Rabbit Cage Setup for Completely satisfied & Wholesome Bunnies

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 residing scenario?

Your rabbit cage setup is what your pet’s world revolves round. Meaning you want all the pieces to be precisely proper, from what it consists of to the place you set it. Rabbits will be finicky, so in the event you don’t set it up proper, it may finish in a large number!

On this article, you’ll study what your rabbit cage setup needs to be like– from how large it needs to be to the place to place it, and extra. Preserve studying to study extra about constructing the final word rabbit cage setup. 

Correct Rabbit Cage Dimension

The best measurement actually relies on your rabbit’s breed and measurement. You wouldn’t want as a lot area for a Netherland Dwarf as you’ll a Flemish Large. Both method, the cage needs to be large enough to your rabbit to hop round, stretch out, and so forth. You already know, large enough to truly stay inside. 

In response to rabbit welfare groups, the best cage measurement for a rabbit is 8-12 sq. ft. with entry to train area of no less than 24 sq. ft. That’s sufficient area for 1 or 2 rabbits, though extra is at all times higher, particularly you probably have a couple of rabbit. 

That’s why it’s so useful to allow them to roam free round the home (supplied they’re litter educated, in fact). But when that’s not attainable, your rabbit will want no less than 5 hours of train within the beneficial quantity of area to remain wholesome and glad. 

What Kind of Bunny Cage is Greatest? 

Rabbits want rather more room than any pet retailer cages can present. So, in the event you can’t give your rabbit free entry to your property, think about some extra spacious enclosure choices.

My private favorite rabbit cage choice is a pet playpen. Pet play pens are normally 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 actually not least, there may be the choice of making your individual cage with snap-on C&C grids. Not solely does it allow you to design the proper bunny cage setup, however it’s additionally comparatively cheap. 

Sorts of Rabbit Cages to Keep away from

Apart from small pet retailer cages, there are another belongings you would possibly see beneficial which can be something however good for rabbits. Listed here are another enclosures it is best 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 – comparable to on the picture above

You possibly can study 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 imagine that free roam is one of the best 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 sometimes happier and more healthy rabbits. And that’s not as a result of they get to wander round, doing no matter they need, though understanding my rabbit, I’m certain that’s an integral half.

Letting your rabbits have free roam over your property isn’t simply useful 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 containers. Plus, that makes issues a heck of quite a bit simpler with regards to cleansing. 

In case your rabbit is free to roam, you’ll want a predominant station to host his meals, litter field, and mattress. We’ll get extra into that in a minute.

What Do You Placed on the Flooring of a Bunny Cage

In fact, 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 an enormous mess. 

That mentioned, you continue to want one thing to shield your flooring from any accidents and messes that –make no mistake– will occur. 

 As an alternative, 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

Sorts of Bedding to Keep away from Utilizing

Apart from conventional bedding comparable to paper bedding or wooden shavings (which, once more, could be a whole mess and a waste of cash), listed here are another kinds 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 Major Station Go?

One of the best place for a rabbit’s enclosure or station is a peaceable room that he’s already snug in. That needs to 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 so forth. 

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 at all times 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 sometimes just like the darkish, being crepuscular and burrowing animals. Nonetheless, they shouldn’t be in a chilly, darkish basement both. 

Important Gadgets for a Rabbit Cage or Major Station

When you’ve chosen the best kind of rabbit cage and determined what to placed on the ground, you want to set it up with all of the requirements. Even in the event you’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 want to embody in your bunny cage setup or predominant station:

• Water and meals dishes
• Limitless entry to hay
• Hidey homes or tunnels
• Mattress 
• Litter field
• Toys

Water Bowl or Water Bottle – Which is Greatest?

Water bottles might seem to be the best choice as a result of they’re handy and cleaner. Nonetheless, they’re not the only option. At first, water bottles make your rabbits drink at an ungainly 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 best ways to make sure your rabbit at all times has contemporary, clear water. You possibly can study extra about that right here. 

Hay

Hay is totally important to your rabbit’s well being. In reality, it makes up most of their weight loss program. Even most pellets are manufactured from compressed Timothy hay. Besides, your rabbits at all times want entry to contemporary hay for his or her digestive well being.

There are lots of kinds of hay which can be wholesome for rabbits, all with particular well being advantages. Once more, your rabbit at all times wants entry to hay, so it’s greatest to have it somewhere else. In an enclosure, it is best 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 at all times greatest to have one per rabbit. You don’t wish to threat a battle, even when your rabbits get alongside.  

In my time proudly owning rabbits, I’ve used metallic dishes, plastic dishes, and porcelain dishes, and my favorite is the porcelain choice. They’re too heavy for rabbits to throw round and tip over and normally dishwasher-safe. 

Hidey Home or Tunnel

Rabbits are pure burrowers. And since you may’t allow them to begin digging by the ground, you may give them a secure place to cover or hang around. There needs to be one per rabbit to keep away from preventing.

Hidey homes and tunnels are an effective way to assist your rabbit really feel secure in an open enclosure or maintain free-roam rabbits from spending all of their time below 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 needs to 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 secure. In case your rabbit is free-roam, be sure that the mattress is by his station or wherever your rabbit sleeps.

Toys 

Your rabbits will want plenty of toys to maintain their minds occupied, even when they’re free to roam. Boredom solely results in two issues in rabbits: despair and destruction.

To forestall despair and damaging 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 many hay to encourage utilization, even when your rabbit is already litter-trained. In case your rabbit is a free-roaming bun, their station needs to be the place the litter field or cage was, no less than to begin. 

You possibly can steadily transfer it to a greater place if wanted. It’s going to simply take time to your rabbit to regulate, and you could have to perform a little additional cleansing within the meantime. 

There are two kinds of litter containers you need to use. The triangular litter containers are nice for saving area in enclosures. And the sq. cat litter containers are spacious sufficient to forestall accidents. 

Each are nice choices. However, it’s largely as much as desire and what works greatest to your rabbit and the rabbit cage setup. 

Greatest Sorts of Litter for a Rabbit Litter Field Setup

Similar 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 truly be good to your rabbit, not to mention mandatory. 

Listed here are some good choices to make use of in your rabbit litter field:

• Recycled paper bedding
• Recycled paper pellets
• Shredded paper
• Aspen shavings

Sorts of Litter to Keep away from 

Once more, lots of the litter or bedding sorts obtainable in pet shops aren’t truly good to your rabbit. Listed here 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 the case of meals, rabbits can get a bit sensitive. For those who solely have one rabbit, you gained’t run into this drawback. However for a number of rabbits, know that meals aggression is actual, and may solely finish in two eventualities:

1. A battle over meals (particularly between males). 
2. One rabbit dominates the opposite, which implies one rabbit goes with out meals. 

You possibly can simply keep away from this by having certainly one of every important merchandise for each rabbit you have got. And by retaining these issues separate. It’s slightly simpler with free-roam rabbits since there may be more room. 

If aggression continues or escalates, think about fixing your rabbits. And if it doesn’t cease, they might must be separated.

Rabbit Cage Setup Photographs for Inspiration

Making a Bunny Cage Setup for a Completely satisfied, Wholesome Bun

For those who create your rabbit cage setup with the guidelines and recommendation I’ve given you right this moment, I’ve little doubt that your rabbit will likely be glad and wholesome. And if bonded to you, they’ll present you the way a lot they love their “new digs.”

Rabbits don’t want a complete 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.