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Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Adding a second story to cage

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    • BunnyMunchkin
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        My rabbit lives in a C&C cage that I built for him.it is 4 panels long, two panel wide and 4 panels high. I would love to add a second story in there for him but I am not sure how to go about doing this. He is also currently not fully litter trained. He will pee in his litter box but it’s hit or miss with the poop. I am hoping once he gets neutered in scopula if months that it will be easier to litter train him.

        How do I attach a second story to the cage?

        Do I need to add ramps?

        Can he fall off the second story and hurt himself?

        I would love to see pictures of everyone’s C&C cage with a second story!

        Thanks!!


      • tobyluv
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          Have you seen this page? https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/GreatHabitats/tabid/229/Default.aspx

          Click on the cubes photo.  There are links with pictures and diagrams and some how to videos.


        • BunnyMunchkin
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            Posted By tobyluv on 9/14/2016 1:26 PM

            Have you seen this page? https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/GreatHabitats/tabid/229/Default.aspx

            Click on the cubes photo.  There are links with pictures and diagrams and some how to videos.

            Thank you!! I am still worried about him falling off of the levels, if I build the levels just one panel up at a time he wont get hurt if he jumps off right? 


          • Azerane
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              I have a two level C&C cage. It’s 5 x 2 x 3 with plans to increase it’s height so that it’s 5 x 2 x 4 so that they have room to periscope etc upstairs.

              The levels are plywood with linoleum flooring stuck on. The upper level has a two grid gap in it, under which I have 2 single grid steps at different heights as the way up and down. Each step is a grid, with plywood and a foam mat cut to size for cushioning and grip. I’ve never had a bunny fall down the level, but if it was a great concern to you, you could put a piece of timber along the longer side of the opening on the top level just to stop them rolling or slipping off. I put stick on stair grip along the edge of the opening to help them grip so their paws don’t slip on the lino when they jump up or down.

              The condo.

              The upper level, the black strip around the opening is the stick on grip. Apollo (white bun) is sitting on the upper step which sits half a grid below the level.

              From below, timber support beam under the level to prevent sag, and you can see the grid supporting the steps.

              Steps can be accessed from two sides (under the top step and from the front side.) Adventurous bunnies are sometimes naughty and jump down to the bottom from the top step in that small gap. This could easily be blocked off if needed.


            • Muchelle
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                I realize now I’m a total ignorant of this kind of building! It looks wonderful! What are those panels called? Do you know if they’re sold in EU?


              • Vienna Blue in France
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                  Excellent piccies and explanations ! It must be huuuge, because your buns aren’t tiddly !!
                  And the NIC cages must be solid, for the hangydowny one to support the step and the weight of the buns is brilliant !!

                  Nice and neat for indoors and nice living room decoration feature !

                  How do you (do you?) access the top layers – did you leave a couple of grids ‘free?’


                • Vienna Blue in France
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                    @Muchelle, please stop stalking posts I am looking at and writing less than I do so your posts pop up in front of mine before me realising it !! And then I miss them !
                    Honestly, can’t go anywhere alone these days….


                  • Muchelle
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                      uhuhuhuh *disappears in the dark


                    • BunnyMunchkin
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                        Posted By Azerane on 9/15/2016 5:28 AM
                        I have a two level C&C cage. It’s 5 x 2 x 3 with plans to increase it’s height so that it’s 5 x 2 x 4 so that they have room to periscope etc upstairs.

                        The levels are plywood with linoleum flooring stuck on. The upper level has a two grid gap in it, under which I have 2 single grid steps at different heights as the way up and down. Each step is a grid, with plywood and a foam mat cut to size for cushioning and grip. I’ve never had a bunny fall down the level, but if it was a great concern to you, you could put a piece of timber along the longer side of the opening on the top level just to stop them rolling or slipping off. I put stick on stair grip along the edge of the opening to help them grip so their paws don’t slip on the lino when they jump up or down.

                        The condo.

                        The upper level, the black strip around the opening is the stick on grip. Apollo (white bun) is sitting on the upper step which sits half a grid below the level.

                        From below, timber support beam under the level to prevent sag, and you can see the grid supporting the steps.

                        Steps can be accessed from two sides (under the top step and from the front side.) Adventurous bunnies are sometimes naughty and jump down to the bottom from the top step in that small gap. This could easily be blocked off if needed.

                        WOW! I love this! I really like that the second story actually looks like a second story vs just a smaller area on top. I think there is less of a risk of him jumping off this way. And I love the idea of steps instead of a ramp. The ramp takes up so much of his floor space! How did you attach the plywood to the grids so that it doesn’t move??


                      • Azerane
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                          @Muchelle, they have a few names, NIC grids, C&C cages, or metal storage cube, wire storage cube/grid. I think they’re available in EU, but wouldn’t know where to suggest you buy them.

                          @Vienna, thanks It is pretty sturdy. It holds up to the weight well and supports itself very well also which I was quite impressed with since there’s a 4 grid opening on the front for the door. As for accessing the top level, there is a 1×3 grid door in the middle on top which is simply on a cable tie hinge (see photo at bottom). It makes it easy to access the top level for cleaning, but I must admit getting to the steps in the far corner is tricky, not so bad for cleaning, but impossible to grab a bun from that location. I have considered adding a 1 grid door on the side by the bottom step, but didn’t want to compromise the structure.

                          @BunnyMunckin, thank you I put a lot of planning and work into it. The plywood on the top level isn’t attached to anything, it’s simply cut to fit snugly inside the grids so it doesn’t move about since it’s the width of the the grids in all directions (except for the gap for the steps of course). As for the steps, I drilled holes through the foam mat and plywood, 1 in each corner and attached it to the grids with cable ties.

                          Here’s a closer image of the steps where you can see the cable ties holding on the surface.

                          And here is an image from right when I finished building it that shows the door on the top that Vienna was asking about. I hadn’t added the steps yet because I thought I could use a hiding box as a step but it didn’t end up working out.

                          I actually have plans to expand it. I bought some more grids recently but simply haven’t had the time to build the extension. I’m going to make the top level two grids high so I will also change the design of the door on the top level when I do that as well and possibly add a shelf at one end.


                        • Muchelle
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                            Thank you, I’ll look into it!


                          • Vienna Blue in France
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                              For the second level you could make the 3 (or 4) grids across (starting from LHS) 2 grids high so you end up with a sort of trendy squashed L shape – you then wouldn’t eat into the window (access to blinds) and the buns are unlikely to be periscoping in mid air in the middle of the stair hole on the RHS anyhow!!
                              Just an idea…


                            • BunnyMunchkin
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                                Posted By Azerane on 9/16/2016 3:30 AM
                                @Muchelle, they have a few names, NIC grids, C&C cages, or metal storage cube, wire storage cube/grid. I think they’re available in EU, but wouldn’t know where to suggest you buy them.

                                @Vienna, thanks It is pretty sturdy. It holds up to the weight well and supports itself very well also which I was quite impressed with since there’s a 4 grid opening on the front for the door. As for accessing the top level, there is a 1×3 grid door in the middle on top which is simply on a cable tie hinge (see photo at bottom). It makes it easy to access the top level for cleaning, but I must admit getting to the steps in the far corner is tricky, not so bad for cleaning, but impossible to grab a bun from that location. I have considered adding a 1 grid door on the side by the bottom step, but didn’t want to compromise the structure.

                                @BunnyMunckin, thank you I put a lot of planning and work into it. The plywood on the top level isn’t attached to anything, it’s simply cut to fit snugly inside the grids so it doesn’t move about since it’s the width of the the grids in all directions (except for the gap for the steps of course). As for the steps, I drilled holes through the foam mat and plywood, 1 in each corner and attached it to the grids with cable ties.

                                Here’s a closer image of the steps where you can see the cable ties holding on the surface.

                                And here is an image from right when I finished building it that shows the door on the top that Vienna was asking about. I hadn’t added the steps yet because I thought I could use a hiding box as a step but it didn’t end up working out.

                                I actually have plans to expand it. I bought some more grids recently but simply haven’t had the time to build the extension. I’m going to make the top level two grids high so I will also change the design of the door on the top level when I do that as well and possibly add a shelf at one end.

                                Thank you for the pictures and explanation! I am going to try to do this with mine! I used up both boxes of grids from bb&b so I will have to purchase more before I can start! I like the idea of having a top door as well, right now mine just opens from the front exactly like yours.


                              • Azerane
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                                  @Vienna, that pic is from when I first built it, we no longer live at that house, so no risk of bunnies and blinds.

                                  @BunnyMunchkin, no problem at all Would love to see your cage when you’re done.


                                • Vienna Blue in France
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                                    It’s lego in XXL !!! . Do you move it intact or have to disassemble….?


                                  • Azerane
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                                      Moved in intact thankfully. It’s not terribly heavy and we just put it on the back of a ute and off we went. Fits nicely through most doorways too. It takes forever to disassemble and put back together. I had to partly pull it apart to clean before acquiring Apollo and Luna and it took forever.


                                    • BunnyMunchkin
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                                        I sure thing! I will be sure to post pictures once it’s complete


                                      • Vienna Blue in France
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                                          Az – If you had a ten ton rabbit (ie Zou ) with a very persistent nose nudge, could she ‘power her way out’ under the closed door in the front do you think?


                                        • Azerane
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                                            No, I don’t think so, at least not with the number of clips I use on the door. One in the middle at the top (to stop it bowing out) and 3 on the right hand side (top, middle, and bottom). For the first few months he was in the condo Bandit was sometimes a bar chewer/puller and it stood up to him very well. On the off chance it didn’t hold up, you could always add in an extra piece of timber in front of the door that I’ve left out, which secures to the other pieces either side with barrel bolts or something. That would completely prevent any movement in the bottom part of the door and would be easily removable.


                                          • Vienna Blue in France
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                                              Cunning plan Baldrick, cunning plan !


                                            • Azerane
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                                                Is it as cunning as a fox, what used to be professor of cunning at Oxford University…?

                                                That’s all I remember of the line but I think there’s more.

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                                            Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Adding a second story to cage