Bunny proofing and exercise area question

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lily2521

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We'll be getting our bun in about 3 weeks at an adoption event, so I'm trying to get my home (and bunny's new home) ready.

We have a split entry house, do need to worry about bunny near the stairs, or going through the railing and falling to the level below? I can block off the stairs themselves, but I didn't know if having the railings, that overlook our entry area, in the living area might be a hazard?

during exercise time we'd like to allow bunny to have free range of our living area, but until we get used to bunny and can fully bunnyproof, I'd like to have a gated or penned off area for exercise time. Are there x-pens or something similar that is easily collapsible and can be folded and put away when not in use, something portable? I'd like something that we can just take out when bunny isn't in his hutch, when he's out playing (which will be for a good several hours a day), but then can be put away easily when play time is over

Any suggestions for something like this, and size suggestions as well?

Thanks
 
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Also for the playpen, do they make any that come with some sort of a floor liner? We have faux wood floors, so I'd like to protect my floors from any accidents, but also smooth floors can be tough on bunnies feet when running and playing, right?

Thanks for the help here, trying to get my shopping done before we bring bunny home :)
 
Hello how exciting!!!! 😊🐰

I have my girl is an x-pen which can be folded up and put away, she doesn't have a hutch she just lives in the pen.
View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1437102976.927886.jpg

Excuse the mess, this is after she was very naughty!! But you will get an idea from this pic...
My girl is in her pen whenever I'm not home and when I am she roams the house.

Will your bun be litter trained? And de sexed??

I just use a cat litter box and I also use recycled paper pellets which is also cat litter but works perfectly!! It absorbs very well and doesn't smell.

This is my girl Phoenix

View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1437103085.490117.jpg
 
Will your bun be litter trained? And de sexed??

I just use a cat litter box and I also use recycled paper pellets which is also cat litter but works perfectly!! It absorbs very well and doesn't smell.

Your bun is adorable! One of the bunnies we're looking at is a mini-lop, I love the ears :)

Yes, any of the bunnies we could potentially get through the adoption place are all spade/neutered, and hopefully litter trained. If they aren't litter trained that's something we'll work on at home. I was looking at the product yesterday's news for litter, is there a different brand that's similar but cheaper?
 
You can use aspen or Wood horse pellets from the supply store. Theyre usually in big bags ;ex 50lb for $5 , you get the idea :);for cheap
 
Is this, in the largest size, big enough for play/exercise time for bunny?

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?sku=2359501

The largest size looks good height-wise. Though I'm concerned the width may be the width of all the panels before turned into the circle because it says the play mat for underneath is only 43 inches wide which tells me that's the width of the pen when assembled, which isn't a great deal of room for running and hopping around. For me personally, the playpen is a good size for housing, not for running around time. But different people can fit and afford different things. So the usual suggestion is to buy the biggest cage and/or playpen that you can afford that will fit in the space you have available.

You could always use it in a corner of a room and prop it up against a wall so that it essentially creates more space. You don't need one to come with a custom made playmat. You can get a piece of lino from a hardware store, use a fleece blanket or a plastic sheet or tarp pulled tight underneath.
 
The largest size looks good height-wise. Though I'm concerned the width may be the width of all the panels before turned into the circle because it says the play mat for underneath is only 43 inches wide which tells me that's the width of the pen when assembled, which isn't a great deal of room for running and hopping around. For me personally, the playpen is a good size for housing, not for running around time. But different people can fit and afford different things. So the usual suggestion is to buy the biggest cage and/or playpen that you can afford that will fit in the space you have available.

You could always use it in a corner of a room and prop it up against a wall so that it essentially creates more space. You don't need one to come with a custom made playmat. You can get a piece of lino from a hardware store, use a fleece blanket or a plastic sheet or tarp pulled tight underneath.

Thanks so much for the advice, for someone new to bunnies I find I have lots of questions :)

I was thinking too that if I shaped the playpen differently, like you suggested against a wall, or possibly even up against bunnies hutch, it would make more space. Ideally we'd like to let bunny have access to our entire living area eventually, but thought the playpen would be good to have in the beginning, while we're still getting used to having a bunny around.

If I did want to buy a playpen that when put together in a round shape, offers enough space, enough width when assembled, do you have any size or product suggestions?
 
I highly advise checking out eBay for a pen. I found a great 24 inch 8-panel pen for my Holland Lop for like $60, and it has a cover for when I put her outside so predators can't eat her. Half of it's even shaded, so she can get out of the sun (she's mostly black, with white spots). You can't beat that. :)
 
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I have the same pen! You mentioned that you would be getting your new bun a hutch. My suggestion is that you buy an x pen at least 35 inches high and put it around the hutch. That way you can let your bunny run around all day and he/she can go between the hutch and x pen. Then when it is time for bed you can just close the hutch doors.
Good luck with your new fuzzy :big wink:
 
For sure block the railings and the stairs. My cage has 1 inch square openings in it and our 11 week old bunnies sticks her head through and probably could get her body through if I didn't stop her. i ended up covering the holes up to a certain height until she's too big to fit through the openings.
my cage area is 7' X 3.5' . several hours a day they are out playing in the large room I have the cage set up in. Bunnies are very playful at dawn and at dusk .
 

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