So I am lucky enough that we have an extra room that can belong to the bunny all on her own (hell, we still haven't agreed on a name for her, He says Floof. I don't really like that...). Since she is going to be a larger bunny, my idea is for the entire room to be hers. Currently it is carpeted, she does dig at it, I am thinking of just laying laminate flooring down over the carpet, is that too slippery for her? I know any cords around need to be covered (pvc?) should I also cover outlets? What should I do to protect the walls? Now that she's getting older, she is getting ornery! I have some holes in the walls where previous cable wires were run and she hones in on those! Also, if we put in shelves for her to climb up on should we only have them go so high? And should we do something to them to keep her from falling? We wanted to do this for our last bunny, but sadly she wasn't with us long enough to make it happen:-( Also, what do most of you guys use in litter boxes for your bunnies? I was going to use carefresh, but notice a lot of people mention hay? Do you have "potty" hay and eating hay? right now she pees on her hay, but not sure if it's just because the hay is on one end and her bed is on the other end (currently she is in a cage, was plenty big for her when we first got her, but she is definitely outgrowing it).
her own room/litter box question
- Thread starter erikamc
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So, my rabbits have their own room too. I think that when it's possible, it's the easiest for the owner and the rabbit as you can really rabbit-proof it nicely.
I have linoleum in my rabbits' room. It works nicely - doesn't slip and is easy to clean.
For the electrical cords, I bought the thing they sell in hardware store which is like a tube in which you can put them. Take the really hard one. I started with a kinda soft translucent tube and it got eaten in a few days ^^'. My rabbits never touched the outlets.
Rabbits don't touch walls as long as there is nothing on it. If you have things peeking from them or on them (like wall paper), the rabbit will find them and destroy them. There is nothing for it.
I would give her a condo with two floors rather than shelves which could be dangerous. If you want shelves, don't make them go too high and put a nonslip thing like carpet on them. A rabbit with a broken leg is no fun.
The hay in the litter box is just to be put on one corner or over the box (in a suspended ball) or in a hayrack in front of it. It's to encourage the rabbit to go and make her business in the box, not to be used as a litter (it's not absorbent and it STINKS when wet). Wood pellets (often sold as cat litter) work very well. The important thing is that it's not scented and that it's not mineral litter. Something like that:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hay_and_bedding/sawdust_small_pet/37604
I hope it helps!
I have linoleum in my rabbits' room. It works nicely - doesn't slip and is easy to clean.
For the electrical cords, I bought the thing they sell in hardware store which is like a tube in which you can put them. Take the really hard one. I started with a kinda soft translucent tube and it got eaten in a few days ^^'. My rabbits never touched the outlets.
Rabbits don't touch walls as long as there is nothing on it. If you have things peeking from them or on them (like wall paper), the rabbit will find them and destroy them. There is nothing for it.
I would give her a condo with two floors rather than shelves which could be dangerous. If you want shelves, don't make them go too high and put a nonslip thing like carpet on them. A rabbit with a broken leg is no fun.
The hay in the litter box is just to be put on one corner or over the box (in a suspended ball) or in a hayrack in front of it. It's to encourage the rabbit to go and make her business in the box, not to be used as a litter (it's not absorbent and it STINKS when wet). Wood pellets (often sold as cat litter) work very well. The important thing is that it's not scented and that it's not mineral litter. Something like that:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hay_and_bedding/sawdust_small_pet/37604
I hope it helps!
If you have crown molding I would cover that. Protect the outlets or cover them with furniture, wrap the cords with cord protectors (these are cheap on Amazon).
For litter boxes I think people do different things. A lot of people on here use paper pellets or wood stove pellets on the bottom, then they put hay over it so it's comfy for the bunnys feet and they can also eat it. It's nice to have a hay rack above the litter box but this isn't necessary. If you don't have a hay rack them make sure your rabbits litter has plenty of fresh hay that is refilled twice a day.
For litter boxes I think people do different things. A lot of people on here use paper pellets or wood stove pellets on the bottom, then they put hay over it so it's comfy for the bunnys feet and they can also eat it. It's nice to have a hay rack above the litter box but this isn't necessary. If you don't have a hay rack them make sure your rabbits litter has plenty of fresh hay that is refilled twice a day.
The holes in the walls expose the drywall. Rabbits typically LOVE to chew on drywall. So you'll need to cover those up ASAP to prevent naughty habits from developing. The drywall itself isn't harmful but the paint is.
Some rabbits will chew on baseboards, some won't. (Only two of mine have.) But if you have other interesting things in her room, that may keep her interest elsewhere.
My rabbits eat the hay directly from their litter box. BUT the hay is NOT their litter. I use wood pellets for the litter which absorbs the urine odor. Topping the litter (wood pellets) with hay encourages bunny to hop in the box and potty as they munch. They naturally potty while eating. So by refreshing the hay twice per day, there is always fresh hay to munch. They will reject any soiled hay, so no worries about that.
I'm attaching two idea pics for you of bunny rooms. These aren't mine, but should serve as some inspiration for you.
Some rabbits will chew on baseboards, some won't. (Only two of mine have.) But if you have other interesting things in her room, that may keep her interest elsewhere.
My rabbits eat the hay directly from their litter box. BUT the hay is NOT their litter. I use wood pellets for the litter which absorbs the urine odor. Topping the litter (wood pellets) with hay encourages bunny to hop in the box and potty as they munch. They naturally potty while eating. So by refreshing the hay twice per day, there is always fresh hay to munch. They will reject any soiled hay, so no worries about that.
I'm attaching two idea pics for you of bunny rooms. These aren't mine, but should serve as some inspiration for you.
Those rooms are amazing!! Wow!! Harvey has her own room but nothing fancy like those. We turned the den ( who uses a den anyway?!) into a rabbit room. I covered the outlets with blank outlet plates, but that was more for looks. Harvey never got into the outlets. Changed out the carpet for stone tile, easy to clean and not too slippery. Those are the only changes we made to the room ( except I did paint a mural in there) and we put a two person chaise lounge because it's nice to relax in there, read, cuddle, and sometimes take a nap with bunny. The routine is when I get up in the morning I go give Harvey her breakfast and afterthat her door is left open till betime. We have metal pet gates across the hall. This way she is free to hang out in the hallway and see what we are up to or beg for attention. She mostly stays in her room till evening then rattles the gate. That means it's play time, we supervise her play in the living room.
I forgot to mention about the litter box. I use Carefresh and it's great. Harvey sleeps in it when the litterbox is clean. I keep a separate box for hay.
I wanted to ask about your rabbit Erik. She's fixed right? Female rabbits tend to get cancer if not spayed. I'm asked by because you said she was getting ornery.
I wanted to ask about your rabbit Erik. She's fixed right? Female rabbits tend to get cancer if not spayed. I'm asked by because you said she was getting ornery.
Here's Harvey's room. It's a mess at the moment but it will give you an idea. Tile floor, cardboard box for hay another for a toy box and a bucket with lid to store her pellets.
She will be, she's only 8 weeks old now.
I should also mention that Harvs hasn't done nearly as much damage to the room as we thought she would. She nibbled a bit of baseboard here and there and the back of the door slightly, but that stopped once she had a routine and knew when she would be let out. After lots of tries we also found her fav thing to chew on that she prefers to anything, ( Lava Bites) so she has plenty of those. Also I rotate toys in her room. After a week just when the toy is getting boring, it's moved out and something new takes it place. A big favorite of hers is packing paper. A ten foot long piece of that paper is like Disneyland to her. I've seen it for sale in craft stores sometimes as Butcher Paper.
The more I look at the second picture the more I want one of those whatever-you-call-its, with the ramps and the heart shaped windows. Wish someone sold mail order kits!!
Hyzenthlay4
Member
Watch out as some rabbits can jump higher than you'd expect.
Hyzenthlay4
Member
If you know someone who is handy with wood and scroll saws.. they could craft you one.
