Cage Sizes

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I would go no smaller than 24" x 24" by 18" high, for even a dwarf breed. For medium bunnies (5-7lbs) 30" x 30" square, large 36" x 36". And you could offer custom sized cages, if someone has a giant bunny or just wants a little something different. Good luck, it sounds like a great idea!
 
BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:
18" is 1 foot and 6 inches...how's that not big enough for a bunny? As long as it's 4x their size, they can stretch out every way and stand up perfectly without touching the top
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:grumpy:
 
RSPCA can actually prosecute for keeping rabbits in small cages/hutches. i know of a few breeders in the uk who have been prosecuted for keeping their buns in 2ftx2ftx2ft hutches as really rabbits cant express normal behaviouror orlive happily in hutches/cages of that size.

small rabbits 4ftx2ftx2ft

Medium rabbits 5ft x 2ft x2ft

large rabbits 6ftx2ftx2ft

Giants willneed a 6ftx2ftx2ft with run attached ideally

not alot of people will board their rabbits to stay in small hutches.



you will also need more runs so every rabbit can get out daily instead of each having half an hour each.

i just wanted to point out that animal welfare standards are much higher in the uk then they are in other countries.


 
BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:
delusional wrote:
I'm not trying to be rude or whatever, but I have gerbils and I wouldn't keep THEM in a tank 18" x 18" x 14". I can't imagine putting a bunny in a cage that small.
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14" x 18" x 18" would be a fine cage for a small bunny, like a Polish. And, I did say "at least";);)

18" is 1 foot and 6 inches...how's that not big enough for a bunny? As long as it's 4x their size, they can stretch out every way and stand up perfectly without touching the top (which, like I said, would be a perfect cage for a Polish) that's fine. Of course, they would still have run time and all.

Emily
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in my opinion that its tiny rabbits should be given enough room to express normal behaviour in their hutch yes they can stretch but can they run hop or binky? to be honest small hutches will cause damage to a buns joints as they wont be moving alot causing them to get stiff.arthritis maybe,unless their out ina run for at least 3 hours daily then i wouldnt keep a bun in anything that small. ifyou lived in the uk you would be prosecuted for neglect.
 
W5Skittles wrote:
BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:
delusional wrote:
I'm not trying to be rude or whatever, but I have gerbils and I wouldn't keep THEM in a tank 18" x 18" x 14". I can't imagine putting a bunny in a cage that small.
Click to expand...

14" x 18" x 18" would be a fine cage for a small bunny, like a Polish. And, I did say "at least";);)

18" is 1 foot and 6 inches...how's that not big enough for a bunny? As long as it's 4x their size, they can stretch out every way and stand up perfectly without touching the top (which, like I said, would be a perfect cage for a Polish) that's fine. Of course, they would still have run time and all.

Emily
Click to expand...
in my opinion that its tiny rabbits should be given enough room to express normal behaviour in their hutch yes they can stretch but can they run hop or binky? to be honest small hutches will cause damage to a buns joints as they wont be moving alot causing them to get stiff.arthritis maybe,unless their out ina run for at least 3 hours daily then i wouldnt keep a bun in anything that small. ifyou lived in the uk you would be prosecuted for neglect.
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I have seen this first hand. A woman surrendered to me a buck that was three years old, and had been kept all his life (with little to no run time) in a cage that was roughly 18" x 18". He didn't even know how to binky, and he was so used to being unable to move that it took him weeks to even move around in the 30" x 36 cage I put him into.

Giving them run time will help keep this from happening, but it is still far better for them to have a larger cage in the first place.
 
We have recently gotten into breeding Flemish Giant rabbits. Our buck was a housebunny when we acquired the doe, and will remain one, but the doe is in a large hutch. I think the design is very good, it was provided in the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders Handbook and is the model used by Harold May in promoting the Flemish Giant from his home in Cortland, New York. (Harold May recently passed away, but was a great leader in the American Flemish Giant rabbit community.)

The hutch has a wood bottom and so needs to be cleaned every three days to prevent a coccidia outbreak. But the wood bottom provides a safe flooring where wire may bring on sore hocks in a larger rabbit. The hutch is 6 foot long by 3 1/2 foot wide and 2 feet tall. It has two front doors on it because it can be divided down the middle to accommodate two bucks. At full size, it is supposed to be large enough for the doe and her kits. It is very easy to build from the plan provided. The same handbook also gives a great design for fully enclosed nestboxes for Flemish Giants. You might want to get a copy through the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders. Their website is http://www.nffgrb.com

Good luck with your new endeavor.
 
NZminilops wrote:
BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:
18" is 1 foot and 6 inches...how's that not big enough for a bunny? As long as it's 4x their size, they can stretch out every way and stand up perfectly without touching the top
Click to expand...
:grumpy:
Click to expand...

What? Was that not what you wanted to hear? Well, I'm sorry. :grumpy:

Besides, did I freaking say that I kept my rabbits in cages that big? No. But I dont see how 18x18x14 is too small fora small breed of rabbit.

W5Skittles, my rabbits dont binky in their cages....they binky when they're in their exercise pens, but not in their cages....I have one rabbit with that exception, and that's my English Lop doe. She will binky, even though she shouldn't - her cage is large 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 1/2 ft. But she still shouldn't binky cuz she could hurt herself.

I dont see why everyone's freaking out. i did say 'AT LEAST' but it seems to me no one ever reads the key words.....so whatever. Everyone has their opinions, and no one has a right to bash them.

Emily
 
W5Skittles wrote:
ifyou lived in the uk you would be prosecuted for neglect.
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Except for the fact that I didn't say I kept my rabbits in cage that size.;) Did I now? Have you seen my rabbitry tour video? Maybe you should check it out. Then tell me I would be prosecuted for neglect. :?The smallest cage in my rabbit is probably about 24 x 18 x 18. The largest is 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 1/2 ft. Tell me that's neglect.......

Emily
 
Wow Emily... you sound really hostile today.:?.
W5Skittles was pointing out the animal welfare laws in the UK. Those are the rules there.
It wasn't a commentary on your housing.
We are discussing the requirements for cages in the UK, where Becca lives. That's it, that's all.
No need to get defensive.:)
 
NorthernAutumn wrote:
Wow Emily... you sound really hostile today.:?.
W5Skittles was pointing out the animal welfare laws in the UK. Those are the rules there.
It wasn't a commentary on your housing.
We are discussing the requirements for cages in the UK, where Becca lives. That's it, that's all.
No need to get defensive.
Click to expand...

I am, and I'm sorry for that. I just am getting tired of people assuming things about my rabbits, etc. Most of it has been on another forum, not here...no need to worry.

But W5Skittles did say that "if you lived in the UK you would be prosecuted". That itself was commentary on my housing ;) I'm getting defensive because I'm tired of people thinking they know my rabbits better than me. It happens here, it happens on YouTube, even on the dang dog forum I'm on.

Emily
 
Emily, I just want to say one thing, you know that your rabbits are healthy, you know they get enough run time and time out their cages, you know you love them and you know their happy.

Thats all that matters :)
 
I understand things in this way:

My knowledge about rabbits is limited to the personalities of my own bunnies. I know if they like their heads scratched, or their bums rubbed.
I know which ones like craisins, and which ones like papaya.

That all I can say that I know, for sure, no doubt about, it is the truth.

Everything else about rabbits comes from other people. No one person just "knows" everything about their bunny. All of the things we learn come from the total pot of information about rabbits, to which people contribute their own experiences.

Information is evaluated in regards to what is considered appropriate by the vast majority of people, and by the majority of experts.

As the vast majority of people suggest that I should not feed my rabbits steak, I don't feed my rabbits steak.
The majority of people suggest I feed them timothy pellets without little kibbly bits in them, so I do.

The objective of this thread is to take a look at what the majority of RO members (especially those with many years of rabbit experience and education) feel is an appropriate cage size.
By looking at the majority opinion, plus the animal cruelty laws of each country, Becca can choose the appropriate cage size to build.

On a personal level between Autumn and Emily, I think it is good to keep an open mind to the experiences of other people, and to take their experiences into consideration. People learn all through their lives, and nobody knows all the exact true answers. We just share what we understand with other people, in hopes of one day finding the one TRUE big answer. Try to think of people's comments as their information they are sharing with you, on your search for more knowledge.



 
Becca wrote:
Emily, I just want to say one thing, you know that your rabbits are healthy, you know they get enough run time and time out their cages, you know you love them and you know their happy.

Thats all that matters :)
Click to expand...


I couldn't agree more! :bow
 
NorthernAutumn wrote:
I understand things in this way:

My knowledge about rabbits is limited to the personalities of my own bunnies. I know if they like their heads scratched, or their bums rubbed.
I know which ones like craisins, and which ones like papaya.

That all I can say that I know, for sure, no doubt about, it is the truth.

Everything else about rabbits comes from other people. No one person just "knows" everything about their bunny. All of the things we learn come from the total pot of information about rabbits, to which people contribute their own experiences.

Information is evaluated in regards to what is considered appropriate by the vast majority of people, and by the majority of experts.

As the vast majority of people suggest that I should not feed my rabbits steak, I don't feed my rabbits steak.
The majority of people suggest I feed them timothy pellets without little kibbly bits in them, so I do.

The objective of this thread is to take a look at what the majority of RO members (especially those with many years of rabbit experience and education) feel is an appropriate cage size.
By looking at the majority opinion, plus the animal cruelty laws of each country, Becca can choose the appropriate cage size to build.

On a personal level between Autumn and Emily, I think it is good to keep an open mind to the experiences of other people, and to take their experiences into consideration. People learn all through their lives, and nobody knows all the exact true answers. We just share what we understand with other people, in hopes of one day finding the one TRUE big answer. Try to think of people's comments as their information they are sharing with you, on your search for more knowledge.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Isn't your name Autumn too though? lol. That part confused me....unless you're meaning W5Skittles....or whomever.

Emily
 
I think it's awesome that you guys have rules and regulations on cage sizes for small animals!


I have to go back through the thread so I may be jumping the gun some - but *if* the cages Becca makes aren't quite the dimensions "needed" to fit the rules - could they be offered as open end cages (no door sold with them) that come with extended play yards?


 
Leaf wrote:
I think it's awesome that you guys have rules and regulations on cage sizes for small animals!


I have to go back through the thread so I may be jumping the gun some - but *if* the cages Becca makes aren't quite the dimensions "needed" to fit the rules - could they be offered as open end cages (no door sold with them) that come with extended play yards?
Click to expand...

They could, however they would need to be permanently attached to a pen to allow that to be ok (because people don't generally give their rabbit full run access to gardens overnight due to predators and such), so to enable the bun to have enough space overnight it would need a permanently attached run which could either a, be made and sold with it, or b, made clear to anyone buying them.

Alternatively it could sit in a shed (Shed's are commonly used over here) so that the bun had a sheltered bit in the shed.
 
Leaf wrote:
I think it's awesome that you guys have rules and regulations on cage sizes for small animals!


I have to go back through the thread so I may be jumping the gun some - but *if* the cages Becca makes aren't quite the dimensions "needed" to fit the rules - could they be offered as open end cages (no door sold with them) that come with extended play yards?
Click to expand...
Yeah, so long as the run is completely fox and dig-proof, more and more hutches over here are being sold with an attached run- it's reccommended that buns (obviously) have daily access to a run.

I must admit I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think that there's a minimum cage size 'law' as such, but the animal welfare act states that the animal must have sufficient room to display nautural behaviour. There are guidelines to suitable sizes, although I don't know exactly what they are, I'll have to try and find the link! Prosecution comes when the animal doesn't have enough space to move, display natural behaviour and is kept in poor conditions.... I'll try and find more info on it...


Some links:

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Sat...opic=1112958900129&previousPage=1114778749280


New animal welfare law in the UK:

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=animalwelfareactadvice


Somerset RSPCA reccommended hutch sizes:

http://www.rspcanorthsomerset.org.uk/RSPCA Rabbits.htm



 
The RWA has the rules, and its now apparently coming into play that shops will only be able to sell big enough hutches for rabbits, and any smaller will have to be for guineas.
 
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