Rabbit Square Footage Dilemma - opinions?

[Scarly]

Hi Everyone!

We recently moved and were fortunate enough to have found a place in our budget that allowed more space for our bunnies and I'm trying to figure out where to situate our them. Our buns have never been in cages, but full time free roaming is not an option due to other pets in the house. When we moved in I put the buns in an empty room with all their toys, litter boxes, hidey houses etc so that they would be out of the way and not freaked out with movers coming and going, boxes being unpacked etc. The room is 90 square feet, and was originally thought to be the guest room as we have lots of out of town family that visits. The room is downstairs and we don't spend much time there as it's just the laundry room and a bathroom on that floor.

I would like to bring them up to the living room because I feel they are so isolated down there and I don't interact nearly as much with them if I don't see them all at the time. I have found an acrylic (clear) pen that fits beautifully in our living room in a built out window area that would provide them with 24 square feet of living space. As they would be upstairs with the family they would also have opportunities to free roam in the living room and kitchen area which is massive, and get a lot more human interaction and attention. Plus I like being able to see them and feel I'd be able to spot if someone is behaving unusually much quicker than when they are behind a closed door.

I don't know if 24 sqf is sufficient to live in? Any thoughts / opinions? To give you an idea the space is 48" x 72" the buns are pretty small, both around 2.5 lbs

In your opinion would it be better to keep them in a larger space all the time behind a closed door, or bring them up to the living room with more social interaction and opportunity to roam a much larger area but have their 'full time' space be smaller.

Realistically they would not free roam more than an hour per day on week days, and 4-6 hours per day on weekends.

I have also noticed that since having their own bedroom they don't explore or binky nearly as much as when they are in a space that isn't theirs. So they don't have much activity even though they are in a large space, they just kind of lounge. As soon as they get to leave the room they get excited and binky etc. which I love to see and would have more opportunity to do if they were upstairs.

Thanks! Hope you are all having a great weekend!

 

[Blue eyes]

Even though the 24 sq ft is a bit shy of the 30 sq ft often recommended, I'd lean toward doing that for a few reasons. As you mentioned, upstairs, they'd get to see the activity of the household and be part of the everyday goings on. They also get their free roam time -- even if it is only an hour or so. (Perhaps you'd be able to eek out more time?)

The isolated room may have more space, but it is ... as stated... isolated. It seems, in my opinion, that they'd be happier where the people are.

 

[Scarly]

Even though the 24 sq ft is a bit shy of the 30 sq ft often recommended, I'd lean toward doing that for a few reasons. As you mentioned, upstairs, they'd get to see the activity of the household and be part of the everyday goings on. They also get their free roam time -- even if it is only an hour or so. (Perhaps you'd be able to eek out more time?)

The isolated room may have more space, but it is ... as stated... isolated. It seems, in my opinion, that they'd be happier where the people are.

Thanks so much for your feedback! There is an option to get an expansion for the pen to make it 36 sqft but I likely wouldn't be able to buy that until after Christmas.

 

[Blue eyes]

If you currently have a pen, you could make it provide more space by making use of an existing wall or even a corner. Here is an example of how a pen that -- if it is configured into a square --provides just 16 sq ft, but by putting it up to a wall, it can actually provide double that space.

 

[Scarly]

If you currently have a pen, you could make it provide more space by making use of an existing wall or even a corner. Here is an example of how a pen that -- if it is configured into a square --provides just 16 sq ft, but by putting it up to a wall, it can actually provide double that space.

View attachment 44213

Yeah we’ve done that in the past, unfortunately our girl is an escape artist and very strong. She just pulls the x pen in towards herself until their is a gap by the wall to get out. We’ve tried furniture, bricks etc but unless the x pen is attached to itself with carabiners she finds a way out also doesn’t help that she’s a jumper she hops onto our kitchen counter all the time trying to find bananas lol

 

[Sunshinerabbit lover]

It all depends on the amount of out of cage play time they get. If you hardly get them out then a larg pen is a good option, however if you get them out for 6 to 7 hours you may wsnt to use a petstore cage to keep them in at night.

 

[Blue eyes]

Yeah we’ve done that in the past, unfortunately our girl is an escape artist and very strong. She just pulls the x pen in towards herself until their is a gap by the wall to get out. We’ve tried furniture, bricks etc but unless the x pen is attached to itself with carabiners she finds a way out also doesn’t help that she’s a jumper she hops onto our kitchen counter all the time trying to find bananas lol

Hmmm... in that case, eyelet hooks can be screwed into the walls -- if that is an option.

 

[Catlyn]

If your buns get free run time and human interactions more than they would get down in the laundry room, then i would suggest keeping them up with you. My bun, too, had more space and free-run outside, he would binky and stuff, but he was feeling bored and cold, it seemed, so we brought him in with us and let him run around whenever we are home(except nighttime) and he seems to be more quirky, funkily hiding, dashing and hopping on my bed.

 

[Marcella-Jaine]

I have a Lucidium pen that is 48” by 72” and it is perfect for my buns!!! (Super easy to clean!!!) I have two large litter boxes and I have wooden crates in there so they can climb up and under and run in circles. I switch up their areas often so they do not get bored. Mine are free roam in the house while I am here....although they hang out in their “kingdom” a lot with the door open. It’s home. At night and when I am away, they are in their kingdom with the doors shut because they discovered they love to jump on my head or right on my stomach when I am asleep! (I swear bunnies giggle...) Is that what you are looking at...the Lucidium pen? If so, I can load some pics of what the size looks like in terms of two bunnies. One bun is a little under 3 pounds and the other about 3 1/2 pounds.

 

[Marcella-Jaine]

Since I’m about to leave this forum, here are photos of how the 48” x 72” Lucidium pen works with two medium sized rabbits and several configurations. The latest one is the one with all the wooden crates in it. That is my attempt to keep the hay clean and fresh and out of their litter boxes. So far it is working wonderfully. The white bunny is Bumble Chunga and she is two years old, about 3 1/2 pounds, and is my rescue that I recently bonded with my Holland Lop, Fur’ocious (Fur’o) that is around 3 pounds. The Lucidium pen is fabulous and easy to clean. The vacuum cleaner fits inside perfectly and it’s easy to lift up the ends to get under the bars. It’s easy to clean with environmentally safe window cleaner and the carpet is a Water Hog outdoor carpet that can be easily cleaned with a carpet cleaner.

 

[Scarly]

I have a Lucidium pen that is 48” by 72” and it is perfect for my buns!!! (Super easy to clean!!!) I have two large litter boxes and I have wooden crates in there so they can climb up and under and run in circles. I switch up their areas often so they do not get bored. Mine are free roam in the house while I am here....although they hang out in their “kingdom” a lot with the door open. It’s home. At night and when I am away, they are in their kingdom with the doors shut because they discovered they love to jump on my head or right on my stomach when I am asleep! (I swear bunnies giggle...) Is that what you are looking at...the Lucidium pen? If so, I can load some pics of what the size looks like in terms of two bunnies. One bun is a little under 3 pounds and the other about 3 1/2 pounds.

Yes that's exactly what I'm looking at but I need the taller one as Thumper is a jumper and can hop over the 27" which I think is the one you have? I'd love to get a colourful one but the 36" only comes in silver or gunmetal Glad to know it's working well for you! My buns are about the same size/weight as yours

 

[Scarly]

Since I’m about to leave this forum, here are photos of how the 48” x 72” Lucidium pen works with two medium sized rabbits and several configurations. The latest one is the one with all the wooden crates in it. That is my attempt to keep the hay clean and fresh and out of their litter boxes. So far it is working wonderfully. The white bunny is Bumble Chunga and she is two years old, about 3 1/2 pounds, and is my rescue that I recently bonded with my Holland Lop, Fur’ocious (Fur’o) that is around 3 pounds. The Lucidium pen is fabulous and easy to clean. The vacuum cleaner fits inside perfectly and it’s easy to lift up the ends to get under the bars. It’s easy to clean with environmentally safe window cleaner and the carpet is a Water Hog outdoor carpet that can be easily cleaned with a carpet cleaner. View attachment 44320View attachment 44321 View attachment 44322View attachment 44323View attachment 44324

Thank you for the photos!!! That's awesome and yeah the hay / litter box thing is an ongoing battle at our house too lol. Thanks again!

 

[JenGibs]

Yeah we’ve done that in the past, unfortunately our girl is an escape artist and very strong. She just pulls the x pen in towards herself until their is a gap by the wall to get out. We’ve tried furniture, bricks etc but unless the x pen is attached to itself with carabiners she finds a way out also doesn’t help that she’s a jumper she hops onto our kitchen counter all the time trying to find bananas lol

I’ve mentioned this a few times before as it has worked for our escape artists! Where the xpen meets the wall..... I screwed in a tiny eye hook into the baseboard at the bottom and the stud in the wall at the top. Zip tie pen to hook and boom...they could not move it. (this is also how I tether my Christmas tree to the wall so my cats don’t knock it down! LOL

https://www.lowes.com/pd/National-Hardware-2-Pack-Stainless-steel-Screw-Eyes-Hook/50414064

aside from this, I would use the smaller space and keep them upstairs with the family.

 

[Catlyn]

Aww there are so many great ideas overflowing in these forum posts, sticking to the walls and furs and everything! Too bad we don't have the space to let our big-sized rabbit hop around in tunnels and crates and everything: our apartment construction is lame, leaving only a tight corridor for us to pass, much less any entertainment for him. And ofc he pillages hay everywhere, that's to be expected from any bun, but he feels a strong no-no to any box, crate or hayrack not made from paper bag, which ve will inevitably destroy within minutes...
Not to mention leaving pees and poos everywhere in his wake, but fixing (appointment on wedn.) should simmer down those feelings.