# Laminate flooring & bunnys



## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

Im getting my new baby rabbit next weekend and ive just been told that rabbits cant walk on laminate flooring and break their backs on it all the time. is this true as i have laminate throughout my apartment and if so i wont be able to get my bunny and i will be devastated.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Just get some cheap non-slip rugs or runners.

But its correct. Rabbits can seriously hurt themselves on laminate flooring, as they cant get a grip. If they panic, they can cause injury to the spine. Even in play a slip in the wrong direction can be fatal.


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

but my whole apartment in laminate which is a big space about 500sq foot. do you think i shouldnt get my bunny then? 
im actaully in tears ive been waiting 4 weeks for my bunny and spent over £100 for stuff for it and now it looks like its not going to happen.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Could you not section off an area just for the rabbit? And put down rugs so he doesnt slip?

I know many people do have laminate flooring and rabbits, but i dont think its worth the risk. I put down rugs for my rabbits, and they only cost me £6 each.

Even my dogs slip on laminate, and they dont have hairy feet, but pads.


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

its all open plan in the kitchen/living room which is where i wanted him to live. there is no other room. i dont mind putting more rugs down but its a big area and i cant make it smaller in any way. im so stressed right now i dont know what to do.


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## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

Nah thats silly! All my rabbits have been perfectly fine on my laminate flooring, it took them all a while to get used to walking on it in my living room but evetually they could walk run binky everything!! Even in my kitchen and conservatory where Stan stays all the time that i am out or in bed i have them really high gloss shiny slippy tiles and he is fine on them! I think somebody has got you worrying about nothing to be honest!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

The best thing to do is see how he/she copes, then go from there.

You could space the rugs out, to minimise the laminate area.

You can still get your bun, but you will just have to adapt a few things when you get to know his/her individual behaviours. They will also adapt to their surroundings.

One of my rabbits is terrified of my flooring, and will only walk on my runners.


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## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

I did try to put down different rugs and blankets but this seemed to make it worse as Stan would then slip as the rug would slip underneath him but this may be because he is a big bun and he moved them with him! im not sure! But now he is fine on all the floors after some getting used to!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

kellyrich said:


> I did try to put down different rugs and blankets but this seemed to make it worse as Stan would then slip as the rug would slip underneath him but this may be because he is a big bun and he moved them with him! im not sure! But now he is fine on all the floors after some getting used to!


I use rubber backed, non-slip rugs. A bog standard rug could prove fatal for my dog, so i have to be really careful. If my dogs cant move them, no way can my rabbits.

I agree that if you use slippery rugs, that you just make matters worse.


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

Leo walks fine on our laminate floor he slips a little bit occasionally its the dogs have more trouble you know in the cartoons when they start running and the legs start rotating but they don't go anywhere for a good few seconds thats my dogs.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

My baby rabbit runs around on my wooden floors when he is in house.Seems to prefer to lay on them than rug in living room in the heat think it must be cooler for him.


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## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

Norman gets on find on out wooden floor never had a prob. I have a rug down in the lounge though and he does his biggest binkies on there! x


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

thanks for all the advise, im going to buy a rug this weekend just to be on the safe side as i do really want to get my bunny. was just so upset yesterday when this woman said i shouldnt get him cos he might die or injure himself on the laminate.

also she said dont feed burgess excel food as its got loads of suger in and gaver her bun stomach probs, but i thought this was a good make to get?

she then said i shouldnt have just 1 bun and most people will not sell just 1 bun. i thought it was ok to get 1 bun if they were going to be house bunnys?

p.s sorry for being thick but what is a binkie?


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## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

Im not sure who this woman is but she is giving you not fully factual advice and scaring you a bit!

You can have one bun but if it is going to be left alone most of the time then it is best to have two! A rabbit just gets bored when it is alone and likes company! Of course it is good for it to have another rabbit for it for company but it isnt a must, it all depends on your situation and how the bunny is etc etc and after you have had the bunny for a while you will be able to decide for youself what you think is best!

I have Stan alone at the moment and he loves being alone, he is a very happy bunny, but in a couplel of months time when he is neutered etc i may look to get him a mate but he doesnt need one but i do feel sorry for him when he is alone during the day biti nothing seems to bother him anyway!

I have fed all my rabbits excel pellets and there have been no problems, excel is one of the best pellet food for buns along with A&P and Science Selective (i think) but a lot of people feed their buns on excel, just dont suddenly change their food over as this is what causes the problems.

Ask away with anything you need to know!! Everyone is helpful on here!! 

A binky (i never knew this at first!) is where the rabbit sort of runs around and crazily jumps into the air, its very funny to watch but it means they are happy!


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## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

kellyrich said:


> Im not sure who this woman is but she is giving you not fully factual advice and scaring you a bit!
> 
> You can have one bun but if it is going to be left alone most of the time then it is best to have two! A rabbit just gets bored when it is alone and likes company! Of course it is good for it to have another rabbit for it for company but it isnt a must, it all depends on your situation and how the bunny is etc etc and after you have had the bunny for a while you will be able to decide for youself what you think is best!
> 
> ...


I 2nd this

Norman is perfectly ok on his own at the min! He seems very happy and binkies all over and he has loads of toys so I hope he doesnt get bored. Then when I get home from work he is let to have full run of the ground floor of the house...he then has our company but half the time is happy playing by himself and causing mischeif!

I have always fed him Excel pellets and he is eating excel forage hay at the min and he is very healthy! x


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