Plastic-Bottom Cage Report (Destructo-Bun)

[Bunman]

I got new 40" plastic bottom cages because ithought they'd be easier to clean than wire cages with partial woodflooring, which i now have.

I put Flops in with the litter, etc.
By next morning she had totally trashed the cage. Everything taken outof the litter box, the bowls full of poop & litter, &she was storming around all night.

I know i could use a sipper bottle (which have never worked for me)& a hopper-type feeder to prevent fouling, but she clearlydislikes this cage. She is now calm & happy back in her oldcage. Comments?

 

[sfritzp]

My experience is that some rabbits just don't like change.
And I can't blame them , because I don't particularly like change either.
I would suggest to put Flops in the new cage and let her deal with it for a couple of days and see if things quiet down.
Perhaps in realizing that this is the new digs PERIOD - the tantrums will cease.

 

[alfie and angel]

Oh dear, clearly she thinks that youshould nothave an easier job cleaning her out!

My alfie throws such a temper tantrum if I clean too thoroughly because nothing smells of her!

I clean, but make sure I transfer something that hasn't been cleanedand then next time rotate to something else so that everything getscleaned regularly but her house always smells familiar.

So, maybe it could be a smell thing? bloomin bunnies

 

[Bunman]

Maybe she doesn't like plastic? (It does emit fumes, especially when new). The litter floor must have seemed strange.

However she did have her familiar food & water crocks....

She has always emptied litter boxes. When in the run she just holds ituntil she gets back into the cage. There she does her business thru anopening in the wood floor into the box below.

 

[JimD]

S'more trashed her new cage for about 3 daysbefore she finally settled in. Both old and new cages were wire bottom,but it was just the fact that something had changed. She's the mostsensitive to this out of all of our buns. To add to it, we had alsogotten her a new food bowl and water bottle and put them in the newcage.

After that we did things a bit different. When we got new cages we madesure all of the buns "old" stuff went into the cage so that it wouldhave a familiar smell. Initially I would also put some of the soiledlitter from the drop pan into the new one.

All buns are different. S'more is very finicky about changes, howeverTootsie takes change very well and isn't bothered by much at all.

I hope Flops becomes accustomed to her new cage....it may take some time.


~JimD

 

[Bunman]

I don't think i want to go thru that any more,or put her thru it. She has stopped pooping & peeing (altho i'mtold this is probably only temporary).

Also she has always trashed her litter box even when she was out in the run. The old setup avoids this.

Besides i don't really like the effect of the bun way down in the trayamong the litter. The old cage may or may not be harder to clean butshe likes it.

If anyone wants these two 40" plastic bottom cages i will sell for $40 each, but you have to pick up. (The wire parts do fold).

 

[naturestee]

Really, I'd just stick with it. She'lladjust. Mine acted like that when they were moved to the newhouse, but it's not a real big deal. Loki also has a habit oftrashing his cage when he's bored. Personally, I findsolid-bottom cages much easier to clean than wire cages. Ionly put litter in the litterboxes, so I just sweep any mess up andwipe the floors down with vinegar. I can't do that with wirefloors.

 

[edwinf8936]

She was made at you for changing her space andwas letting you know it. She will either get over it is acouple days or you just lost thegame.

Ed

 

[Bunman]

There are pros & cons - these big 40"cages are hard to handle, for one thing. My somewhat smaller wire cageshave wood floors so they are easy to wipe down. Then once amonth they can be washed down in a hot shower. I suffer from depressionso i need to minimize stress & the workload.