooden flooring a while ago, but since then they had a fall-out due to me bringing in a friends rabbit temporarily while she traveled. They smelt the other rabbit and directed their aggression towards each other! We have since been re-bonding in an enclosure that has a rattan floor, which I now think is very bad for Roo's hocks due to how hard it is.
Their litter box has a layer of puppy pee pad, wood pellets, then recycled newspaper pellets and hay. I am wondering if the wood pellets in this equation also contributed to sore-hocks?

What I have done: I placed two mid-pile soft rugs in their bonding enclosure, and ordered Kaytee paper bedding online. Will be chucking the wood pellets out and using paper bedding+paper pellets+pee pad from now on, even if it is very expensive : (.

Here comes the question: I will be moving-house soon, and hopefully they will be able to free-roam again as their relationship seems to have healed. Flooring will be a combination of high and low pile fluffy rugs just like before, with the occasional original wooden flooring. I will be lining their eating and sleeping area with memory foam as well as fleece, since they will probably be hanging around there most often. Will this be enough to keep sore-hocks at bay??

Since they will be free-roaming, it isn't possible to cover all of my house with foam and fleece...

Will also be sending them to the vet next month ahead of moving-in.

whoo its driving me crazy with worry

 

[Blue eyes]

Wood pellets will not cause sore hocks. You can use them alone in a litterbox and topped with hay. No worries there. Wood pellets are the favored litter material -- for effectiveness and for cost. I'd skip puppy pads, newpaper pellets and any other paper bedding. It just isn't necessary. The pellets won't cause sore hocks (especially when topped with hay).

The rattan flooring is the likely culprit. The best way to keep sore hocks at bay is to provide a variety of floor surfaces. It is the variety that helps especially when you include some areas that mimic soft earth (like foam mats).

I would not go overboard on trying to cover everything with foam and fleece. It isn't necessary and can actually be counterproductive. Variety is good. As you stated, there were no issues when they had a variety of different height rugs and wooden flooring. It was when they were exclusively on the rattan flooring that the issue presented itself.

 

[Bashful_Lamb]

Wood pellets will not cause sore hocks. You can use them alone in a litterbox and topped with hay. No worries there. Wood pellets are the favored litter material -- for effectiveness and for cost. I'd skip puppy pads, newpaper pellets and any other paper bedding. It just isn't necessary. The pellets won't cause sore hocks (especially when topped with hay).

The rattan flooring is the likely culprit. The best way to keep sore hocks at bay is to provide a variety of floor surfaces. It is the variety that helps especially when you include some areas that mimic soft earth (like foam mats).

I would not go overboard on trying to cover everything with foam and fleece. It isn't necessary and can actually be counterproductive. Variety is good. As you stated, there were no issues when they had a variety of different height rugs and wooden flooring. It was when they were exclusively on the rattan flooring that the issue presented itself.

Thank you Blue eyes!
That is a relief, as paper bedding will need to be specially ordered and cannot really be found in stores where I am..

We used rattan as Roo had a habit of ripping up any floors she gets in contact with, but yes it is so rough! I think I fell for the thinking of: only wire floorings cause sore hocks. Very bad mistake.

 

[Bashful_Lamb]

Just to add more context, I top up fresh bedding (taking off excess excrement and soiled bedding) every two days and change their litter tray completely every four days so their feet are always dry I don't think they step in their wee..
I did place a few ceramic tiles in their enclosure as they absolutely adore lying on them to cool off, but today I have decided to take them away..next summer, I will be using cooling beds and wrapped freezer blocks instead they don't need to step on hard ceramic too much..

Any more tips will be very greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Blue eyes]

Nothing wrong with them cooling off on hard ceramic. It's perfectly fine and isn't going to give them sore hocks either-- not when they have other types of flooring to walk/lay on as well. I always provided cool tile for my rabbits.