How To Set Up Rabbit Cage

Rabbits can brand great pets. Before yous bring your new rabbit abode, you volition need to set up a cozy habitation for information technology that will work well for a rabbit'due south unique needs. Learn how to set upward a comfortable, safe home for your rabbit, with plenty of room for it to stretch out, play, and huddle downwardly for the night.

1. 1

   Choose a cage or a hutch. Cages are better suited to temporary accommodation considering they don't give the rabbit the opportunity to hibernate. A rabbit that is constantly exposed to view on all sides volition apace feel stressed. Of grade, it does help to put a hide or box into the cage so bunny can have some privacy.

   • Withal, although a hutch may be meliorate, they are heavy and cumbersome and non well suited to indoors.
   • Traditional hutches are made from forest, with craven wire mesh over the door and so the rabbit can run across out. Wood remains an excellent pick considering it has good thermal backdrop, keeping the air current, rain, and chill out in the wintertime, but as well providing shade in the summer.
   • A wire cage is fine for temporary accommodation, such as when bunny spends fourth dimension in the family room, just yous don't trust the rabbit not to chew electrical wires. When using a wire cage, make certain the rabbit has a hide or a box, where they tin go to feel condom when they need to slumber.

2. ii

   Pick out a cage that is the right size for your rabbit. Rabbits vary widely in size from the tiny mini-lop that weighs just i.3 kg (two - 3 lb), to the huge Flemish giant which at up to 10 kg (22 lb). The flooring expanse and height of the muzzle is going to vary depending on the breed of rabbit your select. When ownership the muzzle, ever consider the adult weight and size of the rabbit.^[1]

   • Equally a dominion of thumb, the cage needs to exist tall enough for the rabbit to sit down upright on their back legs. The length should be greater than three bunny (developed) bunny hops, and the width 2 (adult) bunny hops.
   • Rabbits live in burrows and but feel truly prophylactic and let themselves rest, if they are enclosed, and preferably in the dark. Thus, information technology helps if your cage has two rooms to information technology, ane of which offers complete privacy.^[two]
   • For two small rabbits the minimum recommended size is 150cm long past 60 cm broad, and sixty cm tall. If the rabbits are larger, this rises to at to the lowest degree 185 cm long past 90cm wide, past xc cm alpine. Of course, always base your calculations on the largest, rather than the smallest, rabbit.^{[3] [iv]}
   • If you are bringing home a baby bunny, accept into account that it will grow over the next few months, then choose a cage that can accommodate its adult size.
   • Many "rabbit cages" sold in pet stores are actually much too small. If the pet shop doesn't accept a good choice, bank check online or get creative and make your own.

3. 3

   Brand sure your muzzle has a solid flooring. Many rabbits suffer from a condition chosen pododermatitis, which is where they develop pressure level sores on the back of the hind legs from sitting on hard floors or wet bedding. The wire mesh of a cage is totally unsuitable flooring and very uncomfortable for the rabbit.^[5]

   • If your cage has a wire bottom, you will need to cover this with something, such every bit a slice of plywood, then cover that with bedding.^[6]
   • Pododermatitis affects the pare overlying the bone of the hock, where it's in contact with the footing.

4. 4

   Choose a cage with sides made of wire. A cage with wire sides and meridian give your rabbit enough of airflow and it'll be quite easy to clean. Still, make sure the flooring is non only fabricated of wire. Your rabbit should not be forced to sit or stand up on wire meshing for long periods of time.

   • Consider an open-top cage, like a puppy pen. This will give the rabbit more than freedom to movement around and will feel less circumscribed.^[7] Merely make certain information technology is at least 35 inches (88.9 cm) high, so the rabbit cannot leap out.
   • If you want to create an outdoor hutch for your rabbit, the specifications are unlike. See How to Build a Rabbit Hutch for more information.

5. 5

   Make certain the bottom of the cage has a urine guard. The bottom of the cage, the tray, should have high, solid sides. This is because rabbits tend to spray when they urinate.

   • This is also useful to end the rabbit spreading straw all over the floor.
   • If your cage does not have a guard, and you lot decide to improvise and brand your ain, use materials such as cardboard, which won't hurt the rabbit if they chew on them. You lot will need to supercede it often but it will not make your rabbit sick.

6. half dozen

   Pick out a rabbit litter box. Purchasing a litter box and training your rabbit to use it is very important if you are having your rabbit live indoors. A triangular litter box to place in the corner of the muzzle or pen is very convenient.

   • Your rabbit may not apply the litter box correct away, so exist patient. You will need to litter box train them. Eventually, information technology will acquire to go in that location every fourth dimension.

7. seven

   Buy food bowls and a water supply for the muzzle. Use heavy flat-bottomed bowls for food that are difficult to tip over. Provide a hay rack but sit it equally low to the ground as possible, as rabbits do non like stretching their heads up.^[8]

1. i

   Gear up up the cage in a well-ventilated surface area that doesn't become too hot or too cold. Don't use a dusty or dirty room such as an attic or basement, considering dust aggravates the rabbit's frail lungs.

   • The rabbit as well needs natural calorie-free. Brand sure the sun does not pound them but go some diffused sunlight.
   • Be aware that rabbits don't like loud noises or sudden movement, so setting the cage next to a tumbler dryer could cause the rabbit unnecessary stress.
   • A spare chamber would be a proficient selection, as long as you make sure to interact the rabbit on a regular basis.

2. 2

   Make sure the rabbit volition be condom from predators. Also, take intendance that other household pets, such every bit cats and dogs, cannot worry the rabbit. Rabbits are a prey species and notice the close presence of carnivores very unsettling!

   • If you have dogs, try to heighten the cage off the floor. The rabbits volition feel very intimidated by a dog sniffing round them on floor level.

3. three

   Cull a room where your rabbit can roam around. Rabbits should not stay confined in their cages all the time. You will need to let your rabbit out to become some exercise. It is easiest to put the cage in a room where you lot volition not mind having your rabbit hop around and explore.

   • Make sure the room is free of wires, sharp edges, pocket-sized toys, and other objects that could harm your rabbit.

1. i

   Line the cage with bedding. A rabbit needs a thick cushion of bedding to protect their legs from sores. The bigger the rabbit, the deeper the bedding.

   • Materials commonly used for bedding include straw, sawdust or hay. Of these, harbinger is all-time because it is springy and soft, plus in winter it holds estrus. Straw is also safe if the rabbit chews it.
   • For a regular sized bunny provide at least 5 - half-dozen inches of bedding, more for bigger animals.
   • Although your rabbit may exist house-trained, it's not appropriate to line the cage with carpeting, as this could cause a bowel obstruction if chewed.
   • Spot clean the bedding every day, by scooping out areas soiled with urine or pellets, then replacing with clean straw. Ideally, clean the cage out completely once a week.
   • Rabbits will chew a blanket or bed, then it'due south improve to provide an peculiarly deep and snuggly pile of straw inside a box or hide.

2. 2

   Fill the litter box with a layer of newspaper, nontoxic litter, and a peak layer of hay. Change out the hay daily, and change the rest of the litter box weekly.

   • Practice not utilise cat litter, especially clumping litter, as information technology can exist fatal to rabbits.

3. 3

   Provide food for your rabbit. Grass is the platonic food for rabbits, and hay is an excellent substitute. Where possible, feed your rabbit on hay lone, that fashion their teeth will be kept in perfect order and they won't become overweight.

   • Give a daily care for of fresh fruit or vegetables, just try to give something different every day to create a balanced diet.
   • If you have more than than one rabbit, provide one bowl for each bunny, plus a spare. Situate the bowls around the cage so that one rabbit cannot monopolize all the bowls.^[9]

4. 4

   Provide h2o for your rabbit. Bowls of h2o can easily be tipped over or soiled with pellets, so sipper drinkers are preferable. Modify the water every day so that it is always fresh. Also wash the drinker daily, and never utilise a drinker that is discolored by algae.

   • For more than one rabbit, provide a drinker at either end of the cage.

5. 5

   Put some fun toys in the cage. Toys provide enrichment and amusement for rabbits. Provide toys for the rabbit to play with, such as cardboard tubes or cardboard boxes with holes cut in them. Some rabbits will even play with toy such every bit a ball with a bell inside.

   • Rabbits love to chew so provide some sturdy branches of orchard woods (apple tree, pear, plum, blood-red) or you can purchase commercial rabbit chews from a pet store.^[ten]
   • When choosing toys, make sure they are rabbit-safe. A good toy is a cardboard box filled with shredded newspaper and dry out hay. Your bunny would love to dig through that.

Add New Question

• Question

  Do the water and feed need to be close to each other?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of feel in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinarian medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same creature clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  Not necessarily, every bit long equally the rabbit can access them hands. If you are using a h2o bowl (rather than a bottle sipper) then it can be helpful to accept it a curt altitude away, so as to reduce the chance of contamination with kibble.

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• Do not play with newborn rabbits outside of its muzzle for around two-3 weeks.

• Many rabbits can be trained to be "house bunnies" and enjoy the liberty of roaming the house on their own.

• A proficient fashion to make clean your muzzle is with white vinegar mixed with h2o. It is non-toxic, and gets the task done.

• Bunnies love bells, so try to provide them with some sort of bell toy.

• Exist conscientious to use a padded floor on the cage rather than a wire. Wire hurts the paws.

• You should keep your rabbit in its cage for the commencement three to four days.

• Add upward how much it will cost earlier you buy information technology because it tin can get expensive.

Well-nigh this article

Commodity Summary 10

To fix a rabbit cage, showtime by lining the bottom of the cage with a thick layer of straw, which will proceed your rabbit warm and comfortable. Then, identify a rabbit litter box in ane of the corners so your rabbit has somewhere to relieve itself. Likewise, put a food dish in the cage and adhere a sipper drinker to the side of the muzzle so your rabbit can go h2o when it's thirsty. Don't forget to put some toys in the cage, similar a cardboard tube or a ball, and then your rabbit doesn't get bored. To learn what food you should feed your rabbit, whorl down!

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