Cage Size in limited space

[lionheadbunny21]

Hello, I have 2 bunnies and will be moving to a home with VERY limited space. It will only be a few weeks. I know I can build up! How small is WAAAAAY too small. I'll be tending to them all day everyday until we get into our new home. I'm looking for a home to accomodate them as best I can. BUNNY room
They are not in the same cage as well. They live in a 4 x 2 on top a 4 x2 and I know that I will not at all have enough space for that.

Also there is a yard, how would I know if the grass is safe enough for them for playtime. I can't really let them out as much for floor time, so I'm going to have to bring them outside. I will have to make somewhat of inclosed area for outside. I am moving to a town that rains a lot. How cold is too cold and how hot is too hot? If there is a bit of a breeze, should I cover with a blanket or something?

I am open to any suggestions.

 

[JadeIcing]

lionheadbunny21 wrote:

Hello, I have 2 bunnies and will be moving to a home with VERY limited space. It will only be a few weeks. I know I can build up! How small is WAAAAAY too small. I'll be tending to them all day everyday until we get into our new home. I'm looking for a home to accomodate them as best I can. BUNNY room
They are not in the same cage as well. They live in a 4 x 2 on top a 4 x2 and I know that I will not at all have enough space for that.

Also there is a yard, how would I know if the grass is safe enough for them for playtime. I can't really let them out as much for floor time, so I'm going to have to bring them outside. I will have to make somewhat of inclosed area for outside. I am moving to a town that rains a lot. How cold is too cold and how hot is too hot? If there is a bit of a breeze, should I cover with a blanket or something?

I am open to any suggestions.

What size can you do? There are ways to make it work. If you can take pictures of the space you have we can offer suggestions. I have made all kinds of cages.... Zoo Crew Cages Through The Ages

If the grass isn't treated and you also have to be careful about other animals waste on it.

Bunnies can deal with cold better thanheat. Over 80 for heat is not recommended. Also watch for temp changes from inside to outside.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

How big are the bunnies?

A 30x24" cage is a good size cage for a single bunny under 7 lbs. and still allows for litterbox. If they are not litter trained 24x24" can work well for rabbits under 5 lbs. I've just found that there's not much room after you add a box.

 

[lionheadbunny21]

They are both babies and under 5 lbs.
I have to build a NIC when I get there. I was hoping they would be ok together but they don't really get along so we now need two of each. I feel so bad because they are both in a 4x2x2 on top of each other.

Thank you for the replies. I am leaving in a few days and don't know about internet yet when we get there.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

A 4X2X2 grid cage can be suitable. Before Penelope lived with Korr, she was in a 4X2X2 cage with a 1X4 shelf along the back. There was plenty of room for a litter box, food and water dishes and space to move around. She was about 3.5 pounds.
Lillian, a giant angora, is in the same cage but without the level. She does have a large pen though. She is in the cage at night, but has the pen during the day. There is a huge litter box (takes up 1/4 of the cage), and still space for her to move around.

A 2X3 cage with a level could work as it is temporary. Korr has a 2X3X4 cage with 2 2X2 levels. His litter box and hay are on the bottom, pellets and water on the middle and the top get the veggies. There is plenty of room for him.
You could have a pen that they can use and can be put away when not being used.

 

[Myia09]

Janesta, if your lionheads are around my lionhead, I would say the minimum is 2x2 NIC grids. That may seem really small, and I would never reconmend it for permenent housing; but it can work.

Currently my baby lionhead is in a 2x2 until I get all the supplies to build him a 3x2.

My adult lionhead is in a 3x2 by herself and it is good space for her to streach around, hop, ect.

Although she has almost all day free time out of the cage, I feel secure if I need to leave her in it for a period of time.

 

[lionheadbunny21]

Ok thank you. I feel really bad about them being in a small space rather then not bringing them altogether. They are babies yet



They can't have a 4 x 2 the place I'm going, so I guess I'll have to do a 2 x2 for a little while..

 

[Pipp]

I did a 2x2 with a three-panel shelf and even my Flemish was there for awhile when he had to be separated from his brother. He barely fit, but he could jump onto the big shelf and stretch out on there, he was fine. Jumping up is more important for exercise than hopping across.

You can build it and shape it to fit the space. That one fit under my kitchen table because I made the height lower. (Instead of making the panel edges meet flush, just have them overlap as many squares as needed to adjust height and width). I didn't need a roof because of the table, so that worked out.

I have also built a 1x2 that goes up four stories and a 1x3 that went up three stories. A split level version can be configured so that separated rabbits can be either side by side or on a different level, depending on their mood.

You can do a 2x3 that is divided in half (length-wise or the width), one side for each bunny with alternating shelves.

Elf Mommy I think had one that was on top of a table or dresser that was configured for the space at hand.

I'll try and dig up some pictures.

:goodluck:

 

[Pipp]

This is a bad pic of Sherry and Marvin's throw together pen, but it fits into a weird corner of my living room. It's tucked away beside the couch and barely noticeable, nobody sees it until I point it out. It gives them a ton of space.

You don't need anything this big or elaborate, I'm just using it to point out the ways of resizing and reshaping the panels.

In some places it's two by two and a half. It has a 'halfway' shelf', etc.

Hope this gives you some ideas!


sas :bunnydance:

 

[lionheadbunny21]

Pipp wrote:

I did a 2x2 with a three-panel shelf and even my Flemish was there for awhile when he had to be separated from his brother. He barely fit, but he could jump onto the big shelf and stretch out on there, he was fine. Jumping up is more important for exercise than hopping across.

You can build it and shape it to fit the space. That one fit under my kitchen table because I made the height lower. (Instead of making the panel edges meet flush, just have them overlap as many squares as needed to adjust height and width). I didn't need a roof because of the table, so that worked out.

I have also built a 1x2 that goes up four stories and a 1x3 that went up three stories. A split level version can be configured so that separated rabbits can be either side by side or on a different level, depending on their mood.

You can do a 2x3 that is divided in half (length-wise or the width), one side for each bunny with alternating shelves.

Elf Mommy I think had one that was on top of a table or dresser that was configured for the space at hand.

I'll try and dig up some pictures.

:goodluck:

Thank you I was actually wondering about the corner of the house. I am almost sure there is a table there that I can add a cage too, so it doesn't look crazy (I don't want the bunnies to be on display for everyone and not everyone knows I have them or are bringing them). I think we can make it all work. I have about 4 packs of grids. I don't believe there's a place for caroplast, what is a cheap alternative?

They are babies so I think i can so a 2x3 in half as well.

My brain is ticking now :thanks:I'll post pictures when I get up there. We were supposed to be there by now, but it's taking forever to downsize a 4 bedroom to clothes and a few belongs.

 

[Luluznewz]

I have to say it sounds like they will be spending a lot of time in their cage. You said that it rains a lot and they wont have much running time.

The problem is rabbits have to be able to run around everyday for multiple hours. Will you be able to provide that? Small cages are fine if the rabbit is out a lot, but i'm unclear if yours will be.


And are you saying you are dividing a 3 foot pen in half, one for each rabbit. Thats only 18 inches each...to me at least that seems way way way to small.

At some point the cage is just too small. I understand that you have a limited amount of space, but that doesn't change the rabbits needs. I honestly dont even understand how a rabbit could live in an 18 inch cage if it was out 5 hours everyday.

 

[Myia09]

2 NIC panels are 28 inches...so I don't see why you can't do a 2x2 instead..it is small; but it might work.

I agree 18 inches is way to small. Halfing a 2x3 is just too small.

 

[tamsin]

Is this a permanent move? A few months of smaller housing is different to long term.

Another important factor is how long each day are they going to be confined to the cage? I wouldn't house an adult rabbit in anything less than 4'x2' any length of time.

If you are short on space you may be better forgetting a cage at all. It's hard to advise without seeing the floor plan but bunny proofing and giving them access to an area of the house, or all of it, would be something to consider. For example put a baby gate across the kitchen door way and confine them in there. Rooms like kitchens and bathrooms are usually easiest to bunny proof. You can also use a corridor by placing a gate each end.

Another option is to cage them in the day then put a fold up pen up each night in the biggest room (usually your living area). That way you can use the space in the day and they can use it at night - giving them 8hours or so with a very large area to make up for the smaller cage.

I'm not sure what the weather is like there, here rabbits cope with about -6 to 33 degrees c with appropriate weather proofing. If you don't get too much extreme temperature them housing them outside would be anything option.

Tam

 

[bigwigbunny]

I had a fire at my apartment complex so I had to move my bunny several times, once to a unti where he had free roam of the laundry room (I couldn't get to my things). Then to a new place where he lived in a closet with the furnace and air conditioner for 3 days (waiting for his cage still). Then he lived in a 2 X 2 NIC cage for two weeks with roaming in the kitchen at night (boxes everywhere, no room in kitchen for cage and me). Now he's in a 2 X 3 and its plenty big enough for him.

I think he's about 6 pounds.

He didn't seem to care as long as the food kept coming.

 

[lionheadbunny21]

Ok so we are staying in a camper because I didn't want to have a cage in the house, because there are kids and I don't really trust that they won't poke at or scare the bunnies. So we decided to stay in the camper. They are in the little bathroom (that doesn't work) we made the shower into a cage kinda with a level to jump and also put a baby gate from the kitchen to the "living" room/our bedroom. Soo they have enough space. We remove the babygate at night when we are in there relaxing so they can run around. It's not the greatest but it's the best we can do until the September when we move into our new home

They still Binky so they seem happy. Thank you all for your input.

 

[lionheadbunny21]

Ok so we are staying in a camper because I didn't want to have a cage in the house, because there are kids and I don't really trust that they won't poke at or scare the bunnies. So we decided to stay in the camper. They are in the little bathroom (that doesn't work) we made the shower into a cage kinda with a level to jump and also put a baby gate from the kitchen to the "living" room/our bedroom. Soo they have enough space. We remove the babygate at night when we are in there relaxing so they can run around. It's not the greatest but it's the best we can do until the September when we move into our new home

They still Binky so they seem happy. Thank you all for your input.

 

[4cm]

An alternative to coroplast could be some cardboard with some sort of fabric clipped to it with small binder clips for additional traction (and added protection against destructo-bun).

Cardboard's not just cheap, but free!

Just something to consider once you move in a month!

 

[lionheadbunny21]

4cm wrote:

An alternative to coroplast could be some cardboard with some sort of fabric clipped to it with small binder clips for additional traction (and added protection against destructo-bun).

Cardboard's not just cheap, but free!

Just something to consider once you move in a month!

Thank you. We've actually been getting some very good weather so they've been outside everyday..

And I can't wait for them to have thier palace back thank you.