My first cage, Bring on the Ghetto

[nfored]

Here is my first cage, its a little ghetto but plenty of room for the little bunny.


8'x4'x2.5'

Currently in my unheated basement, so I am running two 250 Watt heat lamps, it keeps most area's of the enclosure around 60F, I assume I could bump that up more if I where to put a top over it.

The Dogs new favorite spot, the saw horses are only there because I was standing in the cage and wanted more support on the bottom.

She is still pretty scared, especially when she hears people walking around up stairs. I had to find a thermometer that had a needle on it, with the red light you can't see the alcohol based ones.

Giving her a hiding spot and a box full of old phone book paper to shred.

I only had one thermometer so I had to use the cup thermometer to gauge the heat distribution in the middle section.

I told you I was bringing the Ghetto. All comments welcome Good, the Bad, especially the Ugly.

 

[Fancy77]

I am sorry all I can do is laugh at your title...I am sure others will come along with suggestions...the only thing that comes to mind for me is...slippery floor...Is it slippery for her???

 

[pocketsizedrhino]

Looks HUGE! Good job. I have that same flooring in Kirby's cage and it is very slippery. You should get a rug or something to put down to give some traction. I use baby blankets I find at thrift stores.

 

[undergunfire]

It looks great!

Walmart has small kitchen rugs (in the kitchen linens section) for $5 each. They have the rubber packing on them so they don't slide .

 

[TinysMom]

Oh wow - I would LOVE that for some rabbits...

 

[SOOOSKA]

Your cage is nice and big, but I would be very leery of having heat lamps in the cage for fire reasons and also could burn the bunny.

I would put a container with lots of hay, also somewhere where the bunny can hide that would also protect him/her. Maybe put a fleece blanket in the cage and even better yet get another bunny to bond so they can cuddle and stay warm.

Susan

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

There is usually a top to the cage, I assume? If not, that's something I'd seriously consider. Rabbits can and will jump out of a cage that shallow, which could cause injury.

And, slippery floor, as others have mentioned.

But overall, it looks like a great start, with a few modifications!

 

[irishbunny]

Cool cage, but what are the windows made of? I would think if they were made from glass or plastic it would be bad for the bunnies breathing, too enclosed. Maybe wire would be better? I really like it though!

 

[JadeIcing]

I would love that for my skink.

 

[luvthempigs]

undergunfire wrote:

It looks great!

Walmart has small kitchen rugs (in the kitchen linens section) for $5 each. They have the rubber packing on them so they don't slide .

I didn't think it would be safe to use rugs with rubber backing on them in rabbit cages? :?

 

[JadeIcing]

luvthempigs wrote:

undergunfire wrote:

It looks great!

Walmart has small kitchen rugs (in the kitchen linens section) for $5 each. They have the rubber packing on them so they don't slide .

I didn't think it would be safe to use rugs with rubber backing on them in rabbit cages? :?

Depends the bunny.

 

[undergunfire]

My bunnies have lots of toys and grass mats to keep them busy, so luckily they don't bother the rug. Its really thin and they just rest on it...they don't even dig at it .

 

[slavetoabunny]

undergunfire wrote:

It looks great!

Walmart has small kitchen rugs (in the kitchen linens section) for $5 each. They have the rubber packing on them so they don't slide .

I use that exact rug in Flash's pen. He won't leave his litterbox if the floor is slippery.

 

[luvthempigs]

undergunfire wrote:

My bunnies have lots of toys and grass mats to keep them busy, so luckily they don't bother the rug. Its really thin and they just rest on it...they don't even dig at it .

Okay, Cool :dude:

thanks guys

 

[nfored]

The heat lamps are always at the top of the cage, around 25 inches from the floor. I have them since the basement where she is kept is at most 40F in the winter, so I didn't want to shock here when I bring her upstairs for exercise; its 70 upstairs. When I put the thermometer directly under the heat lamp it reached about 74 and the outer edges stay around 60ish. I am open to recommendations if this is truly bad for the Bunny as I just wanted to help her, not harm her.

As far as fire goes I am not worried about the house wiring over heating, my fish tank draws close to 1200 watts most of the day during the winter. The two heat lamps in her cage is 500 watts, and they are on their own circuit. The lamps are ceramic I was told this is the safest? The closet any stationary object is to the lamp is about 25". Are you suggesting a fire from the lamp malfunctioning or just prolonged exposure to a heat source and the cage itself catching fire? I would like to know your train of thought so I can better understand and fix any potential issues.


There is never a top its 30 inch's high, do you think she can jump that high? The one place I Was considering adding netting to was at the top of the ramp.

She has a place to hide, the ramp has a room under it, and she would run into it when I would try and get her out at first.

Can someone elaborate on her having a hard time breathing? from my under standing you can have an opening at the top? if that was not the case you couldn't house other small animals in significantly smaller spaces made out of Plexiglass for example any snake, hamster, ect.

Maybe I can line the cage with news paper to make it less slippery? I am confused about the rug there seems to be mixed reviews so I am open to any suggestions how to make her happier.

 

[JadeIcing]

nfored wrote:

There is never a top its 30 inch's high, do you think she can jump that high? The one place I Was considering adding netting to was at the top of the ramp.

Some bunnies clear higher than that like it was nothing.