Happi Bun wrote:
OakRidgeRabbits wrote:
Happi Bun wrote:
Sore hocks can and does happen to rabbit's on wire simply due to the fact they are being kept on it
No, it really doesn't. The breeds who have trouble with sitting on wire are breeds that genetically have a structure to their foot or a light fur to their foot that makes living on wire harsh. In this case, they are not kept on wire.But wire doesn't harm a rabbit just by randomly sitting on it...if it did, why would anyone use it? The wire itself is not a problem...if it were, the plastic resting boards would cause the same issues.
That is your opinion, which I respectfully disagree with. Prolonged time sitting on strictly wire can be a cause for sore hocks.
Nope, sorry. lol Not my opinion. It's proven through years and years of rabbit management. A well-structured, well-furred foot will not develop sore hocks simply by sitting on wire. If that were true, we (as in, breeders around the world) would not be able to house our rabbits on wire without seeing sore hocks. I've had rabbits on wire for going on 10 years now and not a single case of sore hocks, ever.
I've seen more cases of sore hocks on pet rabbits kept on carpet over the years than on rabbits kept on wire (I've been a member of both pet and breeder forums), because it's so hard to keep solid floors clean.
I've seen it happen on various occasions to rabbit's that are not even purebred, so the idea it's due to being a genetically predisposed breed doesn't hold up in the experiences I have had.
I'm not implying that it occurs in "genetically predisposed breeds". In fact, as breeders, we work to produce rabbits who are structurally sound with correct furring on the feet, to prevent things like sore hocks. Because obviously, we can't house rabbits without that in our rabbitries. So purebred rabbits, on the whole, are not the problem.
But there are breeds like the Standard and Mini Rex who have small feet in relation to their size and are not very well furred. This is a breed that is heavy on their feet, and breeds like this are often offered a solid surface to sit on in addition to wire.
But in general, it tends to be mixed breeds that serious issues are seen in, because they come from indiscriminant breeding, accidental breeding, etc.
The reason you're not able to find information to support what I'm talking about is because it's really not out there. Certain pet rabbit organizations, paired with vets, have put information out there to scare people away from wire flooring and put a negative light on breeders. This is easy to do, because common sense wouldn't tell you that wire flooring would feel good to sit on. But remember that we don't have the thick fur padding on our feet to protect us, like rabbits do. The rabbits that most rescues, vets, etc. have seen on wire have come from dirty, horrible conditions...not from specially built and modified wire caging that reputable breeders use. So yes, it's easy for people in that situation to get the wrong idea.
No one has to believe this, but there are two options to choose from here. One can believe a claim made by people who have never used wire flooring before in their life and are just rehashing information they heard from others who have never used it in their lives either. Or one can listen to and understand the information presented to them by a large group of breeders who have housed large amounts of rabbits on wire for decades now. Who would know the truth? It's for you to decide, but all information is worth considering. I can assure you that no one, including breeders, is doing anything to intentionally harm their bunnies.