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Been wondering where you have been.
I agree. And what I also have been trying to say is that a pet rabbit setup may not be ideal for something that is destined for the show table. Because there is so much more into keeping a good show quality rabbit then just caging them. Totally different then keeping one as a pet.
Have tried giving your mini rex straw to sit on instead of a board. I have kept pet mini rex for years. I have yet to have one get sore hocks like that.
I lost the last of my flemish to sore hocks years ago. It did not matter what they were sitting on. or what I treated them with. they still got it. I also kept french lops at one time. Those get just about as big, and never had a problem with the cages bothering them.
Yeah some mini rex flemish, I have even had french lops get sore hock, generally it has not much to do with how they are housed, a lot of the time its just something that happens.
sometimes its lacking a certain vitamin, sometimes a mineral sometimes even genetics. sometimes I swear its just to make us worry and stress, but again thats my opinion.
I had tried everything with the mini rex, nothing worked, the ones I have now have no hock issues what so ever, they can be on plain wire and no sore hock.
I have noticed though mini rex breeders are more concious of the thin hock fur and are working very hard to correct it.
Rex ( the larger breed,often wrongfully refered to as Standard Rex) can have the same hock issues. its all dependant on the fur base on the hock , if it isnt thick enough it is going to create problems.
As many breeders will tell you hock fur is the sock that covers the foot. if its lacking its going to cause blisters.
I have been watching this thread but refraining to jump in. As mentioned everyone has a lot of different opinions on how rabbits are housed.
For pet rabbits its perfectly fine to keep them the way one chooses, Show Rabbits should be kept in show rabbit condition and in a way that works best for the breeder.
Cassi shows the dwarfs, she has one inside as a pet who also shows and consistantly brings home BOB< BOSB etc.
She is kept in the same condition as my barn bunnies.
One thing I will stress here is:
no matter what you decide for housing for your rabbit, it has to be confortable for you the owner and for the rabbit.
The ONLY wrong way to house a rabbit is the one that is detrimental to its health and well being.
Yes that was the point that I was trying to make is use what works for you as a breeder. Pet owner setups don't always work, and you never know how they will work if the owner has never shown them. Sometimes some of the breeder setups don't always work either. Thats why its best to learn from and listen to others that do have some good experiences with it. Instead of just blowing them off.
BTW thanks about the cages. It just bugs me when I am trying to help someone and they say they are too small. Yeah they would be too small for a flemish. But not a seven pound rabbit. The one large cage I showed actually does the meet the minimum standard for a large breed. You want something that keeps them nice and clean and healthy, and doesn't bother their health. They do get plenty of excercise in cages like that.
