Do rabbit cages have to have wire floors?

[AutumnDD26]

I am building a rabbit cage and need to know if I need to put in a wire floor I have seen cages with and without them need info ASAP

 

[Watermelons]

personal preference. Many people use with, many with out. With is often utilised in breeder setups for ease of cleaning to keep the animals away from their own feces. And this does work so long as they are provide a place to get off the wire like a matt or a tile. On the other hand most pet rabbits are litter trained and stepping in their own waste isn't a worry as it all goes in the litter box and is cleaned on a daily basis, so people often use towels or blankets on the cage floor.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Wire floors can be tough on a rabbit's feet. The main reason for wire floors is if the rabbit is not litter trained, so poop/pee just falls through the wire and the bunny isn't stepping in it all the time. For breeders with many rabbits, this is the most hygienic option. But as Watermelons said, pet rabbits do not usually have wire floor cages. Cleaning out a litterbox and a few stray poos a few times a week, if you are able to, is better than subjecting your bunny to standing on wire all the time. If you're willing to litter train and desex your bun, you shouldn't need it at all.

 

[Blue eyes]

Before you get too far, have you looked at all the sample cages here on this forum?
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=78595

You can see many cages here where there is no wire on the bottom. None of my cages have ever had wire on the bottom. Here are a couple samples of cages I've made. (the smallest one was a temporary cage while bonding. The wooden one has the cage door open all day)

 

[HoneySereanaBunny]

Wire cages can give rabbits sore, painful feet, and can give them a desise. Its best not to have wire floor cages, unless you have a carpet or something covering them, like the pictures above

 

[Ana_The_Dreamer]

My rabbit personally has lived in a wired bottom cage her entire life and had no issues with it. The breeder had wire bottom cages (I assume for cleaning and cleanliness) and I was gifted with a wire bottom cage when I brought my rabbit home. I have no money to buy her a new cage (if I had my way, she'd be in a bunny palace); so the wired bottom cage has been sufficient enough. I don't keep her in the cage 24/7 though. She's only in the cage for 8 hours maximum. But I've never seen any problems with sores on her feet or noticed she was walking in pain. It's an amazingly easy clean up when she is a booger and decides not to use her litter box (which isn't too often, but still a plus).

I do agree with Watermelons when she said it's all up to personal preference.

 

[Lexi01]

Wire is good if they aren't litter trained... easier to clean out than wiping pee off solid ground 100 times a day. But like wiskeylollipop said it can be hard on their feet, but if you cover it in hay it helps cushion their feet and no toes or nails get stuck in the holes. My indoor litter trained buns have vinyl and rubber flooring. My outdoor buns that aren't litter trained have wire floors with hay on top. The idea with the wire floor is that the poo and pee will fall threw and won't make the cage all wet and gross (or frozen in the winter). I use the 1/4" wire mesh bottom and very few poos actually fall through, I end up having to sweep it out about once a week.

vinyl and rubber work great! Can get slippery if you get the glossy stuff so beware! and good luck

 

[majorv]

Wire cages can give rabbits sore, painful feet, and can give them a desise. Its best not to have wire floor cages, unless you have a carpet or something covering them, like the pictures above

Not true, but a very common misconception. Most rabbits' feet are well furred and aren't bothered by it. The ones who would have a problem with wire are either overweight or a big breed, and possibly ones with a structural problem with their feet. That being said, if you do have a wire floor it's always best to have a resting pad or maybe partial solid floor so they can get off the wire when they want to.