Rabbits!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

​That is a possible way, but the rabbits may sit in it and soil it.

From what I am reading that's how they litter box train a rabbit because he poops where he eats.

 

[balloonflower]

How big is the wire openings on your floor? Is it regular hardware cloth or something bigger? I believe we bought something a bit bigger, I think 1/2 by 1 inch, but I would have to check.

My cages use the 1 x 1/2 wire for the bottoms. Depending on your breed, watch the gauge of wire--14 is preferable, but harder to find. I have a large breed, and occasionally have bunny balls not fit thru, but not often. Also, when you install, make sure you put the 1/2 up--makes for a smoother surface.

I use pegboard for my resting boards--allows urine to drain .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My cages use the 1 x 1/2 wire for the bottoms. Depending on your breed, watch the gauge of wire--14 is preferable, but harder to find. I have a large breed, and occasionally have bunny balls not fit thru, but not often. Also, when you install, make sure you put the 1/2 up--makes for a smoother surface.

I use pegboard for my resting boards--allows urine to drain .

That's smart, thanks, our wire should work. I'm still tossing around breeds and I don't know what I will find at the swap meets. I'm looking at smaller breeds, no big ones, too heavy.

 

[User395221]

From what I am reading that's how they litter box train a rabbit because he poops where he eats.

Yes, that's the point of it, and it's fine if you can empty the tray regularly. For one bunny, it would work better than it would for my bunny couples, particularly my couple that includes the giant. She produces a LOT of poo and her poo is big. To keep on top of that with her feed in a litter tray would be quite difficult, you'd need to empty it several times a day. I have my hay "baskets" next to the toilets. They can pull out fresh hay and it's not pooed on. Using a basket above the toilets is the same idea, but it doesn't have the disadvantage of the poo going on the hay.

As for floors, I have a wooden floor, covered with lino for ease of cleaning upstairs, and brick paving on the downstairs. The hutch from the petshop which I have guinea pigs in, has half timber half wire downstairs (with a tray underneath) and timber upstairs. What I can say about the timber in store-bought hutches is that it won't last long if it gets pooed and weeed on. It's thin ply, and wetting and scrubbing it wrecks it pretty quickly. For a litter-box trained bunny, it shouldn't be that much of an issue, but in my experience, they'll always manage to overshoot the toilet sometimes (even with the high back trays), and you'll always end up with wee where you don't want it occasionally. Covering timber with lino or something is better for cleaning as long as your bunny won't chomp on lino.

As for wire floors, it's more of an issue for bunnies who are stuck in hutch all the time with only a wire floor. If your bun gets to run about on other surfaces, I think they are less likely to develop issues.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Who knew bunnies were so complicated. So much to figure out. My husband is going to build my hutches, so whatever I want he will do, and he only builds sturdy stuff.

 

[User395221]

My husband is going to build my hutches, so whatever I want he will do, and he only builds sturdy stuff.

I think the part timber/part wire works quite well. The downside on the shop hutch is that the tray is too shallow when loads of hay is going down there. I'd like a wire "dinner area" where the scraps and and overshoots of poo or wee goes through into a deeper tray, and then the rest timber so they can sit and walk comfortably and sprawl out comfortably. Only other thing I'd say is to make them open up to the outside without and lips or corners or anything. So much easier to sweep out when it opens up. With the hutch the guinea pigs are in now, the floor comes out, but hay gets caught in the wire sides and in between the wire and the flymesh.

My big bunny hutch that my bunnies used to be in has removable flyscreens. So much better for cleaning than fixed. Make as much as you can openable or removable for ease of cleaning.

 

[moomoodiddy]

How big is the wire openings on your floor? Is it regular hardware cloth or something bigger? I believe we bought something a bit bigger, I think 1/2 by 1 inch, but I would have to check.

I think it is half an inch at biggest on the floor, any bigger and a baby rabbit's feet could fall through.

 

[moomoodiddy]

From what I am reading that's how they litter box train a rabbit because he poops where he eats.

They would probably hang the feeder over the box then, if they keep the feed in the actual liter box container the rabbits would be eating their own urine and feces.

 

[moomoodiddy]

Who knew bunnies were so complicated. So much to figure out. My husband is going to build my hutches, so whatever I want he will do, and he only builds sturdy stuff.

Its as complicated as you make it. Sure you want to plan ahead, but most of it is just common sense and adjusting as you go along.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you all. I've got some better ideas on what I will be doing.