Help me with some blueprints

[Sadie]

OK, I have this cage … http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp (the larger version, I got it for $10 off of Craigs List) and one tiny baby bunny, who is doing pretty well in her tiny cage so far. I like the way this hutch looks, but I know it will be too small for an adult bunny that is in it for most of the day (I work until 3.)

My husband does not like the way the NIC cages look! I know, sad, right? He likes those super expensive bunny condos here: http://www.leithpetwerks.com/prodpage.cfm but I’m pretty sure our first apartment was smaller and not as expensive. So, I am planning on expanding the cage we have with wood and stuff, rather than scrap it all together. I plan on building at least one more floor on top and a pen around the bottom. So far, little Gazpacho doesn’t like the right side that’s all enclosed, so I took the divider out and gave her a cardboard box to hide/sleep in with two exits. Her litter box is on the left hand side of the cage.

Has anyone tried modifying one of these icky store bought cages? Any tips? (actually, I don’t think this petstore cage is icky, I just think it’s small…)

[Deleted User]

The pet store cages make nice litterboxes as they leave plenty of space for hay racks. Why don’t you just get a xpen and use the cage for litter, water bottle, and hay. You’d want the hay where the litter is anyways.

[Beka27]

So much easier, cheaper, and more sanitary to just get an xpen and use the cage in the xpen like Petzy said. You’d spend more money on modifying the litter cage.

[Sadie]

Well, gee guys – that’s not much fun. But easier I suppose.

Do I use the whole cage as a litter pan then? There’s a wire bottom on most of the floor, although I’ve been covering it with cardboard. Or do I stick with the litter box in the cage set up and then just ad a pen around the bottom of it….

[usagi]

 We also started with a store-bought cage, but Lemony grew out of it.  We now use it for food / water / hay / sidepan litter box.  We bought an xpen and put it up around the store-bought cage, and also added some grids so he can’t jump out.  It’s working so far!  Good luck!  

[Beka27]

If it’s a wire-bottom cage, I probably wouldn’t even use it at all. They’re such a hassle. Cage litterboxes really only work if they are just the plain, plastic bottom tubs. You can get a large cat litterbox for litter, or even one of the short “under-the-bed” storage containers. The 4×4 xpen area does fill up quick with toys and such, so maybe you’d be better off with just a regular litterbox.

[jerseygirl]

Do the tops of these hutches open?  It looks to be slanted, so I wonder if you’d have to modify this before building upwards.  You could add a ramp or box step in the current hutch up to an opening in the top, then enclose 3 sides leaving the front open if your adding a pen in front also.

Could you take the top off, add a flat top/floor for 2nd level with access hole. Then screw 4 long lengths of wood to the legs and hutch sides and extending up to height you want.  Attach a square frame on top of the lengths then attach the original hutch lid. Enclose side using whatever, cladding, bead board or wire grid.   Don’t know how structually sound this’d all be, just thinking off top of my head.  

I found this pic of a member with a similar hutch using an xpen.  If you built upward, you’d likely need a taller xpen though. 

Lightchick’s Robbie & Lizzie

There’s the space under the legs too that most bunnies would find a good place to hang out as Robbie demonstrates.

 

Edit: Could you take the lid off, set the hutch upside down and use the legs (now on the top) as framework for 2nd level. Just enclose it?  Sorry, if that sounds like a bodge job? 

[mocha200]

 

this was my old xpen setup before i had a condo.

[Deleted User]

mocha, you have a condo now?

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Petzy on 03/26/2010 09:29 PM
mocha, you have a condo now?

It’s featured in the Habitats section in Bunny Info!
 

Sadie, your avatar pic is killing me. Too much cutenesssssssss!

[Sadie]

That top photo is perfect, that is our exact cage. I can’t believe my husband thinks our current cage surrounded by a pen is prettier than a NIC cage! Oh well, I am choosing not to fight this battle…

Thanks for the comment on the new avatar – Gazpacho is already probably two times the size now! They grow too fast, like all babies.

[Monkeybun]

And WHERE are the update pics showing how fast Gazpacho is growing there missy?? Must see cuteness grow!

[Sadie]

sadly, my house is too messy for pics lately. Work has gotten nuts for both hubby and me, so our living setup has started to look like a band of recalcitrant carnival-folk have moved in. So the bunny is still cute, but there’s usually a pile of laundry in the background of all the pics…

I set up the bunny area much like the top pic, with the cage inside a pen, in fact I think we may have the same pen as in the picture. However, poor little Gazpacho is just a little too small to leave alone in the pen, she can squeeze her head and shoulders and front feet through the bars and then gets stuck! So the pen is still up around the cage, mainly to keep other critters (human included) a respectful distance from the cage, but the bunny is still confined to her hutch for now…

[Beka27]

She’ll be big enough to not get stuck before you know it… Such a cute bun!

[Sadie]

Well, my husband’s weird obsession with Craig’s List has paid off again. (He reads it like most people read the new york times, it’s amazing what you can find in there) And, we have just acquired a second cage identical to our first. It’s not in the greatest shape because the bun that used it previously was quite the olympic chewer, but it was so cheap! So we are trying to renovate it so it can be the second story for our original cage. I think it’s going to turn out awesome. The top is slanted (I think so the rain rolls off rather than pools, you are supposed to be able to use these cages outside although you may have better luck with a straw house) so that’s been the challenge so far, but I have faith. It’s going to be cool. I’ll update with pics when/if it’s finished.

[mocha200]

can’t wait to see what it looks like!!!

[Author]

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