Housing Questions...?

[Tokki]

HELLO! :biggrin2:

Well firstly, my name is Angel and...

I DO NOT own a rabbit...:cry1:

BUT! I am getting one in early April, I contacted the breeder early January (since it was my birthday...) and reserved my own little Netherland Dwarf for Easter! :bunnydance:

And I have a HUGE dilemma! Well, huge for me...

I'm currently procrastinating and doing my homework on these little bunnies. I want to be prepared for when my little lovebunny come. Sadly, I have NO experience what-so-ever. :? (Well, I did own turtles, snakes, dogs, cats, fishes, hamsters, parrots, AND a pot bellied pig before... BUT they're not rabbits!)

And the thing is -- I want to make my bunny feel special! I don't want to buy a hutch or a tiny little store bought cage for him...it doesn't matter if he's only going to be two pounds! :wink

So here I am...before you guys...
debating between NIC cage or Xpens? (Dimensions?)
How should I set up his cage? (Setup, toys, etc...?)
Is there anything I should look out for? (Cons, hazards, messes, etc?)
Tips? Advices?

And finally, thank you! ray:

-Angel :innocent (LIES!)

 

[Kipcha]

Personally, I would go for an x-pen, around 36" high as any lower then that and the bunny is more likely to jump out (Although I know people who go for the 30" and it works out).

Be sure that it has plenty of traction in the flooring and a litter box will make things much easier (You can get wood stove pellets to put in it for SUPER cheap, we get 40 pound bags here for around $5).

 

[MiniLopHop]

Welcome to RO! This is a great place to learn all about rabbits. The library section has lots of information to get you started.

Congratulations on deciding to research before you get a rabbit and your expectations that they will be different than any other pet you have ever had.

Personally I love NIC cubes. They are extremely flexible so they can fit any space. They can also grow with you bun as he/she grows. You will have to make sure you get the smaller grids (old style) and not the larger openings that can cause rabbits to get their heads stuck. Because your bun will be so small at first you still may need to put additional mesh or other barrier around the bottom so they don't scoot out between the bars.

There are threads showing various NIC condos and set ups. I use them to line walls and block doors so the buns have lots of space, but I also have bonded pairs.

Have a great time getting all set up

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I love NIC grids. I can make cages, pens and use them for bunny proofing. For cages, I can make it as big as I need to and can build up as well. The grids can be gotten fairly cheaply, check thrift stores, online and garage sales for used ones. They can be a bit of a pain to put together and I would recommend using zip ties rather than the connectors they come with. There are some brands in the states that have bigger holes, so you should be careful to avoid these. If you do end up with larger holes, you can use them for the levels or areas the rabbit can't easily get or you can cover them with something. The packs with the larger holes also have ones with smaller holes, so you do get both.
For dimensions, I would not go smaller than 2X3 grids and 2 high with a top. You can then add levels in the cage. You can go bigger if you want to and have space for it.

 

[BunMommaD]

We went from a store bought cage (only used it for 3weeks) to an x-pen... 36 in high... He loves it! And I love that he has so much space... Good luck with your new baby!

 

[lapaki]

That's a tough call. X-Pens are great. They are sturdy, simple, and can be easily folded and taken outside if you want to give your bunn some outside time.

NIC cages, on the other hand, can be much more elaborate, with multiple levels, but are a LOT more work. If you decide to go with a NIC cage, avoid the kits sold at Target, their holes are too big. I got mine from K-Mart, and all the panels have 1.5" holes.

I actually have both an X-Pen and a little bunny playground I built from NIC panels.

X-Pens normally consist of eight 2-foot wide panels that can be configured to a variety of shapes; square, rectangle, octagon, etc. There are some with only 18" wide panels, and others with 28" wide panels, but they are not as common. Go for one at least 36" high, or get a cover for shorter ones.

NIC panels are normally 14" square and have 1.5 holes (except the one at Target, which have 3" holes on roughly half the panels, so avoid those). They come with plastic connectors, but most people use Zip ties to build their cube cages. NIC panels are also great for bunny-proofing if you want to let your bunn run around the from time to time.

Here's a pic of something I built from NIC panels to keep the Zoomer out from under my computer desk.

Amazon.com carries X-Pens at bargain prices, and will ship many of them for free. The best value I've found are the Midwest brand, which are available in Black e-coat without a door, or gold-zinc with a walk through door.

For wire cube panels, check out your local K-mart.

 

[ZRabbits]

I don't use Nic Cubes. I use store bought crates which work very well for me. But there is lots of info in the Library section regarding the Nic set up.

Plus I have an xpen which I use indoors and outdoors so my bunnies do get lots of exercise.

It depends on what your situation is.

Good luck researching. Excellent idea before your bunny comes home in April.

Welcome to the Forum. Lots of info here that will help. Lots of experience people to who share wealth of information.

Can't wait to see pics of your new bunny.

K