What cage to get for Drake?

[My Bunny Drake]

Hey!!!
I am saving up for a bunny cage, since I just realized that my bunny is getting bored in his small cage. He lives outdoors, and I have school and homework so I can't always keep a eye on him when he's in his X-Pen. I want to move him inside -- we have a little shoe closet that is actually like a walk in closet room thing but it has no windows or light -- and my landlord won't let any other pet in our house (since we have a dog) and my older brother has a allergy to rabbits. I have 2 questions.
1) What outdoor, rain proof, predator proof, safe, last longing, rabbit cage do you guys use?
2) What things can I do to raise money for my bun to get a new cage? (I don't get a allowance, I don't think any jobs hire 12 year old's, and lemonade stands are too original. I might make a website blog for new bunny owners but that won't get me money)

- Thanks!

 

[Blue eyes]

This is actually a continuation of your thread:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/bunny-spilling-hay.94592/page-2

I mentioned on the other thread that for any cage to be deemed "predator proof" the floor must be secure. That means that it either has to be placed on a concrete (or other solid) slab OR it would have to have mesh wire buried below the grass to prevent digging in or digging out.

Some chicken coops can work with some modifications. The following is pretty cheap ($199) but is just 24 sq ft of floor space. Not ideal but much more room than bunny currently has. The photo shows a drop down door on the left side. Not sure how difficult it would be to clean out either? Larger would be better. But this is a possibility and you could still add an ex-pen to it for when you're home.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/innovation-pet-chicken-homestead-coop-222-87

This blue one looks like it would have a larger floor space - maybe 34 sq ft (but not positive because it may count the overhangs). It's $499. (it looks so cute to me with the window boxes)
https://www.amazon.com/Flyline-Gard...en+cage&qid=1557953873&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spell

 

[My Bunny Drake]

I don't know... the reviews said it came badly, and they had to fix it. It also said it wouldn't last long. I want this hutch to last for at least 5 years or more. Yes, my rabbit is a chewer but I plan to add cardboard boxes.

 

[Blue eyes]

Which reviews? One has 4.5 star rating. And that's with over 1000 reviews! Could hardly ask for better reviews than that.

The other has no ratings at all.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

The one star ones.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

*Sweepstakes Reviewer
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆2 out of 5 stars.
· 11 hours ago
Very cute but not dog proof.
This coop is adorable, we painted it and waterproofed it. However as soon as we put the chickens out in it the neighbor dog came over and broke through the wire. We are going to have a figure out a way to reinforce it.

Sweepstakes
Yes

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆3 out of 5 stars.
· a day ago
Easy to assemble
Pet rabbit loves it , not super high quality but works for what it is
✔ Yes,
I recommend this product.

1. Delaware
   • Review 1
   • Votes 2
   
   *Sweepstakes Reviewer
   ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.
   · 2 days ago
   Having multiple problems with this product
   My chickens haven’t been put in the coop yet and my door with ramp is falling off. The door latches don’t match up after the whole thing has settled. The nest box door doesn’t stay flush when it is closed. If you are looking for a long term coop, this is not a good purchase.
   
   Sweepstakes
   Yes
   
   ✘ No,
   I do not recommend this product.
   2 people found this review helpful.0 people did not find this review helpful.
   Helpful?
   
   
   
2. 
   ♂
   Arizona
   • Review 1
   • Votes 2
   
   *Sweepstakes Reviewer
   ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.
   · 3 days ago
   Looks Nice but very very cheaply made
   I bought this a month ago and will be surprised if it holds up a year. The wood has already started to warp and particle board used for roof.
   
   Sweepstakes
   Yes
   
   ✘ No,
   I do not recommend this product.
   2 people found this review helpful.0 people did not find this review helpful.
   Helpful?
   
   
   
3. 
   ♂
   
   • Review 1
   • Votes 3
   
   *Sweepstakes Reviewer
   ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.
   · 8 days ago
   Great concept, horrible execution
   It wasn't until I was putting this coop together that I found out why it was marked so much off. Only half the holes to assembly it are drilled. There's simply no way to assemble it as is without drilling multiple holes into every piece. This is not the easy assembly as the video shows. I would return it but I've already painted it.
   
   Sweepstakes
   Yes
   
   ✘ No,
   I do not recommend this product.
   3 people found this review helpful.2 people did not find this review helpful.
   Helpful?
   
   
   
4. 
   ♂
   
   • Review 1
   • Votes 5
   
   *Sweepstakes Reviewer
   ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.
   · 8 days ago
   Cute coop but NOT predator proof
   Easy to set up, cute coop. The wire is very thin and easily breaks, making it not predator proof. They have been set up for a week and 2 coops have broken wiring already. Tractor supply will not accept them back nor refund my money for the defective coops. I am very disappointed. You get what you pay for.
   
   Sweepstakes
   Yes

 

[My Bunny Drake]

There is even more...

 

[Blue eyes]

Yes, but there are always one star reviews on a n y t h i n g. If there are just 25 out of over 1000 reviews that are 1-star, I think that is great. You should counter those by reading the 4 and 5 star reviews as well. Statistically, having fewer than 3 percent negative reviews is an overall positive-- very positive. This chart shows very well.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

Well, how do I know for sure that its good? I don't want to wake up one morning and find a hole in his empty bunny cage.

Updated Comment:
-----------------------
I just checked it, 500+ reviews? Wow.... still unsure on how to get money for it considering I've only had the small hutch for about a month. Don't think my parents will jump for joy to spend $200 dollars on a rabbit hutch (they thought $100 was expensive *sigh*)

 

[Hermelin]

You can build your own hutch, really easy. Just make a box with doors takes only 1 day to build

You will get a bigger cage for less money.

My big hutch I built cost as much as my small hutch I bought from a store (300 $).



Predator safe are hutches off ground, no hutch should be having a bottom part on ground.

Foxes can easily bite through mesh, rats, ferrets, minks can also break in. Having a hutch 1 meter above ground will make it harder for predators to break in.

It will also have an isolated function, because it will protect the hutch from the cold ground.

Most store bought outdoor cages are too small for rabbits. My outdoor hutch which I bought it’s 8 sq ft, really tiny for a holland lop. While the one I built it’s 30 sq ft and cost the same amount as the store bought.

Maybe try to find outdoor cages that others are selling, which they might have built instead. They are often cheaper than newly store outdoor cages.

My bunnies have access to the pen most of the day, I just shift between them. The one with a lot of energy get 10 hours pen time while the elderly get 4-5 hours play time. But my dad it’s always home so he’s the one watching them during the day.

You can fix a predator safe pen, and let it your bun have access to it during the whole day. Then you won’t have to get a new cage. As long as you can make him get a bigger space.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

What do you mean by a box? Can you send me the link to your box thing? Is it safe wood? How do I make the play pen predator proof, won’t he dig out?

 

[My Bunny Drake]

Couldn’t I just buy a closet or something?

 

[Hermelin]

Closet aren't weather proof and often not the right wood, you can always build a closet cage, playhouse cages also work as a cage. They are often bigger than a normal cage and at least many in my country remodel a old playground house and make them to a bunny cage.

Predator safe will still not be 100% safe but at least better, a predator safe pen will need to have mesh under it and have a roof of mesh to protect from birds. Magpie and crows will often bully other pets, I often have those around my bunnies, snatching their food or just picking with them.

How many hours per day does your outdoor bunny get out from the cage and can stretch his limbs and play, myself own a bunny that often chews bars if he dosen't get to be in the pen at least for 7 hours per day.

Do you have a lot of chew toys, the pen big enough to play around, digging if he want and tunnels to run into. Outdoor rabbits are also supposed to be pairs and never alone, because rabbits are really social pets.

Also giving fresh branches or having toys in the hutch to chew on will also keep him content.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

I have some old dressers but not 100% sure If it is bunny proof. Also since it is spring it rains during the night. It stands above and I guess I could put his X pen. How would I verify which wood it is? Just add some mesh...
(Sorry bike is in the way)

 

[My Bunny Drake]

To answer your question Hermelin, I let him out from 6:00am to 6:50 am (50 minutes) and in the evening when I come home from school I let him out from 3:30 to 5:30, though tomorrow I can’t let him it during the evening because I have a thing to go to at a animal shelter.

 

[Blue eyes]

The dresser doesn't appear to be bigger than your current hutch.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

I guess so....