Good deal for a bunny? And supplies

[NellaBean]

I use the wood pellets in the litterbox for my bunnies. It works well. They kick the shavings out too easily.

 

[percyj]

Thanks! For the cube cage, I'm working on the design

 

[NellaBean]

Quote:
Lemme respond to everything now.

That is a great price. I have 2 unaltered bunnies and looked into fixing them. $100 for the boy, $125 for the girl was cheapest I could find. My local shelter adopts out fixed bunnies...$25 for 1 or $40 for two. Should have gone there instead!

storage cube cage would be good......my bunnies each have 2x4 cages. 3x3 would be good too.

I buy Manna Pro (show pro,I think) at Tractor supply. 25lbs for $8, I think. 50lbs for for $14 or 15, i think.

Buying hay by the bale is the way to go.....bunnies should have as much hay as they can eat (not alfalfa).

 

[percyj]

Thanks NellaBean! One last q (sorry !) Is 3x3 better or 4x2? And do you have shelves? How do those work and are they necessary?

 

[NellaBean]

I think its a matter of personal preference......3x3 might seem bigger. Mine is built out of wood and wire, so 2 and 4 foot lengths are easier.

My boy bunny loves his hammock. They would probably like a box to hide in or a shelf to get on (I guess a good box could double as a shelf too).

 

[Akane]

3x3 is a square foot larger. Usually storage cube rabbit cages are built to have multiple levels unless the rabbit is free roam nearly all the time.

Shredded paper is crappy litter. It will not absorb well and will get tossed everywhere. Rabbits litter box train so you only need litter in one container and the rest of the cage can just be cheap rugs or something similar that will provide traction. Check the house rabbit society for litter training info. I would not use clay litter due to the dust. It's quite unhealthy for everyone in the area.

 

[ryanhodapp]

Quote:
Probably fine for sleeping but not enough room to live all the time. Will this be a free roaming house bunny? Check out the House Rabbit Society: http://www.rabbit.org

I was going to suggest the house rabbit org as well. That is an awesome price for a fixed rabbit. In St. Louis, a good vet is about $250 for a rabbit spay or neuter. (hopeanimalhospital.com)

What I learned from the House rabbit org:
80% of rabbits diet should be Timothy hay or equivalent
Pellet food must have 18% fiber, good brand is Kaytee Timothy Complete.

Dont buy pellet food in large quantities, it spoils fast (can freeze for about a month).

Good Litter: Yesterday's news, carefresh, citrafresh, cat works, nature fresh, oak hardwood stove pellets, feline pine
(I use a paper pellet product for cats, about $6 for 10 lb bag, lasted 6 months.)

Rabbits drink out of bowls, not bottles (mine likes bottles better).

Rabbits need more room than a cage. Dont put them outside as they can catch a virus. (we have let ours outside for short periods of time, every one deserves some fresh air.)

good luck and one warning, they poop as much as chickens!

 

[Jenski]

Nella, love your cage! It was beautifully made.

OP, $25 is a great deal for a neutered/spayed bun. Unless you are planning to breed, having them fixed is the best way to go IMO. They are much calmer and more docile (both genders).

Here are pics of the ever-expanding storage cube cage we built for two buns. The part covered in lighter carpeting could be opened up, which is what we did eventually.

We later had the bottom level floored in vinyl, with no edges available for naughty buns to chew on.

While this has been a nice, roomy cage setup, I like the look of Nella's cage better.

 

[Rozzie]

I feed Oxbow brand Timothy hay, free choice. I also give Oxbow brand bunny pellets daily & a fresh veggie salad. He has a bowl, not a water bottle. I use pine pellets for litter. I buy the ones from the horse section, as it is much less expensive & they are the same product.

Remember there are some veggies that are TOXIC to bunnies. You need to go to the House Rabbit Society's website and look at the lists.
There are other veggies that can only be fed in small amounts. Fruits should only be fed sparingly, as well, due to the high sugar content. Introduce new items slowly.


Here is my bunny's area. The two big area rugs are 5x7 each. That gives you an idea about the size. I may construct a different gate later, but I like this one. I can step over it (though barely). Bunny is so safe in his enclosure that he never gets locked in his cage anymore. He only had to be locked in for the first week or two that he lived here.

and a closer view of the cage, from while I was building his play area:

 

[NellaBean]

Oooh, I like that pen Rozzie.

On a sidenote, two of my 4 dogs kill rabbits for fun out back......therefore, my cage had to be dog proof. It stays in a room that is on the opposite side of the house and where dog's aren't allowed.....but the last thing I want to worry about is having one of them get killed when one of the young dogs slips through the gate into that part of the house.

Also, if they are going to be pets, spaying and neutering is great. I think the litterbox problems I have am having with my girl bunny would probably be reduced if she was spayed.

A wire dog crate makes a good home also. I used one of those while I was building the double bunny cage.

I tried water bottles and the bunnies hated them. Switched back to ceramic dishes.....have had no problems with them.


I considered building a storage cube cage but had to nix the idea as it would not stand up to 125lbs of angry dogs. This cage would withstand a nuclear attack