Rabbit pen

[mrskrobins_28]

We got a pet rabbit for our classroom. We put shavings in the very bottom tray and hay inside the pen for her to lay on. Do we need to cover the entire pen with hay? Will the cage hurt her feet? I feel like the shavings are pointless if we do that but I don't want her to be uncomfortable ..

 

[Azerane]

You don't need to cover the entire bottom with hay, however you should get something for the bunny to rest on, a solid surface whether it be a piece of plywood, a folded fleece blanket (no towels) or a piece of plain cardboard.

What sort of shavings are you using? Particular types can be bad for bunns because of the phenols in them that make them smell nice to us, are bad for sensitive rabbits lungs. I recommend using compressed pine pellets (no issue with the phenols with these) also known as horse stall pellets.

Will you be giving the bunny any toys to play with?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

The cage looks pretty small and boring for a rabbit. She will out grow the cage, and probably pretty soon. A giant size wire dog crate is a good option as is building an NIC cage. An x-pen is usually a good option, but might not work as well in a class room.
You don't need shavings if you litter train the rabbit. Litter would only need to be in the litter box, and fleece or a towel can be used in the rest of the cage. A cat bed can be good for a nice place to sleep.
Hay doesn't need to be over the whole cage. Many people put hay in the litter box, or have a hay rack above the box to encourage the rabbit to use the box.
Rabbits should have toys and things to play with. Even a cardboard box with hay can work. Hard plastic cat toys can be used as well. Hay or grass ball tend to be popular.
Since class rooms can be noisy and stressful for a rabbit, she should have some where to hide. There are numerous items you can purchase for this, but a cardboard box on it's side can work well too.

 

[Blue eyes]

I agree, the cage looks incredibly tiny. And she has no place to retreat.

When will the rabbit be able to get out for exercise (and where)? The surrounding floor looks a bit slick for her to hop.

She also looks young. Have you considered what will be done when her hormones kick in? She may become grumpy and may lunge, growl and bite. If she does, she could harm one of the students.

A NIC cage would certainly be a better option. Not only is it larger, but allows for areas of retreat and is fully enclosed.

Might I also suggest taking a look at the following video:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vvlb-prX4I&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vvlb-prX4I&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

[whiskylollipop]

Rabbits are a bad idea for a classroom pet. They are cautious creatures who need burrows to hide in, and also look at the legs on them - those are legs that need lots of exercise! When they reach puberty, rabbits also get quite aggressive. I would get a more sedentary, laidback animal like guinea pigs or turtles.

 

[bunnylovin1093]

Oh no! That cage is terrible for a rabbit! Please house her in a x pen or NIC cage. She also needs a cardboard box filled with hay to retreat into. Some wood shavings are harmful for rabbits so I would not reccomend them as bedding. Hay is also a poor bedding choice as it is non absorbent messy and hard to clean up. As she lives inside the class it is not necessary. You can have fleece, towels or Lino as flooring for her pen or cage. She will need some toys as well. Cardboard toilet rolls stuffed with hay and jingly cat bells make good toys. When rabbits reach around 4 months old they get quite hormonal and display behaviour such as biting, kicking, spraying, tantrums and failure to use the litter box. As she is a class pet it is vital you get her spayed. She will also need a litter box. Place this in the corner of the cage in which she go's to the toilet in. Personally I would not have a rabbit as a class pet as they are quiet and sensitive and do not enjoy being handled. Guinea pigs would be a better choice.

 

[mrskrobins_28]

We literally just got her so still making adjustments . That was just the pen provided for us. I planned on getting something larger. Getting toys today. And she loves the kids so far. She comes right to us. Rabbits were the only animals that no one in the class was allergic to. This is an AG class so we really utilize her and I had to get allergy info from all students, etc. we let her out a lot and she hips around everywhere.

I will definitely make adjustments based on y'all's help.

Thanks!

 

[ilovepets]

please consider having her spayed when she is old enough! baby rabbits are gentle when they are young, but like Whiskeylollipop said, they can get aggressive when they mature. mine didn't become aggressive, but became very loving in a weird way with the occasional nip, i couldn't put my hand in her cage with out her coming over and making noises. even being nipped by a rabbit hurts! not to mention the marking when she was out of her cage. we found a vet that fixes rabbit specifically and it was expensive, but worth it. fixing them also reduces their risk of getting infections later in life!