How high is to high for a rabbit to jump?

[Nitis3334]

So I have my custom cage I built, the second floor is 2 feet high. I attached a ramp to it, they used it fine for months, but somehow while I was gone it broke off. So I decided to just use a foot stool instead for them to hop up and down on. The problem now is they will hop up using it, but seem to have trouble hopping down with it. Firefly will try to hop down on it but occasionally misses, Cricket has decided to ignore it and make a 2 foot jump down. Keeping in mind these are Flemish Giants, does it seem okay for them to jump this far? I've always thought of rabbits as natural jumpers, but I tend to get a bit paranoid :nerves1

Also, I usually try to get the boys out at least 2 hours a day, but lately all they want to do is hide under my bed. Cricket will come out a bit and lay next to me for a head rub, but then he runs back under the bed. I use a small shop vac to clean their cage, and at first they started running under the bed when they heard that, but now they just seem to like to stay under there :? Any ideas? I've been considering blocking under the bed, but really don't want to cover up a spot they like so much.

 

[dragynflye]

itty bitty rue regularly jumps from the back of the couch to the floor, and from the floor up to the back of the couch. 2' doesn't seem like an unreasonable height to me. you've given them the footstool, so they have an option of using it, but if they want to jump up and down without it, i don't think it will be a problem.

 

[Marrie]

Powder can jump 28" no problem... I know because that is how high his play pen was and he decided he didn't like being in it so he started just clearing it. He jumps up the bed and down again at least 5 times a night as well. My new bunny jumps even higher than he does, but she's smaller.

2' shouldn't be a problem for them, as long as they have space to land without tangling in anything.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Jumping up 2ft should not be an issue, however I would not have a level that high without having a step about half way. The NIC cages I have don't have levels more then 14" (1 grid) apart and there are steps that are about 1/2 that. Even though I know that my rabbits and jump to the next level, I don't want them to get hurt doing it.
Flemish Giants are quite large and you don't want to put too much stress on their joints. Even with something soft to land on, a 2ft drop is still a lot for a large breed. I would make it so that they have to use the step stool for safety.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Bambi, our little Chocolate Mini Rex can jump onto a table that is 30" from the floor--she's our world class mountain goat. Nik-Nik who was also a mini could jump up on a table that was 34". Stewart, Mr. B, and Ted could get out of any playpen or fence by jumping up on it and climbing over--saw them all do it.

 

[Nitis3334]

I guess I was thinking of how dogs jump, like bigger the dog usually the higher they can jump. Firefly tried making it up to the second floor before I put the foot stool in and he jumped and was hanging off trying to pull himself up, then fell. I guess I will try to reconstruct the ramp, it's going to be annoying since the joints are glued together, gonna be some work to get it off.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It is true that bigger dogs can jump higher than smaller dogs, but Flemish Giants would be like a Mastiff breed, so shouldn't be jumping high. Most breeders of giant dogs don't even recommend that the dog use stairs too much until they are adults as it can be hard on their joints.
One thing that I have noticed with rabbits is that the little ones can jump higher than the larger ones. My lionhead can jump higher that my Giant angora and even Korr (mixed breed) can jump pretty high when he wants to. If it was based on size, then Lillian would be a high jump champion rather than some of the 3-6 pound rabbits on the agility club.
Personally, for a Flemish I would not even have a level due to the need to make sure it is really strong and that jumping up really isn't the best for them. Unless the level can support more than their weight and you have a ramp, I would not have the level. But that is just me.