Have you ever adopted a brand new good friend and wish to create the most effective rabbit cage setup you may? Are you already a fur mother and seeking to improve your bunny to a greater dwelling scenario?
Your rabbit cage setup is what your pet’s world revolves round. Which means you want every thing to be precisely proper, from what it consists of to the place you place it. Rabbits might be finicky, so if you happen to don’t set it up proper, it may finish in a large number!
On this article, you’ll be taught what your rabbit cage setup must be like– from how huge it must be to the place to place it, and extra. Preserve studying to be taught extra about constructing the final word rabbit cage setup.
Correct Rabbit Cage Dimension
The suitable measurement really relies on your rabbit’s breed and measurement. You wouldn’t want as a lot house for a Netherland Dwarf as you’ll a Flemish Big. Both approach, the cage must be sufficiently big to your rabbit to hop round, stretch out, and many others. You recognize, sufficiently big to truly stay inside.
Based on rabbit welfare groups, the best cage measurement for a rabbit is 8-12 sq. ft. with entry to train house of not less than 24 sq. ft. That’s sufficient house for 1 or 2 rabbits, though extra is all the time higher, particularly in case you have a couple of rabbit.
That’s why it’s so helpful to allow them to roam free round the home (supplied they’re litter educated, after all). But when that’s not potential, your rabbit will want not less than 5 hours of train within the really helpful quantity of house to remain wholesome and completely happy.
What Kind of Bunny Cage is Finest?
Rabbits want far more room than any pet retailer cages can present. So, if you happen to can’t give your rabbit free entry to your private home, take into account some extra spacious enclosure choices.
My private favorite rabbit cage possibility is a pet playpen. Pet play pens are often the proper measurement, light-weight (however not sufficient to tip over), and most significantly, super-easy to maintain clear.
A crate for an extra-large canine is massive sufficient for an average-sized rabbit to stay inside. Plus, canine crates have a handy plastic backside you may slide out to wash.
Final however definitely not least, there’s the choice of making your personal cage with snap-on C&C grids. Not solely does it allow you to design the proper bunny cage setup, nevertheless it’s additionally comparatively cheap.
Kinds of Rabbit Cages to Keep away from
Apart from small pet retailer cages, there are another belongings you may see really helpful which might be something however good for rabbits. Listed below are another enclosures you need to keep away from to your rabbit’s sake:
- Wire-bottom cages
- Aquariums & fish tanks
- Hutches until there’s 24/7 entry to a bigger space – corresponding to on the photograph above
You may be taught extra about the most effective cages for rabbits and get some suggestions right here.
Free Roam Rabbits – Is Free Roam Higher?
In my expertise, and that spans over a few years, I really consider that free roam is one of the simplest ways to go. Rabbits that get to discover and wander their very own environment are bodily more healthy, mentally more healthy, and a lot extra.
Free-roam rabbits are usually happier and more healthy rabbits. And that’s not as a result of they get to wander round, doing no matter they need, though realizing my rabbit, I’m certain that’s an integral half.
Letting your rabbits have free roam over your private home isn’t simply helpful to your rabbits both. Because you don’t want a cage, you gained’t want to purchase disposable bedding. After rabbit proofing, you simply want the litter for the litter bins. Plus, that makes issues a heck of lots simpler in relation to cleansing.
In case your rabbit is free to roam, you’ll want a foremost station to host his meals, litter field, and mattress. We’ll get extra into that in a minute.
What Do You Placed on the Ground of a Bunny Cage
After all, in case your rabbits are free to roam, you gained’t even want bedding. However, even within the bunny cage setups we’ve coated, conventional bedding would solely result in a giant mess.
That stated, you continue to want one thing to defend your flooring from any accidents and messes that –make no mistake– will occur.
As a substitute, listed here are some higher choices for the ground of your rabbit enclosure:
- Splat mats
- Plastic tray from a big/x-large canine crate
- Whelping mats
- Tub mats
- Vinyl or linoleum flooring
- Canvas floor safety / portray sheets
- Fleece blankets or liners
- Seagrass rugs
Kinds of Bedding to Keep away from Utilizing
Other than conventional bedding corresponding to paper bedding or wooden shavings (which, once more, could be an entire mess and a waste of cash), listed here are another sorts of issues to keep away from placing on the ground of your rabbit cage:
- Skinny plastic floor safety sheets
- Astro turf
- Thick carpeting
- Skinny mattress sheets
The place Ought to a Rabbit Cage or Primary Station Go?
The very best place for a rabbit’s enclosure or station is a peaceable room that he’s already comfy in. That must be a room that doesn’t see the busy day-to-day actions of your life, just like the loud noises of the tv, youngsters, and many others.
My rabbit, Chile, is free-roam and prefers spending most of his time in my workplace as a result of it’s quiet, I’m all the time in there, it’s utterly bunny-proofed, and nobody however the cat (his greatest good friend) ever is available in. So, that is the place I maintain his station setup.
Additionally, rabbits ought to by no means be in direct daylight. Rabbits usually just like the darkish, being crepuscular and burrowing animals. Nonetheless, they shouldn’t be in a chilly, darkish basement both.
Important Objects for a Rabbit Cage or Primary Station
When you’ve chosen the best sort of rabbit cage and determined what to placed on the ground, you could set it up with all of the requirements. Even if you happen to’ve opted to let your rabbits be free to roam, you’ll have to equip their stations with the necessities.
Right here’s what you could embrace in your bunny cage setup or foremost station:
- Water and meals dishes
- Limitless entry to hay
- Hidey homes or tunnels
- Mattress
- Litter field
- Toys
Water Bowl or Water Bottle – Which is Finest?
Water bottles could look like the best choice as a result of they’re handy and cleaner. Nonetheless, they’re not your best option. Before everything, water bottles make your rabbits drink at a clumsy angle that, over time, could cause neck and throat injury.
Whereas water dishes want extra cleansing and are more likely to spill, they’re one of the simplest ways to make sure your rabbit all the time has recent, clear water. You may be taught extra about that right here.
Hay
Hay is totally very important to your rabbit’s well being. In truth, it makes up most of their eating regimen. Even most pellets are fabricated from compressed Timothy hay. Besides, your rabbits all the time want entry to recent hay for his or her digestive well being.
There are a lot of sorts of hay which might be wholesome for rabbits, all with particular well being advantages. Once more, your rabbit all the time wants entry to hay, so it’s greatest to have it in other places. In an enclosure, you need to put some by the meals and a few by the litter field. And, for enrichment functions, stuff some in DIY toys.
Meals Dishes
For meals dishes, it’s all the time greatest to have one per rabbit. You don’t wish to danger a struggle, even when your rabbits get alongside.
In my time proudly owning rabbits, I’ve used steel dishes, plastic dishes, and porcelain dishes, and my favorite is the porcelain possibility. They’re too heavy for rabbits to throw round and tip over and often dishwasher-safe.
Hidey Home or Tunnel
Rabbits are pure burrowers. And since you may’t allow them to begin digging by means of the ground, you can provide them a protected place to cover or hang around. There must be one per rabbit to keep away from preventing.
Hidey homes and tunnels are an effective way to assist your rabbit really feel protected in an open enclosure or maintain free-roam rabbits from spending all of their time beneath your furnishings.
Mattress
Whether or not your rabbits are free to roam or have a large enclosure, they want a snug mattress to curve up in when it’s time to sleep. Once more, to keep away from battle, there must be one per rabbit.
That may be something from a cat mattress to a bunched-up blanket, so long as it’s cozy, heat, and protected. In case your rabbit is free-roam, ensure that the mattress is by his station or wherever your rabbit sleeps.
Toys
Your rabbits will want numerous toys to maintain their minds occupied, even when they’re free to roam. Boredom solely results in two issues in rabbits: melancholy and destruction.
To forestall melancholy and harmful chewing, your rabbit wants chew toys, puzzle toys, and interactive toys for bonding time. Get some DIY rabbit toy suggestions right here.
Rabbit Litter Field Setup
Now, to your rabbit’s litter field setup, you’ll want a litter field, absorbent litter, and plenty of hay to encourage utilization, even when your rabbit is already litter-trained. In case your rabbit is a free-roaming bun, their station must be the place the litter field or cage was once, not less than to start out.
You may progressively transfer it to a greater place if wanted. It would simply take time to your rabbit to regulate, and you’ll have to perform a little additional cleansing within the meantime.
There are two sorts of litter bins you need to use. The triangular litter bins are nice for saving house in enclosures. And the sq. cat litter bins are spacious sufficient to stop accidents.
Each are nice choices. However, it’s principally as much as desire and what works greatest to your rabbit and the rabbit cage setup.
Finest Kinds of Litter for a Rabbit Litter Field Setup
Identical to with cages and bedding, pet shops will attempt to throw a bunch of various choices in your face, and only some of these will really be good to your rabbit, not to mention obligatory.
Listed below are some good choices to make use of in your rabbit litter field:
- Recycled paper bedding
- Recycled paper pellets
- Shredded paper
- Aspen shavings
Kinds of Litter to Keep away from
Once more, lots of the litter or bedding varieties obtainable in pet shops aren’t really good to your rabbit. Listed below are a few of them:
- Cedar and non-kiln-dried pine shavings
- Corn litter
- Clay-based cat litter
- Straw
- Sawdust
The best way to Keep away from Aggression Between Rabbits With a Correct Cage Setup
In terms of meals, rabbits can get a bit sensitive. Should you solely have one rabbit, you gained’t run into this drawback. However for a number of rabbits, know that meals aggression is actual, and might solely finish in two situations:
- A struggle over meals (particularly between males).
- One rabbit dominates the opposite, which suggests one rabbit goes with out meals.
You may simply keep away from this by having one in every of every important merchandise for each rabbit you have got. And by conserving these issues separate. It’s slightly simpler with free-roam rabbits since there’s extra space.
If aggression continues or escalates, take into account fixing your rabbits. And if it doesn’t cease, they could must be separated.
Rabbit Cage Setup Images for Inspiration
Picture by Lucy Morriss
Picture by: Tamlyn Coronary heart
Rabbit’s foremost station | Picture by: Cindy Rogers
Picture by: KayLyn Giles
Picture by: Kristina Austin
Making a Bunny Cage Setup for a Completely satisfied, Wholesome Bun
Should you create your rabbit cage setup with the guidelines and recommendation I’ve given you right this moment, I’ve little question that your rabbit can be completely happy and wholesome. And if bonded to you, they’ll present you the way a lot they love their “new digs.”
Rabbits don’t want an entire lot. They’re not complicated like us people. However after they have what they want, they’re the most effective pets {that a} human may ask for.
