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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Is this Hutch safe for the outdoors?

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    • fournations93
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        Hey everyone, completely new to the forum as well as rabbit caring I guess.So I’ve had my rabbit maybe two months now and love him to death. However I didn’t know much about store bought cages, so the one I did buy, while it’s passable for just one rabbit. It’s too small for my taste. So I really want to buy him a new one. He’s lived inside for these past two months by the way, not litter trained. All the hutches on ebay are really nice. However the one I was thinking about getting, has a wire like fence cage. And here’s my problem. I was wondering how safe that is for the summer time? I’m mostly worried about an animal somehow being able to get through the chicken wire and kill my rabbit. And of course bugs like mites.

        http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Deluxe-…0933877307 Here’s the one I really like. It seems pretty huge to me. 7 feet long, 3 feet high, and 2 feet wide. Seems to me like plenty of room to run and play in. However again, my concern is safety from predators. As well as how he’ll manage in it, as in the summer it will be mostly outside. Unless of course I find a way for him to fit in the basement. Which I’ve also been very much consider doing, and just making a bottom for the cage. I’ve been reading about all the dangers and parasites when keeping your rabbit outside, so this makes me wary of it. :/

        I live in the country, and I think the worst things we have around here would be Foxes.

        Thanks so much everyone! Sorry for the long winded post, I’m just really cautious about letting him live outside.


      • MoveDiagonally
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          Welcome to BB!

          Why can’t you keep him indoors? It would be much less expensive and safer to make or buy decently sized indoor housing.


        • fournations93
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            Posted By MoveDiagonally on 7/06/2014 5:40 PM

            Welcome to BB!

            Why can’t you keep him indoors? It would be much less expensive and safer to make or buy decently sized indoor housing.

            Like I said, I sort of want him to have a bigger cage. And unfortunately my living spaces won’t allow it to be bigger unless I put it in the basement. Which is something I’m definitely considering. Which would work, as my basement is very much like a living room area. Also my rabbit isn’t taking to litter training all that well. He goes in pretty much two or three spots in his cage. Maybe it’s a combination of my inexperience and how he hasn’t been fixed. And from what I’ve seen of big indoor cages, them being litter box trained is seemingly a must. This might due to again, my inexperience, but I’m having trouble finding a site which would allow me to purchase an indoor cage. Ebay, Amazon, etc; all seem to just sell the outdoor ones. :p

             Any suggestions for decently sized in door cages where litter training isn’t a necessity? Or should I just continue to try and get him to use the box? Thank you so much!


          • LoveMyMoMo
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              The basement is definitely a fantastic option!! I recommend an xpen or NIC grids, they can be maneuvered into shapes that work for you, but still allow plenty of floor space!!

              Check out the habitat section under rabbit info on this site!!

              Litter training takes time. Don’t put anything fluffy in the cage yet. Make sure hay is in or above the litter box, move them to the area where he seems to be peeing the most, and put lose poos into the box. Clean pee spots with vinegar.


            • MoveDiagonally
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                I agree with Brittany. It sounds like the basement would be a good option.

                On litter training, it does take time so I wouldn’t give up on that. Is your bunny neutered? If he is 4+ months old and not neutered that could be contributing to his litter box issues as well. Hormones amplify a rabbits marking instincts.

                Check out the habitat gallery:
                https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/GreatHabitats/tabid/229/Default.aspx

                A NIC condo could probably be built for $40-60 dollars. An X-Pen would probably run around $60-80.


              • Kbana
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                  My Albert lives in the basement.  We have a living area, couch, TV and such down there so I hang out with him there.  I built Al a cage that is about 40 square feet using NIC grids. It was pretty inexpensive. Under $100 for the whole thing. It is more of an x-pen set up. I have a different floor now but you get the idea…

                  <img src="data:


                • fournations93
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                    Thanks so much everyone for all the helpful tips! I ordered an x-pen for my basements octagon room. And will be moving him there once it arrives. Also seriously giving litter box training a try (he’s not neutered btw). That room has cement floors, so if there’s an accident, no big deal.

                     

                    Edit: One final question. My parents aren’t thrilled  with putting an untrained rabbit in that room, as they don’t want pee to soak into the cement. So they want something under it as protection. I was wondering would putting a waterproof tarp under the pen work?


                  • LoveMyMoMo
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                      Yes, it will absolutely work! Just make sure you watch that it isn’t being eaten (because it is so pliable), if you’re worried still (or it is being eaten), a lot of people have build ‘bases’ for their x-pens made with wood and peel and stick linoleum to protect their flooring.

                      After being neutered litter training will become a lot easier and you’ll (possibly) have a lot more flooring options! =)


                    • fournations93
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                        Thanks so much! I was thinking that if he starts to chew on the tarp, I could just buy and put astroturf over the tarp. (Fake grass) And even if it isn’t water proof, the tarp will get the rest.

                         Also plan on calling a vet soon. I’m not entirely sure if I’m supposed to ask for a rabbit specialist, or how long the recovery process takes. So I’ve been a bit wary about it. >.<


                      • LoveMyMoMo
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                          It really does depend on the bunny. My bunnies would definitely chew Astroturf. Some people have used puzzle foam mats with success, other bunnies eat it (like mine)
                          Right now my beat flooring is queen sized fleece blankets (but it may not be a great option for the non litter trained bunnies)

                          I’ve gone through like 7 different floorings, so its always something to think about!

                          Definitely ask for a rabbit savvy vet. HRS has a good list of vets, or even asking people on the forum.
                          A neuter is much less invasive than a spay, my boy was eating and pooping within a few hours and fine within a few days (all bunnies will vary – just watch the scar for proper healing)


                        • fournations93
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                            Definitely seems like something I’ll be needing to experiment with. What’s the worst case scenario of my rabbit eating something like astro turf? Would he just get sick?


                          • LoveMyMoMo
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                              Yes. It may not do anything if its just a few nibbles, but eating a lot could cause an upset tummy/blockage.

                              I also think if he peed on it it wouldn’t be very noticeable to quickly clean up


                            • fournations93
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                                X-Pen I got has arrived, it’s four feet by four feet. So if it isn’t big enough, I can always expand upon it. Or just get a bigger one. My rabbit isn’t too big, so we’ll wait and see. I also scheduled a vet visit. Was really shocked at how much a lot of places charge. First place was 150, second 275, third 450. A lot of the places I called didn’t do rabbits. So I stuck with the first one. It was also the closest.

                                Thanks so much everyone for all the helpful tips! Once I get him litter trained, it should be perfect. You guys have been the utmost help. I cant’ say thank you enough. :p


                              • LoveMyMoMo
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                                  4×4 is perfect. The recommended size is 4×2 minimum, so no worries on that!! It should hold everything comfortably.

                                  Happy you found a vet! Take the time to get to know the vet, asking how long (s)he has worked with rabbits, what kinds of things have been done (spays/neuters), etc.


                                • fournations93
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                                    Thank you for being so patient with me. And I just have one more final question. He’s really taken to the litter training in the X-Pen! A little over a day, no accidents, only uses the box. Isn’t chewing on the tarp. It really surprised me. So I was wondering does your rabbit live longer if you get them fixed? As all I could find is saying that it makes them less aggressive and prevents them from contributing to over-population.


                                  • LittlePuffyTail
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                                      For females, the chance of cancer in an unsprayed bunny is very high. In males, neutering is not so much for health reasons or longevity as it is to help curb unwanted hormonal behaviours. From what I have read, males can get reproductive cancers if they are left intact, but it’s not very common. And of course, he will absolutely need to be neutered if he is ever going to be around intact females.

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                                  Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Is this Hutch safe for the outdoors?