Sore hocks

Roo1234 · Oct 3, 2021

one of my bunnys has sore hocks and she really enjoys sitting in her litter box, her feet get very wet with urine. How can I minimize her sitting in her litter box and what is the best way to treat sore hocks. (She lives on tile)

Blue eyes · Oct 3, 2021

Many rabbits like to sit in their litter box. There are a number of options to keep her off of wet litter though. The easiest would be to keep fresh hay on top of the litter. Refresh the hay 2 or 3 times per day. This will keep the top dry and allow her to continue enjoy lounging in the box. The litter box topped with hay also provides a soft, cushy surface which mimics soft earth. That is actually ideal to help prevent sore hocks.

A grate could also be put over the litter to keep her dry but I'd still recommend topping it with hay since the grate can be uncomfortable and irritate her paws. That's why my first recommendation would be to just keep the litter topped with hay and skip the grate.

Tile is slick and rabbits' furry paws can't easily get traction. It would be a good idea to provide some area rugs for her to run around on and lounge on. Having multiple types of surfaces also helps to prevent sore hocks.

John Wick · Oct 3, 2021

I suspect she "likes" sitting in her litter box because the rest of the flooring is tile-- rabbits do not have traction pads on the bottom of their feet like dogs, so they are wearing fuzzy socks at all times.

Not only to help with the sore hocks, but also to encourage more easy exercise, I recommend putting down some rugs. A rabbit cannot adequately exercise nor distribute weight easily on slippery floors, which may lead to joint issues.

JBun · Oct 4, 2021

I agree with what the others have said. I'll also add, if your rabbits feet are getting wet in the litter box, it would be good to reevaluate your set up and cleaning routine. With the correct litter box set up and regular cleaning, there's no reason a rabbits feet should be getting wet unless they have some sort of medical condition causing it.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/litter-training.html
There's also the risk to your rabbit, of frequently having urine soaked fur. It can eventually lead to urine scald and skin infections, as well as putting a rabbit at risk of flystrike, particularly in the warmer months. So it's important to figure out a solution so this doesn't keep happening.

If after you have changed the litter box set up and/or increased your cleaning routine, and she is still getting a wet bum, then you could be looking at a medical condition being the cause.

If you put down some rugs for her, it's important for them to be a softer fiber rug, like a woven cotton rug. If the rug has a very rough surface, it can further worsen the sore hocks due to the friction on the exposed skin.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/urinary.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Sore_hocks

Roo1234 · Oct 4, 2021

I put down several pecies of fabric down but she peed on them and chewed on them, the reason her feet were wet is I went on vacation and the neighbors watched my bunny’s. I thought the wife was going to watch them because she did it last time but her husband did instead and got things a little messed up. Should I go for like a fluffier carpet or more like a dog bed. Thank you guys for responding

Diane R · Oct 4, 2021

Roo1234 said:
I put down several pecies of fabric down but she peed on them and chewed on them, the reason her feet were wet is I went on vacation and the neighbors watched my bunny’s. I thought the wife was going to watch them because she did it last time but her husband did instead and got things a little messed up. Should I go for like a fluffier carpet or more like a dog bed. Thank you guys for responding

If she pees on soft floor I would cover the floor with non-slip non-absorbent flooring, e.g. textured, non-slip lino or stable matting. You can then add some fleece blankets, etc.

NorthernNevadaHollandLops · Oct 4, 2021

I use outside carpet door mats, meant for all weather. That way I can hose them off when they get dirty. They have rubber underneath and low pile carpet on top. Also, my bunnies love a lounging box (bigger than their litter tray and I fill it with hay) in addition to their litter tray. They will still poop in the lounging tray, but only pee in their litter tray. The litter tray also has a grate over the litter to keep their feet off the urine.