Flooring for x-pen area – New Bunny Owner

[beserres]

Hello, This is my first time posting in here. We are adopting our first rabbit this weekend and I am getting things all prepared. We are using two x-pens in a big rectangle instead of a cage but I’m curious what to use for flooring. The rescue he’s coming from uses x-pens with a couple of cheap costco low pile, rubber backed runners underneath. I’m open to this idea though all of the carpet horror stories scare me and I don’t want him to rip of parts of rubber backing and eat them. Anyone seen that as an issue? They are the low pile ones where the rubber extends out and tapers off maybe an inch on all sides. 

Also – for bedding what do most people like the best? I’ve seen a lot of people using fleece blankets and towels, but I don’t want to leave those in there during the day while I’m away if people have poor experiences with those being chewed up.

Thanks!

[balakai]

I use vinyl flooring under Lola’s xpen. I bought a remnant from Lowes. Last week I added a shelf to give her another level and found these 24″ square carpet tiles that are very low pile and have a harder plastic (not rubbery) backing–I found those at Menards. So far she hasn’t done any digging or chewing of those pieces on her shelf.

~Kristin

[Ellis's Mom]

Ellis likes the cheap costco mats. He digs a little, but not too much. He also prefers to sleep directly on the mat, so we haven’t had to do much about bedding. We did give him some flannel squares and a couple of worn out towels (we use them for wrapping him when he needs to be confined), but he doesn’t do much with them except move them around and build nests (we think he’s trying to make a homey den for me to move in with him ).

Maybe Ellis likes the mat because it is familiar to him from his time at the shelter. He has a very strong sense of bun-shui (where things should be in his universe) which he’s teaching us to respect.

My recommendation is to do what you can to make him comfortable, but let him tell you what he likes and doesn’t like and eventually you’ll come to some mutual understanding you can both live with.

Good luck and congrats.

[beserres]

Thanks for the advice! I’m thinking cheap low pile carpet mats would be good but I’m concerned about ease of cleaning. The rescue says he’s a fairly clean bun, adult, good litterbox habbits but I’m guessing he’ll probably miss at least a little in the very beginning. Being in a city condo I don’t have an outdoor area where I can hose mats off. Is this a valid concern, any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Ellis's Mom]

We used the industrial mud-rug type carpet as the base for his cage, and it’s been great. I sweep the loose hay (and misplaced poop) up from the floor when I fill his hay bin night before I go to bed. Every couple of weeks, when the shedding gets bad enough to see dark grey fur on a black rug, i do a more thorough cleaning, but I’ve only ever had to sweep. I haven’t tried to vacuum, since he’s not keen on loud noises, but I know the carpeting can be vacuumed if needed.

He’s very good about only peeing in his box, so that hasn’t been a problem. But when he’s annoyed (or hot, in the summer), he’s been known to dump his water dish. I soak up what I can with paper towels, but since the carpet is designed to deal with the crud people track in from outside, getting wet isn’t really much of a problem. 

His space is too big for us to try to get the carpet out to hose it down, so going with something industrially durable seems to have been a good decision for us.

LM

[mrs.scand3]

I use quilts for my bunny she’s not a chewer so not worried about that and she loves to lay on/in them. but we have hard wood floors and live in the north east so we’re in the middle of a really cold winter

[Travis]

I use low pile commercial type carpet but my guy has great litter box habits.  Easy to clean and he seems to like it.

[BunnyLady1989]

Lulu’s area is sectioned in our basement which is carpeted and I lay nothing down. Luckily if there are any accidents I can clean them easily if its taken care of immediately after it’s done. Or I am lucky and have a cousin who cleans carpets as a side job so if it gets too bad I call him. As far as chewing and digging at the carpet Lulu doesn’t touch the carpet. She just licks it lol. But my first bunny Thumper would dig and chew the crap out of the carpet. In every corner of our basement the corners of the carpet have been chewed away from her. This is also the same carpeting. So I guess part of the issues will vary and who knows, yours may not be too much of a crazy chewer. I would start with whatever the shelter used and then if you want you could try changing later. But that way it would be an ease of transition versus a complete shock for the bun. He or she may just feel more comfortable the first few weeks at the new home with something he or she is used to. Good luck and when you get him or her don’t forget to introduce us all!!

[Moccasin]

I don’t use carpet. My whole place is all hardwood floor. So the bottom of my ex pen is a water proof bottom tarp thing. I leave an extra 3 inch rim on the outside of the ex pen on the cage for any spills. Carpet area was a no go for me since she pees on anything that is soft. However she gets cardboard in her “home” and doesn’t pee on that.

[beserres]

Thanks to all for the tips and suggestions! I can’t wait to get him Saturday and update everyone as to his transition to his new home!

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