Is your furry little pet hopping mad
over their current living arrangements? Is your rabbit cage older than
your rabbit? Well it could be time for a new rabbit cage or
hutch.
What Size Cage Does My Rabbit Need?
One of the first practical things you need to consider before purchasing a
new rabbit cages is the size of your rabbit's new housing. While there are
tons of small cages available on the market, including on this site, they
should not be used as long-term quarters for a pet rabbit. Rabbits should
only be kept in small cages for brief periods of time. Rabbits should be
housed in a large, clean, secure, and durable cage or hutch. While there
are many rules of thumb when determining the size of cage your rabbit
needs, the easiest method is simple common sense. Seriously think about
how big you are in comparison to the size of your house or even a room
within your house.
Cage Flooring
Some cages and hutches have grid floors covering at least part of the
bottom. This allows dirt and waste to fall through, which allows the
rabbit to remain on a clean surface. This is usually the most practical
way to keep the rabbits housing sanitary. However, various breeds of
rabbits require some type of padding on the floor of their housing because
the soles of their feet do not have enough cushioning fur pad. Straw or
hay often works great for this purpose. You should ask your veterinarian
if any type of padding needs to be added to the floor of your rabbit’s
house.
An Indoor Rabbit Cage or Outdoor Rabbit Hutch?
A common question for new owners is weather to get an indoor cage or
outdoor hutch. Nowadays there are also indoor
rabbit hutches. They are often still referred to as rabbit cages in an
attempt to keep with traditional terminology.
Some pet lovers feel that having any type of enclosure for their bunnies
is wrong and that the animals should be allowed to roam freely from
throughout the house. Not only is this dangerous for both you and the
rabbit, it is not how they live in their natural habitat. Rabbits in the
wild typically have a den. They should never be allowed to roam the house
unsupervised. They will chew on electrical cords, not because they are
irrationally destructive but because chewing on things is just what
rabbits
do. Obviously this can cause a fire and the death of your pet. They will
also climb and hop on things that are not appropriate for them to be on,
fall and get hurt. If left unsupervised, they will eat things other than
their food and can become very ill. And by allowing the furry little
bugger to run freely all the time, there is a good change you could either
trip over the rabbit and hurt yourself, or step on them and hurt the bunny.
Your bunny needs a "den" so he can have a place to sleep where he
feels safe and sound. In the wild, rabbits tunnel out a hole in the ground
where they can be free from their predators. They need a place where they
can burrow in the straw or other bedding no matter where the hutch is
located.
An indoor hutch is typically smaller and more mobile than an outdoor
rabbit hutch. You will have the ability to change it from one room to
another if you need to relocate the rabbit. They are not intended to keep
the rabbit caged in for hours upon end. They are mainly for the bunny to
have a safe hideaway and an area for him to relieve himself. Rabbits can
be trained to use the litter box pretty much the same as a cat. Male
rabbits are sometimes harder to train than female rabbits.
Most hutches that are built for the outside are not as portable. They tend
to be heavier and it takes a lot more sweat to move them. Most of them are
built with tall wooden legs to keep the hutch well off the ground and thus
out of reach of predators. Hutches that go outside are typically wider and
taller than the indoor type and some come with a run attached or you can
purchase a run separately.
Many pet owners settle the indoor versus outdoor debate by getting one of
each. They keep a small cage inside the home for when they want to keep
the bunny in and have a large hutch outside so the rabbit is able to
bask in the warm sunshine and get some exercise.
Rabbit Traps
Today's animal friendly traps are nothing like the old claw traps you may
have seen in the movies. They are basically a standard rabbit cage with a
door that automatically closes once the rabbit enters. If a rabbit has
made its way into your residential neighborhood, it may not be a bad idea
to capture it and turn it into a domestic pet. Wild rabbits do not
typically last very long roaming free in a residential area. Between the
traffic, dogs, and other circumstances that they will run into around the
human environment, their chances are slim if left running freely in the
open.
Another thing to consider is that the wild rabbit you have noticed the
last few mornings in your backyard may not be wild at all. Often new pet
owners think their fenced in backyard is a good place to let their bunny
play and exercise. They soon discover that fence was no obstacle for the
fuzzy little rascal.
Give Your Pet More Space With A Rabbit Run
Most responsible pet owners will tell you that your bunny needs a rabbit
run for their hutch. If you take home a starter kit when you buy your
rabbit, it will consist of a small cage and some supplies intended for you
to be able to care for your rabbit right away. But those should only be
considered a temporary measure.
A rabbit needs to have regular exercise to preserve its good health.
Bunnies that lead a caged, inactive lifestyle tend to fall into poor
health. Rabbits that do not have the freedom they need to hop and move
about can develop a lack of interest toward doing anything at all. Yes,
they can become the equivalent of a “couch potato”. Like people, rabbits
that lie around most of the day tend to get fat. And not just a small
spare tire, rabbits that do not have the room to move about can get quite
obese. This will lead to a decline in their mental and physical health. It
can lead to problems like heart failure, brittle bones, skin infections
and feet malformations. Their quality of life is greatly diminished and
they do not typically live as long as rabbits that are cared for in the
proper manner.
New rabbit owners often think that the cute little wire cages they see
bunnies in at the pet store are suitable environments for long term
housing. They simple are not big enough to “live” in. Rabbits that get
daily exercise are happier and not as likely to be aggressive. Bunnies are
not by nature aggressive but can develop the trait due to the frustration
they feel by having to remain so long in such cramped quarters. Very
similar to people forced to live in an 8 x 10 jail cell.
Not only does the ability to run and hop help give your pet a good
disposition and a healthier life, but the opportunity to be outside and
eat grass can also improve digestion and keep his bowel movements on a
regular schedule. When you set up a run, do not place it on an area of the
yard that has been treated with any chemicals or you can make the bunny
sick. A rabbit hutch and run gives your pet a nice home where he can enjoy
his days safe from the weather as well as predators.