Should I get a bigger dog crate or change to an NIC cage?

[renaelock]

Currently, my checkered giant is 30 inch dog crate. I want to get a bigger one and give him a shelf too. BUT I was curious which would be better, cheaper, easier to clean, more convenient - a bigger dog crate (2 door or 3 haven't decided yet) or an NIC cage. My problem currently with the dog crate is it doesn't have any sides to keep in hay or poops he may kick out. Also, because of the smaller size of crate his litter box isn't as big as it should be - which is probably why he is kicking out the poops. NIC or dog crate he will have a shelf - what do I cover it with? Would a heavy fabric be ok? I want him to be able to jump up there and not slide off (like if I used cardboard). If I went with a dog crate - could I put coroplast inside it for a border or would that make it difficult? Oh last question - are the NIC cages solid on the bottom - as in there are cubes on the bottom too? Thanks any and all replies.

 

[Amy27]

You can make a NIC cage solid on the bottom. But the NIC panels have holes so you would have to use something else. I buy carpet from Walmart and put in the bottom of my NIC cages. But my buns are litter trained and they don't eat the carpet. A lot of it depends on what your bun would eat.

If it was me, I would get NIC panels. They are a lot cheaper then a dog crate and then you can make it any size or shape you want. You can also use NIC panels to make different levels. The options are endless.

I wouldn't use fabric to close in the sides so they don't kick poop out. Mainly because my rabbits would eat the fabric. I would probably use cardboard. But it depends on what your bun likes to chew. You don't want them to get a blockage from eating whatever you use.

You can buy those small squares of carpet with sticky backs to put on shelves or blankets or whatever your bun wouldn't eat and destroy to help with traction.

At the top of this forum there are pictures of peoples NIC cages. I would take a look at that. There are a lot of great ideas in there.

If you do decide to go with a dog crate, I would look on craigslist for a cheap one.

 

[elrohwen]

Since it's a checkered giant, I don't think any size dog crate would really be big enough, ideally. I think it's far cheaper to do NIC and you can make it as big as you need.

A puppy xpen might be large enough at 4'x4'. I've just never seen a dog crate that large.

 

[renaelock]

I have purchased the NIC materials and am making one of those instead of buying a crate - he gets more room and it was cheaper! After doing homework, I found the price was quite different.