Rabbits feet sore?

[Darice]

I recently noticed this on my rabbits heel. He is a male 6 year old Dutch Rabbit. His cage has a solid plastic bottom and he walks around on hardwood floors. The spot is pink/red with some yellow skin and feels really hard like a callus. Should I take him to the vet or can I somehow take care of this at home

 

[Izzybella]

It is most likely due to your rabbit hopping around on the hardfloors with nothing to grip onto. The pressure becomes greater on that area and the fur is worn away. Try to keep your bunny's nails short and put down mats for your bunny and the fur should grow back in a month or so.

 

[Darice]

It is most likely due to your rabbit hopping around on the hardfloors with nothing to grip onto. The pressure becomes greater on that area and the fur is worn away. Try to keep your bunny's nails short and put down mats for your bunny and the fur should grow back in a month or so.

Okay thank you. What kind of mat would you suggest. Would a sea grass mat be enough cushioning?

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Okay thank you. What kind of mat would you suggest. Would a sea grass mat be enough cushioning?

I think so. A large enough one would work. A rug could also be good and may look nicer for when you have guests over.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Pics of sore hocks: http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Mechanical/Pod/Podo.htm

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Our sanctuary crew or rescues have folded soft cotton sheets, towels, or low-weave carpet pads w/a layer of cotton sheets in their xpens or housing quads.

Every family member will enjoy the soft matting, rugs, etc. as long as you don't have a chewer of indigestible material. We learned the hard way when a n/male tackled a low-weave mat and got a severe GI obstruction. Personally, I won't lay on a rug-less floor anymore. I like comfort.

One rex gal we had, who at one time needed to lose weight, would get sore hocks on the bottom of her heel. The condition never escalated to the sore hock pictures in the link above.

Silva sulfadiazine cream was suggested to help remedy the pink, hairless area.

Good to know you are concerned about your bun!

 

[Izzybella]

I use short pile carpet mats which are a bit longer than normal. You can also use hallway runners. They're easy to put away if you have guests. My elderly rescue rabbit had arthritis and had visible holes in her fur. After I laid the mats down, the fur grew back in under two months.