Cage suggestions and how to stop from chewing walls and carpet?

[Mariah]

Hi everyone,

I have two bunnies- Kiwi and Papaya. Kiwi is spayed, Papaya is
too young just yet, but will be neuteres once he's six months. Their current set up are two cages, side by side (not touching) which then both open up into a big exercise pen I designed out of the NIC cubes. The NIC cubes are not secure as Kiwi always breaks through to get to Papaya. They are getting along ok but not bonded yet. Papaya keeps humping Kiwi which of course I stop and there are never together unsupervised for very long. Just for me to get something out of another room etc.

So a couple questions here:

1) How do I secure the NIC cubes so that Kiwi cant break through? They basically go wall to wall but I don't know how to attach it to the wall?

2) How do I get the bunnies to stop digging and chewing the carpet?

3) How do I get the bunnies to stop chewing the wall?

In regards to the exercise pen, I want to be able to leave the bunnies out during the day together once they are bonded but I'm afraid I'll come home to a broken barrier and bunnies running a muck thought the house?!

Any suggestions would be great!

 

[wendymac]

Are you using cable ties (zip ties) to hook all the NIC cubes to each other?

As for the carpet and walls...keep the NIC exercise pen away from the walls. Max is in LOVE with our baseboards, and scratched at them non-stop (and eating the paint!). So I moved the Xpen around so she couldn't get near them. Maybe, for the carpet issue, put down a heavy blanket? That way they can't get to the carpet underneath, but can still dig and play with the blanket.

 

[Mariah]

Hello!

Ok so yes I am using the zip ties to hold them together. That's not the issue. The issue is attaching the NIC cubes to the wall. Basically, we live in a basement apt. The space I have the bunnies in is the back portion of the basement. Kiwi loves to chew the bars and the boyfriend was getting tired of waking up at 5am... I was too especially when she would start chewing her bars at 12am, 3am etc. It's more like a storage area and they are out of the way so loud noices etc don't bother them. The only way I could keep them away from the walls is to line the wall with the cubes but again I run into the issue of how I can attach the cubes to the wall?

The carpet is is easily fixed- ill get them a old blanket and spread it on the floor.

Still any ideas on how to attach the cubes to the wall without wreaking the wall? The bunny barrier is basically just leaning on the two walls and all kiwi does it push it and she's through...

 

[agnesthelion]

Could you make a flat wall with NICs and zip tie those to the cage? So instead of having the wall as the back of the cage build a new back of the cage with NIC?

 

[Mariah]

Yes, yes I can!! That would work do well! I won't have time to get the new NIC's till the weekend, but what a good idea!! Thank you so very much!!

 

[agnesthelion]

Your welcome! Let us know how things go

 

[wendymac]

That's sort of what I meant...make the pen the whole way around, instead of just 3 sided. LOL

 

[woahlookitsme]

lol also you can find alternative ways for flooring. I use the play mats that are shaped like puzzle pieces. Very easy to sweep and clean but prevents my bun from getting to the carpet.

You can try giving them a run around the apartment before bed. I had this problem when we were in an efficiency apartment. Franklin would wake my boyfriend in the morning until I started letting him out and get a good run before bed. He slept all night until it was time for breakfast. Giving alternative toys also help prevent chewing on wires. Like pinecones, cardboard boxes or paper towel rolls.

 

[agnesthelion]

^^^^ooooooh pinecones? Never thought of that! Those are safe toys then, huh?

 

[woahlookitsme]

I give them to my tans right after they fall from our neighbors tree lol

I give them at shows while they are in the small carriers and they LOVE chewing them and throwing them around All buns are still alive and healthy lol

 

[wendymac]

Awesome! I didn't know they could have pine cones. We have a couple of trees around the farm, and now I finally have a use for those little cones. Thanks!

 

[Mariah]

Ok so I just thought of something. I can build the NIC's all the way around so that Kiwi can't bust through the barrier, however; how will I get through the barrier? I just had my horse fall on me... I was riding him and he stopped, went down and rolled and I didn't get out of the way quick enough and my right leg for caught underneath him... I have a brace on to stabilize my leg and I'm on crutches... No fractures but maybe a torn mcl in my knee... I can't step over the barrier right now. As
Well, when kiwi is free range in the living room, how will she get in and out?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Make a front door by clipping the pen together at the front with a few mini-carabiners (the little hooks you see on key chains - mountain-climber style).

That way, you can walk in and out of the run area.

 

[agnesthelion]

Mariah...check out my blog or my thread under housing and environment that shows Agnes's cage. Her doors are 3 NIC panels zip tied together to form a door.

 

[Mariah]

I just had a look at your cage!! So nice! When you say you zip tie them together to form a door, how do you open the door if it's zip tied together?

 

[agnesthelion]

Mariah...the kit we bought has little tension springs with a hook on one end so you pull it tight and hook it to a rung above it. We only zip tied one side of the doors kind of like hinges so the door can swing down. I'm assuming you could get all those supplies at a hardware store.......?