urine staining

Question
Thank you so much for your quick response! They are both about a year and a half old. What is hardware cloth? Could I just put it on top of the wire mesh floor instead of the wooden board I have there now? I will stop the fruit (though the LOVE the bananas!) and add the vinegar. Thanks again!

Anela
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
Aloha,

I have 2 bunnies, Flopsy, female, spayed (a large California giant I think) and Papaya, male, unneutered, dwarf. They live together in an outdoor hutch. Their diet is mostly timothy hay, fresh veggies and small amounts of pellets and fruit for snacks. Flopsy has been urinating all over herself lately. I took her to the vet, he did a full urinalysis and said there was nothing wrong with her! They shaved her and it seemed to help. Now that it's growing back, she's doing it again. I think she's probably uncomfortable and I'm starting to see some urine scald. Is shaving (or buzzing) her the only solution? She may be overweight, would cutting down on her food intake help? Any other ideas? Thank you!!!!!!

Answer -
Anela, how old are the rabbits ?  Could be a couple of things.  If she is an adult and he is just becoming an adult it could be a come on from her to him (spaying does not mean that all sexual desire is removed - just the ability to procriate in the female ) One solution is to make the floor of the hutch out of 1/2 inch hardwear cloth - tho with a large rabbit you have to make sure that the floor is sturdy - and give them resting boards that are permiable    ( I use vegatable drainage trays with the sides removed )This way if she keeps peeing it drains right away.  I have a female who does this all the time . every so often I take the hose to her bottom ( just her bottom - otherwise she might get sick ).  Another thing I would do is put 6 ml of apple cider vinegar in 1 liter of water - and always give it to them as their everyday water.  This will help nutralize the smell of the urine (sexual markers ) and will cure any urinery problems she might have.  This is for the rest of their lives - it eliminates the heavy calcium deposits in the urinary tract.

To put her on a diet just stop giving fruit - it has to many simple carbs and is not really recommended for a healthy rabbit diet.  Tho I do use papaya as a remedy for hair blockage and overall malaze.

I loved the name Papaya for a bunny !  Will copy you !

Sheila


Answer
Anela, hardwear cloth is a metal wire mesh - the idea is that they be suspended so that poop and urine can fall through.  Any wire flooring is hard on a heavy rabbits feet - so they need someplace where they can sit that is flat but it must have holes in it so that urine can drain away inmediatly.

You can give them banana peels and the green leaves from the banana plant - both great sources of fiber, vit. and minerals - the pulp has to much simple carbs.


I am guessing you are in Hawai - I had a banana plant in   one of my pens and they ate it all up - trunk and all - did the same to a papaya tree about 15 feet tall - it was againt the fence and they nibbled on it on the far side so I did not notice it until it came crashing down - almost scaring me to death !  I was worried that the latex sap from it would harm them - they were fine.

Sheila