Baby Foot stuck in cage floor?? Question.

[oxrayfarm]

Does any one elses babbies get their foot stuck through the cage floor? The cage's are standard Bass Equipment 30*36 with baby saver wire. The rabbits are standard size Rex. This has happened to me with two different litters this year. One or two babies will get a leg that falls through the wire which is fine they can get out of that no problem, but some of the kits rather than lifting at the hip to pull the leg out will curl their toe up and proceed to get jammed between hock and thigh. It's really hard to picture or explain (imagine wedging your elbow through the cage floor and not being able to pull it out.) The kits are between 3-5 weeks old when this happens. I've only lost one and it needed to me mercy killed, it happened overnight and by morning was too injured to save. All the others are scratched up and of course rubbed raw but usually recover.

The one I have in the infirmary now I don't think will ever use the leg again. But the babe seems fine, happy, bright eyed and eating loads. It's 4 weeks old, so I have it separated from it's mom and crew, but I put him in for one hour AM/PM so he can nurse (which I've seen him do.) I'm also keeping him separate for cleanliness reasons, I want to make sure the cuts heal ok and he doesn't run around too much on the leg.

I guess I am just wondering if anyone has any prevention ideas, the cage does have a plastic resting board, but short of putting those over the entire bottom of the cage I'm not sure what to do.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[MaggieJ]

Is the floor wire 1" x 1/2"? I've never had this happen, although I've heard other people mention it occasionally. Some people spread hay or straw over the wire when the kits are first out of the nest box, but it sounds as though this is happening with your rabbits later on. Hope someone comes up with a good suggestion or two.

 

[akane]

I've never had a problem but most of my cages have double floors. There is widely spaced thick wire supporting all the weight and then much finer wire over top of that. I have absolutely no sag and no sore hocks that way. The only commercial cages I've bought have much wider spacing than my top layer of wire and result in hock sores as well as would probably allow kits to fall through but I only use those cages for quarantine or emergency so I've never had kits in them.

 

[oxrayfarm]

Is the floor wire 1" x 1/2"?

Yes it is 1 X 1/2, I usually do spread some hay when they are first out of the nest box since they are so tiny. But it's true they get stuck when they are just a bit older and their leg from hock to toe is longer.


Akane- I've never had issues with sore hocks and these cages, and I guess Rex's are notorious for them. I have wondered if putting another layer of wire on somehow would help out, but still. What a weird situation.

 

[ottersatin]

I have experienced what you are talking about.
I would not put another piece of floor wire,
you might create an even greater problem.
It is always a possibility that one or two kits will
catch a foot/leg in the floor wire. Often it can be
extracted without problem, but every now and then
a kit will become frightened and jerk it's foot/leg
before you get a chance to remove it. I have had only
a few kits in all the years I've been at it that caught
their limb so badly that it had to be removed. They were
fine and lived a long even productive life, though they
would never be showable. Life is what happens
while your busy making other plans, [J.Lennon]
Best of luck with your kit.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[ladysown]

i've never had that happen with a kit.

does it make a difference which cage they are being raised in?

For a while last fall/early spring I had kits losing toes if I had them in two of my cages. I stopped putting them in there and the problem went away. it was odd since none of the other cages was affected and it only last for 1 month during both seasons.

 

[oxrayfarm]

I would not put another piece of floor wire,
you might create an even greater problem.

Yeah I was thinking that myself, I think my best option is to put more plastic resting boards on the bottom and hope for the best.

does it make a difference which cage they are being raised in?

Funnily enough it's only happening to one doe. But both does cages are interchangeable so after I clean them I just put back who ever is closest. I haven't noticed if it's happening in the same cage.

 

[sammysue63]

I have had one do that it was about 3 weeks old, we also had to show mercy and put it down, but so far that is the only one we have had. I don't have any advice just to let you know you are not alone.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I've had it happen.. and a lot of the time, it seems to be related to the kits piling on top of each other in order to get to something desirable-- some poor kit slips, his leg goes through, and in the excitement, he doesn't or can;t extract it ...

 

[oxrayfarm]

I don't have any advice just to let you know you are not alone.
Post

Thanks sammysue63 I appreciate it! It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's had this issue.

seems to be related to the kits piling on top of each other in order to get to something desirable

I wondered if that might be the case. The litter is currently 9 kits, she started with 12! :shock: I wondered if it wasn't bunny pile and the bottom kit's leg fell through and couldn't be extracted due to all the other babies on top or around. Or if it's just over excitement, this litter is a bit skittish.

 

[Secuono]

I've had bantam chickens get their leg stuck in 1x1/2 wire. Their hock is down between the wire, thigh and foot up top. It's usually because another chicken walked on a laying or sleeping bird. My guess is that the mom or other buns could of jumped onto the bun that got stuck. The chickens can't get their leg stuck like that on their own and I have to gently pry the wire to get the joint to come free.