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Rabbit Cage, To Cage or Not to Cage---What is the Best Way?
You can only answer that. My house rabbits are not in a rabbit cage. I have a dedicated area that is theirs.
Well, now it’s just Oreo and since he is a “senior rabbit” he does not leave his area that often.
I think it depends on the owner’s preference. If you have your house rabbit indoors you will be able to enjoy them much more. You’ll get to know their personality, their likes and dislikes and most importantly, they will get to know you.
They will become a loveable pet just like a dog or cat would. I remember my Foo loved to watch TV with me so I could pet him. He came to me, he found me on the couch.
I had a rabbit cage for my bunnies when I lived in an apartment. I also had a 4-foot folding metal pen around it.
This way they knew their area. I had their litter box, food and water dishes in the rabbit cage. If needed, I could always enclose them in the pen and they would have enough room to run around.
The important thing about rabbit cages is that the wire flooring is difficult on a bunny’s feet. So you will need to cover most or half of the flooring with a piece of wood or hard plastic.
I used newspaper. I would put down enough pages of the newspaper so it would pad the wire flooring of the cage. (Be careful of the ink from the newspaper)
I had a cage with a pullout tray on the bottom, where I also put newspaper down to catch the bunnies’ droppings and urine that they did not deposit in their litter box.
I found it to be an easier clean up that way, but you will go through a lot of newspapers.
I must say that my boys did use their litter box and the newspaper for their bathroom needs. I had their rabbit cage in my spare bedroom.
So that room became theirs until I started to work from home. Then we shared the room.
If you decide to cage your house rabbit, the rabbit cage needs to be big enough so your rabbit can hop around in it and stretch out in.
The cage also has to fit the food dish, water bottle or dish, and litter box (if you choose to litter box train your rabbit).
That’s why I got the folding pen. It gives enough room that the rabbits need while keeping them in a confined area if I wanted to.
I used the pen for training purposes also. When my house rabbits were young and I had to leave, I would close the pen so they would remain safe while I was away.
When I returned I would open the pen so they could follow me around the apartment.
I also learned that house rabbits need a “nesting box”. This is a box that they use to hide in, sleep in, and feel safe in.
Boxes made out of cardboard are usually easily chewed by rabbits. They will love to rip the box apart.
I had a box my dad made out of wood. This one has 2 openings in it. My bunnies loved to lay in it or jump on top of it. There are “nesting boxes” you can buy at pet supply stores.
I also bought one made of plastic. It looks like an “igloo” for Oreo since I have limited floor space to fit the bigger box. Oreo doesn’t seem to like it.
I even put some of his hay in it so he would have to go in to get it, but it’s a no-go with him. I have seen other rabbits use the “igloo” style before.
They seem to like theirs! I guess it depends on the rabbit’s likes and dislikes.
The other thing I found that all my rabbits enjoyed were an old bed sheet, towel or a blanket so they can crumble it up, hide their hay chews in it or just lay on it.
It is so funny to watch Oreo move the bed sheet I give him around. He will work at it for a while to get it just so. As if I didn’t put it down the correct way and he has to fix it. It’s cute!
Oreo also has a bottom shelf that he loves to lay on. I have a 5-tier plastic shelving in the laundry room. I cleared off the bottom shelf for him and he gets to lie on it.
He likes it because he is under something. All my rabbits loved to lay under something. Maybe it makes them feel safer. It didn’t matter what they laid under, as long as they felt safe. They would lay under a dinning room chair, an end table or shelf.
Oreo gets to hop around in the laundry room. I don’t find him lying in the main isle too often. It’s usually in a more secure place. Unless it’s time to eat or he wants a treat.
If he wants a treat and I don’t have the gate down, Oreo will hop into the kitchen if he hears me. I know what he is after. I’ll go to the fridge, get his treat, he’ll take one from me and hop back to his area.
Rabbits are very smart. They have trained me very well!!
The reason I have a gate in Oreo’s area is to keep my girls (dogs) out. My bigger dog will go in and take Oreo’s hay chews if I’m not careful. The animals get along fine.
Another important fact is that house rabbits must have daily exercise. If you decide to keep you rabbit in a rabbit cage, then you will need to let him out to run around.
Daily exercise is very important so your rabbit doesn’t get too fat for one reason. Over weight rabbits can lead to health problems
So it all depends on your preference to let your house rabbit to rome freely or to keep him in a rabbit cage. Either way, just remember to enjoy your friend.
You have the Rabbit Cage, read about Rabbit Litter
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