Rabbit problem??

by River Sun 10 Jul 2016, 1:27 pm

I don't know if anyone here is able to help, but I'm not sure where else to go with this.
My rabbit - Thumper - has this roll of skin under his belly. Last time I checked it, it didn't seem like there was anything in it, it wasn't hard and just felt like loose skin, so I just passed it off as the symptoms of old age. However I noticed today that it's missing fur on it now; I haven't felt it yet, and I'm not sure if it feels like a possible tumor or not. It doesn't look like a tumor - it's more flabby than it is shapen, like tumors usually are, but it won't hurt to check. I guess the hair loss could just be from him lying on the Mesh floor - which if it has the right spacing between it is fine for rabbits usually, apparently. He hasn't had problems with it before, but it's possible that it's causing scarcity on these 'skin rolls'. I'll add more platforums if that's the issue. Even if it were a tumor, I'm not sure I'd remove it. It's risky, though not as risky as it is in rodents, so I might try it, but I don't know.
Since it's missing fur I did question the possibility of Urine burn, but it's more on his upper belly, so I don't think that's a possibility. Any idea what it might be?

EDIT: It's eight months till he gets his usual check-up from the pros, so I don't wanna wait too long if it is a tumor or something.

by Artistwolf Sun 10 Jul 2016, 2:21 pm

It sounds like it could maybe be the mesh... If it's loose skin, it would sort of... Maybe go through the mesh a bit (I can't explain this) and then if he moved a bit the fur on the loose skin could get caught in the mesh? I don't know, just a theory. Seems like an odd description for a tumor or growth of any sort.

by River Sun 10 Jul 2016, 2:40 pm

Its definitely just loose skin now that I have felt it. He's been put on a new diet recently and we think its less fattening which is why he has those skin rolls - We had been trying to fatten him up since his natural weight is underweight by a little bit. It had worked, but we ended up changing his diet back to what it had been (cheaper) so it does sound like weight loss stuff. He's at a healthy weight + everything else is good so we are adding more platforms and leaving it till his usual checkup.

by CinnamonPearl Sun 10 Jul 2016, 2:42 pm

His cage has a mesh floor? As far as I know, those aren't really good for any animal except maybe parrots, since they spend the majority of their time on perches.

by River Sun 10 Jul 2016, 2:43 pm

I double checked and the mesh is definitely safe enough so it won't cause bumblefoot, but it can cause some fur loss (though typically in Rex breeds) so I'm giving them all half tile, half mesh space. I wish we could be giving them all big bedpans indoors, but they arent truly my rabbits, so its not my decision. ):
Mesh is super popular among people who have a lot of show/farm rabbits so while it is safe I've only just now found out we should be giving half and half space!

by CAPSLOCK Mon 11 Jul 2016, 9:59 am

It's one of those things that is technically safe, but not necessarily all that comfortable. Would you want to be standing barefoot on grating all the time? Not going to cut your feet up, but not as nice as a solid surface. Especially if they don't get out of their cage that much, standing on mesh 24/7 is uncomfortable. And rabbits like to lounge on their sides, which is also more comfortable on a solid surface than on mesh.

by River Mon 11 Jul 2016, 10:28 am

Oh, I know. But considering they aren't mine, all I can do is make up for these things by adding tiles. They get lots of out of cage time - except for Wolfgang, who won't let me near him to get him out. I'll ask my sister to handle him more, though.

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