Question on NIC cage

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

RemixMom

Active Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
43
Reaction score
1
Location
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
Hello, I just made my bunny a NIC cage, and it has 4 levels. My rabbit is not used to jumping up on the levels and I am just wondering if he will get comfortable jumping up and down from each level. He knows how to because he jumped up each level and then jumped down. But all day he's been sitting on the bottom of his cage and not attempting to jump up to the next level.I think he gets scared jumping down from the levels. Should I wait and see if he gets comfortable, or should I put up ramps? I don't have any pics cuz my camera isn't working sorry.

Thanks
Jessica
 
You could use steps. Ramps take up lots of space. To incourage him to go to the upper levels you could put his food, toys, treats etc.. up on the different levels.
 
My levels in my NIC enclosure we one panel higher than the one below it. My guys took right to them. Do you have any covering over the additional levels, or are they bare NIC panel? I know sometimes that can prevent them from hopping up. You could also put some enticing aromatic treats up there as incentive. :)
 
I have steps that go up to the levels. Expect for the bottom one, they are all about 1/2 a grid high. My rabbits don't have a problem getting up and down. The steps are covered with coroplast and have some gripy stuff on them too. They are also supported using L brackets, so they are quite stable.

I have used ramps in the past, but they do take up more space and can require the shelves to be arranged differently to accommodate them. You also need 2 grids for each ramp or need to make them out of wood, so it can be harder to make them. They would be good for rabbits who can't jump up, but most rabbits don't need them. I have found that once the rabbits are willing to jump up and down, they don't need a ramp.

I do have pellets and water on one level, and hay with the litter boxes on the bottom, so they do have to go up and down to access everything.
 
Some rabbits I've had took awhile to get used to the different levels. It may just be a matter of time.
I saw the photos of your cage on another thread. Is his cage in the same area of the house that his old cage was? It could also be that he's getting used to the area and/or the idea of being up higher and still feeling "safe."
 
i would use some kind of stepping stool or steps instead of ramps. more space and charmmy would only use her stepping stool at first but now shes used to it and just jumps up and down whenever she wants. she spends most of her time on the top level but she goes down when ever she wants and she will still use her stepping stool sometimes also it doubles as a little tunnel.
 
I tried the treat on the different levels and that worked, he just needed a little encouragement. Hes jumping up and down the levels. Now that he knows how high he can jump, he decided to jump on the couch today. Lol never done that before
 
To be honest, I'd be worried about my buns jumping up levels day in day out. I've been wanting to build a nic cage but I'd be so scared they'd end up with a back injury.. I think maybe a ramp or steps would be a really good thing.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top