hokankai
Well-Known Member
I have two buns, Theodore (a 2.5 year old Holland lop) and Ariadne (a lionhead/rex mix) who are bonded and living together. I built them a NIC cage back in June and have been tweaking it ever since! I thought I'd share my experience because I think the whole experience has been hilarious.
I started off building a standard 2x3x3 grid cage with the main level, one full second level, and two half levels and put it on wheels. The base and levels are made up of grids, 1x2s, and plywood which is then covered with linoleum. I cut the lineoleum long on every side so that it folds upward and keeps loose poop and hay inside the cage. I also made the highest 1/2 level as high as I could so that Ariadne could have her food separate from Theo because he would eat all of it. I had a cat litterbox in there with a metal screen I made which acted as the litterbox, and a hay rack I made out of linoleum rolls (like giant cardboard tube)
Ok, that's the basic setup I started with...now here come the tweaks:
1. one week into living in their new cage, Ariadne decided she loved the taste of linoleum and was chewing the edges of it. My solution was to add metal fringe along the edges to prevent her from eating it.
Problem solved!
2. She then started eating the edges of the linoleum that were exposed on the floor and at the edge of the levels. Solution: corner covers along all ledge edges superglued in place
Solved!
3. The sound of the rabbits slipping when they lept around the cage was keeping me awake at night. Solution: Add cheap rugs from Walmart
Solved!
4. Ariadne decides she loves the taste of rubber on the mats...Solution: use coroplast and tape the mats to it so she can't eat the bottoms of them
Solved!
5. Theodore discovers he can leap up onto Ariadne's level and starts eating her food. Solution: make a barrier tall enough to keep him from jumping up there but short enough for Ariadne to jump over
Solved!
6. Theodore figures out how to clear the barrier. Solution: 3 more prototypes
Solved!
7. Peeing and pooping out of the litterbox. Solution: build a larger one out of a bin and make a plastic screen.
Solved!
8. Excessive waste of hay from them pulling it out and not eating it. Solution: stick them in a shoe container to hold in the hay
Solved!
So here we are, several months later, and I think I have finally perfected it! It has been quite an adventure and I hope you guys can get some ideas if you have similar problems!
:biggrin:
I started off building a standard 2x3x3 grid cage with the main level, one full second level, and two half levels and put it on wheels. The base and levels are made up of grids, 1x2s, and plywood which is then covered with linoleum. I cut the lineoleum long on every side so that it folds upward and keeps loose poop and hay inside the cage. I also made the highest 1/2 level as high as I could so that Ariadne could have her food separate from Theo because he would eat all of it. I had a cat litterbox in there with a metal screen I made which acted as the litterbox, and a hay rack I made out of linoleum rolls (like giant cardboard tube)
Ok, that's the basic setup I started with...now here come the tweaks:
1. one week into living in their new cage, Ariadne decided she loved the taste of linoleum and was chewing the edges of it. My solution was to add metal fringe along the edges to prevent her from eating it.
Problem solved!
2. She then started eating the edges of the linoleum that were exposed on the floor and at the edge of the levels. Solution: corner covers along all ledge edges superglued in place
Solved!
3. The sound of the rabbits slipping when they lept around the cage was keeping me awake at night. Solution: Add cheap rugs from Walmart
Solved!
4. Ariadne decides she loves the taste of rubber on the mats...Solution: use coroplast and tape the mats to it so she can't eat the bottoms of them
Solved!
5. Theodore discovers he can leap up onto Ariadne's level and starts eating her food. Solution: make a barrier tall enough to keep him from jumping up there but short enough for Ariadne to jump over
Solved!
6. Theodore figures out how to clear the barrier. Solution: 3 more prototypes
Solved!
7. Peeing and pooping out of the litterbox. Solution: build a larger one out of a bin and make a plastic screen.
Solved!
8. Excessive waste of hay from them pulling it out and not eating it. Solution: stick them in a shoe container to hold in the hay
Solved!
So here we are, several months later, and I think I have finally perfected it! It has been quite an adventure and I hope you guys can get some ideas if you have similar problems!
:biggrin: