Is my cage setup good for a netherland dwarf?

[ZeroByDivide]

I've gotten Bobby only yesterday, and I am a first-time rabbit owner (although I've had guinea pigs up until recently - they passed away).
I've gotten him this x-pen and installed 2 hideys, a big litterbox filled with hay, a blanket with some chew toys on it and two bowls; one for water and one for veggies.

Is this setup going to be okay for him? Is there anything I need to add/improve?
You can see him inside the litterbox in the picture (he's small), cage size 16 sqft.

 

[Blue eyes]

How old is he? Is he neutered? Is he litter trained?

If he isn't litter trained, then remove the blankets or he may decide they are a good place to potty. If he's litter trained, then it's fine to leave them.

I'd suggest putting some wood pellets (not shavings) below the hay in the litter box. The hay itself does nothing for odor absorption.

Was he accustomed to eating lettuce before you got him? Greens need to be introduced very gradually and in small amounts. But I'll reserve speaking more on this until we hear his age (which affects diet) and what he's been used to eating.

The 16 sq ft size is ok only if he will be given plenty of time to roam outside of the area every day. For now (since you just got him) it is fine -- recommended even-- to keep him confined to the cage for several days minimum. This allows him time to get used to his new surroundings and helps to solidify what will be his personal space. So, for now, it's best to keep him confined to the ex-pen.

Overall, you've got a good start with your new bunny!

 

[ZeroByDivide]

How old is he? Is he neutered? Is he litter trained?

If he isn't litter trained, then remove the blankets or he may decide they are a good place to potty. If he's litter trained, then it's fine to leave them.

I'd suggest putting some wood pellets (not shavings) below the hay in the litter box. The hay itself does nothing for odor absorption.

Was he accustomed to eating lettuce before you got him? Greens need to be introduced very gradually and in small amounts. But I'll reserve speaking more on this until we hear his age (which affects diet) and what he's been used to eating.

The 16 sq ft size is ok only if he will be given plenty of time to roam outside of the area every day. For now (since you just got him) it is fine -- recommended even-- to keep him confined to the cage for several days minimum. This allows him time to get used to his new surroundings and helps to solidify what will be his personal space. So, for now, it's best to keep him confined to the ex-pen.

Overall, you've got a good start with your new bunny!

Thank you for your response.
The pet store owner has told me he is just a few months old or something like that, he doesn't seem like he's grown up yet - he is also not neutered.
I doubt he is litter trained as I have purchased him from a pet store (would have adopted but there are no shelters that hold bunnies near me if at all, sadly).
There are wooden pellets underneath the hay, they're called "Cat's Best".

I am not sure about lettuce but I'd like to assume it wasn't on his diet since giving fresh veggies everyday in a pet store is not really feasible.
Is 16 sqft really such a small amount of space that I'd have to release him for long periods of time? (especially for such a small rabbit as him) I've not gotten that impression from guides/youtube videos. I should clarify that I AM capable of releasing him but bunnyproofing will be difficult as there are exposed cables/furniture which he can go under.

 

[Blue eyes]

Okay, so not neutered and still young. Great that he has the wood pellets in the litter box. Have you noticed him using the box well? You may want to temporarily remove the blanket since it may be a temptation for pottying. They like to potty where it is soft, so the softest place should be that box with pellets and hay.

I'd suggest taking away the lettuce immediately. That is a LOT of lettuce to start. It could cause tummy issues which can be lethal-- especially in young rabbits. They have very delicate bacterial balance in their gut and suddenly introducing so much of a new food can wreak havoc. Unless a rabbit was being fed greens along with her nursing momma, then she won't have the enzymes needed to properly digest the greens. That is why the greens need to be introduced in very small amounts to allow the gut to develop the needed enzymes.

I'll link a page on my website for how to safely introduce greens. I'd suggest waiting about a week before offering any greens. Then follow the routine suggested at the link.
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/greens--veggies.html
Do you have pelleted food as well? If so, what brand?

Hay is the most important and you've provided plenty of that, so that is great!

As for the space, don't stress. You've got plenty of time to prepare a bunny-proofed area. Small rabbits need just as much space as an average size rabbit because they tend to have higher energy levels. They need room to run and binky! Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out on the web about rabbit care. The following threads on this forum discuss cage-sizing from reputable sources:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/recommended-housing-sizes.101068/https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/2020-indoor-cages-add-your-photo.96731/
There is a thread for 2021 cages, but I've linked the one for 2020 since there are more photos and posts (for now).

 

[ZeroByDivide]

Okay, so not neutered and still young. Great that he has the wood pellets in the litter box. Have you noticed him using the box well? You may want to temporarily remove the blanket since it may be a temptation for pottying. They like to potty where it is soft, so the softest place should be that box with pellets and hay.

I'd suggest taking away the lettuce immediately. That is a LOT of lettuce to start. It could cause tummy issues which can be lethal-- especially in young rabbits. They have very delicate bacterial balance in their gut and suddenly introducing so much of a new food can wreak havoc. Unless a rabbit was being fed greens along with her nursing momma, then she won't have the enzymes needed to properly digest the greens. That is why the greens need to be introduced in very small amounts to allow the gut to develop the needed enzymes.

I'll link a page on my website for how to safely introduce greens. I'd suggest waiting about a week before offering any greens. Then follow the routine suggested at the link.
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/greens--veggies.html
Do you have pelleted food as well? If so, what brand?

Hay is the most important and you've provided plenty of that, so that is great!

As for the space, don't stress. You've got plenty of time to prepare a bunny-proofed area. Small rabbits need just as much space as an average size rabbit because they tend to have higher energy levels. They need room to run and binky! Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out on the web about rabbit care. The following threads on this forum discuss cage-sizing from reputable sources:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/recommended-housing-sizes.101068/https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/2020-indoor-cages-add-your-photo.96731/
There is a thread for 2021 cages, but I've linked the one for 2020 since there are more photos and posts (for now).

Took away the lettuce, didn't know it could cause that much harm. he has only eaten very little of it anyway and has stuck with hay.
The only pelleted food I have on hand is one I used to give to my guinea pigs which has various seeds and wafers in it, which is probably unhealthy. I have not bought pellets yet since I was informed they were not necessary and could lead to obesity if fed excessively. Are they something I should get for him?


The guides you've linked mention a minimum cage size as 60ft (which is INSANELY large to be frank) OR 8sqft cage with 24sqft of play area. considering his pen is 16ft It seems like a lot of space, even if he might need to stay in there for a bit more.

 

[Blue eyes]

Yes. The size recommendations vary pretty widely depending on the source. Even the smaller one of 8 sq ft plus attached play area totals 30 sq ft. With your 16 sq ft, that is a good size cage with a daily romp outside the cage area. For now, though, it is fine as he settles in. That pen, actually, can easily make a 30 sq ft area if you prefer to do that. I'll include a couple examples of how this has been done.

A healthy pellet is a good way to provide a variety of minerals and nutrients. Only a few tablespoons should be fed per day. That eliminates the risk of obesity. One can go without pellets but then it would be advised to offer a wide variety of greens to ensure that all needed vitamins and minerals are given. It can be done, just takes extra effort. I find it easier to just feed limited daily pellets. In your situation, that variety of greens will take a few months to achieve since each new type should be introduced slowly (as per above link). If you do choose to feed pellets, you're correct that the piggie pellets are not appropriate. Look for a plain pellet without colorful add-ins. The rabbitsindoors site has suggestions. I like Sherwood pellets for how fresh they are. You can read about them here. I believe the Sherwood site only ships in the US, but they should be available for purchase through Amazon.

Here are a couple examples of the pen creating that large space. (9 lb rabbit in this first pic):

 

[ZeroByDivide]

Yes. The size recommendations vary pretty widely depending on the source. Even the smaller one of 8 sq ft plus attached play area totals 30 sq ft. With your 16 sq ft, that is a good size cage with a daily romp outside the cage area. For now, though, it is fine as he settles in. That pen, actually, can easily make a 30 sq ft area if you prefer to do that. I'll include a couple examples of how this has been done.

A healthy pellet is a good way to provide a variety of minerals and nutrients. Only a few tablespoons should be fed per day. That eliminates the risk of obesity. One can go without pellets but then it would be advised to offer a wide variety of greens to ensure that all needed vitamins and minerals are given. It can be done, just takes extra effort. I find it easier to just feed limited daily pellets. In your situation, that variety of greens will take a few months to achieve since each new type should be introduced slowly (as per above link). If you do choose to feed pellets, you're correct that the piggie pellets are not appropriate. Look for a plain pellet without colorful add-ins. The rabbitsindoors site has suggestions. I like Sherwood pellets for how fresh they are. You can read about them here. I believe the Sherwood site only ships in the US, but they should be available for purchase through Amazon.

Here are a couple examples of the pen creating that large space. (9 lb rabbit in this first pic):
View attachment 53800

View attachment 53801

Small update:
Bought pellets - Made of hay, wheat and corn, but they are homogenous pellets without any seeds/colorful add-ins/things of that nature.
He absolutely loves them! I've given him only a small amount but he has a liking to them.
I've also purchased some darker leafy greens like kale and baby leaves, I'll follow the guide you linked and will introduce those properly.

He has been binkying quite a bit; not sure if that's the correct term, I'd compare his behavior to popcorning in guinea pig since I've had those before. He zooms around fast, jumping and flipping in the air!~good sign?

Thanks again for the helpful tips.

 

[NYAngela]

I've gotten Bobby only yesterday, and I am a first-time rabbit owner (although I've had guinea pigs up until recently - they passed away).
I've gotten him this x-pen and installed 2 hideys, a big litterbox filled with hay, a blanket with some chew toys on it and two bowls; one for water and one for veggies.

Is this setup going to be okay for him? Is there anything I need to add/improve?
You can see him inside the litterbox in the picture (he's small), cage size 16 sqft.

Congrats on your new baby! Looks great people have have some great advice. I would just add to spend lots of time in there with him just hanging out so he gets comfortable in your house and trusts you. Also a great way to get him litter trained. We did this for maybe 4-5 weeks before we started letting him out. Now we keep his pen open for about 16hrs a day and he roams freely about the house.

 

[zuppa]

I've gotten Bobby only yesterday, and I am a first-time rabbit owner (although I've had guinea pigs up until recently - they passed away).
I've gotten him this x-pen and installed 2 hideys, a big litterbox filled with hay, a blanket with some chew toys on it and two bowls; one for water and one for veggies.

Is this setup going to be okay for him? Is there anything I need to add/improve?
You can see him inside the litterbox in the picture (he's small), cage size 16 sqft.

I think that your setup in first photo is fine for your rabbit for beginning, you can improve it as you learn and he grows. I agree on lettuce, I think it looks like ICEBERG which I personally don't feed, but it is great that you got the info and learned more about suitable vegs. Kale is also not to feed every day maybe just once a week since it is high on oxalates and calcium. Dry food you've got I only not sure about corn but other ingredients sound okay to me, can you tell what brand and ingredients, if Bobby is just about 2 months old he can get as much as he needs but watch if there's excess of cecotropes you will maybe need to reduce pellets a bit so he won't lose interest in his hay.
Can you tell from the package what percentage of Fiber, protein and calcium stated?

Binkying is great, if he flops flat and stretches is also very good means he is comfortable and feeling safe and happy with you.

 

[Blue eyes]

That sounds good. Just a minor clarification re @zuppa 's comment. While young rabbits can have more pellets than adults, just offer small amounts at first. This is a new food for him, so we don't want to upset his gut by allowing him too many. Most rabbits seems to go nuts for them and act like they want more, more, more. But limit him to a tablespoon or so for several days. Gradually that amount can be increased. So long as the hay-eating doesn't slow down or, as @zuppa explained, no excess cecals, then that's fine. By 6 months of age, pellets are reduced for sure as bunny is considered an adult.

Sounds like he is a happy bunny!

 

[Madelyn L.]

I've gotten Bobby only yesterday, and I am a first-time rabbit owner (although I've had guinea pigs up until recently - they passed away).
I've gotten him this x-pen and installed 2 hideys, a big litterbox filled with hay, a blanket with some chew toys on it and two bowls; one for water and one for veggies.

Is this setup going to be okay for him? Is there anything I need to add/improve?
You can see him inside the litterbox in the picture (he's small), cage size 16 sqft.

That looks very nice. Just take away the lettuce so he won’t get tummy issues

 

[Blue eyes]

Your bun is still young and still settling in, so his current space is fine for now. But to better show how/why a bun will need more space than the 16 sq ft, I found the following video of a Netherland Dwarf (not the one I was thinking of, but this will have to do). You'll see how this little guy makes use of the extra space (can skip to the 10 second mark):


While the bun in the video does some dashing about, he still doesn't get close to full speed. I've seen my buns run 20 feet in literally 2 seconds!