# cage for a bunny



## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i know some people here have bunnies as well and i would like your opinion on a cage i have in mind. right now i have a 6yr old dwarf bun in a really long hagen cage (i don't have a measure tape so i can't give dimensions) that dexter came with. its long enough that there are 2 doors at the top and the doors are large enough to get a cat litter pan in and out. 

the thing is that when dexter is in the cage he thinks the litter box is for sleeping in and the rest of the cage is where he does his business. when he's out in the house he'll use the litter pan but not when he's in the cage. i don't trust any rodent not to chew so he only comes out when my son is bed and i have time to watch him. so he does spend a good deal of the day in his cage and i'm getting really tired of having to clean it 3+ times a day and it still being dirty so i was thinking about getting a cage with a slide out bottom. 

i was on martinscages.com looking around now that the canadian dollar is on par with the US dollar and i came across a couple cages i think might work. but i'm pretty new to bunny ownership and want more experienced owners opinions. 

these are the ones i was interested in:
1. Medium Economy Rabbit Cage (E-110)
* 24x24x14
* 1Â½" deep slide-out pan
$41 galvanized

2. Large Economy Rabbit Cage (E-120)
* 36" x 24" x 14"
* 1Â½" deep slide-out pan
$52 galvanized

i saw some double levels too but the only one with a slide-out tray is $115 which is a bit much for me right now. 

they only come in galvanized, will they rust real quick like with rats or is it ok? also, what toys should i put in the cage to make it a better place for dexter to live? i don't think they would like hammocks, the only other thing i've ever seen in a bunny cage was a hut of some kind. is that all there is for rabbits to play with? what else do they like?

thanks for any replies, i know dexter isn't really a rat but i trust the people here and their opinions.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Sep 12, 2007)

You can make a really nice, big, cheap cage yourself. Just connect storage cubes, and use coroplax for the bottom. This site is for piggies, but it is the same idea, you could just make it taller for rabbits. It's easy to clean, just lift off the top and dump it. I made one for my sister's two bunns and another for my pigs. http://www.guineapigcages.com/types.htm


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Is Dexter neutered? Unaltered male rabbits don't usually have any sense of litter box habits because their main goal is to mark their territory - a lot.

Rabbits in galvanized cages is a horrible, horrible situation. It's not good for their feet and often causes pododermatitis; they should never come in contact with bare wire, or wire in general for that matter. Along with that, rabbit urine is almost on par with cat urine as far as the ammonia. The cage will rust very quickly, and will also smell terribly.

Commercially made rabbit cages are extremely small, and really aren't suitable for rabbits at all. For one rabbit, I suggest a cage this size, which can be made for a fraction of what normal "rabbit" cages in pet stores cost. It's the cage I made for a foster bunny I had a couple years ago.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Sep 12, 2007)

Yeah, that is alot like the one for my sisters buns, only it was three levels, and had carpeted shelves up to each litter. The base is made out of coroplax, but Dmitri and Diana are both really good about using the litter tray


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

where would i find those materials? i've never seen them in stores before, mind you i never looked for them either. i'm not sure if i can build one but its something to consider. i need to make something that will be easier to clean out then what i have now though and laying carpet seems like a way to train dexter to pee on the throw carpets in the rest of the house when he's out. and having a big tray line the inside is pretty much what i have now. mind you, you say that its not good for them to walk on mesh so i don't know what other alternative i would have... in any case, whether i buy one or make one, what are the minimum dimensions i should keep in mind? and is it better to have 2 levels or is it ok to only have one?

dexter is not neutered but at his age its unlikely that i will have him neutered either, i was told that 6 is pretty old for a dwarf. but if its a territory thing why doesn't he mark anywhere in the house? he uses the litter box prefectly when he's outside of his cage for any length of time, just not when he's inside.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Minimum size cage for one rabbit around be about 2' width x 4' length, with enough head room to fully jump and stand up. If you poke around the site that '1dog3cats17rodents' posted, you'll find information on where to purchase supplies to make a C&C (cubes and coroplast) cage. Generally, you can find the cubes at Target/Walmart, and the coroplast at any sign store.

If you have a hard time finding those materials, you can always just opt to use a puppy pen. A nice substitute for coroplast is linoleum or tile. You can find sheets of it at large home supply stores, like Home Depot or Lowes.

Just like rats, rabbit can undergo surgery at any age as long as their health is good. I had my BunBun spayed at 9 years old, and she lived until she was 15. Six years old for a (male) dwarf rabbit is middle age, in actuality. They can live well into their teens, easily.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

I recommend building a C&C cage like the others have said. It's cheaper and easy to make a nice, big spacy cage. Galvanized cages are definitely a bad idea just like they are for rats. They will rust and smell. Besides that, rabbits should never be kept on wire floored cages. That's just asking for sore hocks. 

As far as neutering him, I think it's a good idea to do so. It will decrease a lot of negative behaviors like spraying and make it much easier to litter train him. His litter habits will most likely become much better. 

"Although it is best to fix rabbits when they are younger, unless there is a known health problem, older rabbits may safely be neutered or spayed. If your rabbit is older, be sure to inform your veterinarian. Keep in mind that rescues routinely spay/neuter rabbits as old as eight or nine."

Quote from here (more info on rabbit fixing here too): http://www.petinfopackets.com/rabbits/rabbitinfopacket.html#fixing


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

thank you for all the information, i will look into the site given as soon as i can as well.


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## Fuzzie (Apr 25, 2007)

night, I just need to compliment you again on your cage sizes, quality, cleanliness, and color coordination! really, every picture you post lifts my mood a bit. I can tell you're a great small animal keeper


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Aww, thank you! I really do strive to do the best I can


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## lostbutnotforgot (Apr 19, 2007)

Thank you too Night! I have a 1 year old mini rex male who is in a decent sized cage (see link), but after he's fixed (which I was already planning to do since he's a little devil and likes to bite me!) I'm hoping his marking will stop and he'll start using the litter box all the time so he can be out more and maybe even just live in an ex-pen (as it is he can only 'run amok' in his outdoor pen ). I could certainly put together a cage like that though to give him a second level!

http://www.petco.com/product/100590...Extra-Large-Small-Animal-Home-with-Stand.aspx


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## amybunny (Aug 17, 2007)

twitch said:


> also, what toys should i put in the cage to make it a better place for dexter to live? i don't think they would like hammocks, the only other thing i've ever seen in a bunny cage was a hut of some kind. is that all there is for rabbits to play with? what else do they like?



TOYS! AHHH for toys! My bunnies love their toys. You should join the rabbit forum that I moderate for, you will learn sooo much about your baby...

www.rabbitsonline.net


Anway, toys. I purchase almost all of my toys from the dollar store or online rabbit stores. I hate pet stores and would never waste my money on pet store rabbit toys. There is so many better toys out there at Walmart or online stores.

These toys are ALL from the dollar store and 100% rabbit safe. You might want to only let you rabbit have supervised play with the slinky, though, as I have heard stories of bunnies getting their leg twisted in one...



A wiffle ball...











A finger trick toy...











A small slinky...











A cat ball with a bell inside...













A small plastic ball filled with air...











An untreated rape vine or a willow wreath...











An untreated wooden toy...












You can also go to Walmart and spend 97 cents on a pair of baby keys! They are a HUGE hit for bunnies.



*
Some sites for bunny toys...*



Cats, Rabbits, and More (my personal favorite)
Bunny Bunch Boutique
The Busy Bunny



Don't hesitate to join the forum that I moderate for and/or ask me rabbit questions. I am a mommy to FIVE spoiled house bunnies  .


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