Hmm I don’t think the NIC Cubes are gonna work

[skibunny8503]

I was going to go out to Walmart and look for some NIC Cubes to block off our couch, but after tonight I don’t think they’ll work.  We’ve been blocking it with X-mas gifts and he jumped over them (about a foot and 1/2 high).  We even tried a baby gate (maybe about 26-28 inches high) and he looked at it thinking “yeah I think I can clear it” and jumped over it!  Knocking down a tv tray (my fault) with my drink on it…yeah, hubby was a little upset about that.  But he’s never delt with a rabbit before, he’s had a dog and when you say “no” to a dog they usually listen but Archie will listen once and keep trying no matter how many times you say no. 

I thought it was pretty funny, especially the first time he tried to clear the x-mas gifts and didn’t make it.  His eyes were so big!    At first I was thinking about buying a few of those tunnels on the site but they’re too wide for behind the couch.  So maybe a big pvc pipe might work?  I gotta figure out something soon.

[bitterepiphany]

Now our rabbit hasn’t cleared the two cubes tall structure (yet) but the one cube tall would have been no problem for her, so we put a “top” on the one cube tall with cubes, and then we left the areas that were two cubes tall open on top so we could get in to clean. If he can get over a two cubes tall structure, try adding a top. They’re easy enough to remove if you just snip a few tie wraps, for clenaing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waxwingedfae/3153325795/in/set-72157610716415049/

[Beka27]

i use NIC grids for all my living room bunny-proofing.  i have them angled in a way that our buns cannot get past them, and they are a permanent structure in our house.  we have two reclining La-Z-Boy couches, so it was especially important that they could not get behind or underneath, first of all (and most importantly) for their own safety.  second, my husband LOVES the couches and he’d be so sad if anything happened to them… *rolls eyes*

we have cord protectors that run the perimeter of the room and house our surround sound wires.  they are behind the NIC grids that line our living room.  we have found a way to USE the furniture as a way to anchor the bun-proofing into place.

the corners  of our living room are a  bun safe hang-out…

the other corner has a cardboard box den for bunny enjoyment… you’ll also notice my attractive cardboard floor coverings.  they prevent digging in the corner of the room.

since the living room is our “all-purpose” room, it also has our computer desk…

the other side of the couches… you can see how the top panel is angled towards the couch and it extends forward to prevent it from being pulled away or pushed past…

that side of the bun-roofing connects to the back of the desk, so it’s a solid structure that mine have never found a way around…

we also have a NIC grid fence that can be folded up and put away in the closet when not in use.  this is helpful for times when you need something quick and temporary, like if you’re doing a non-bunny safe project with a million pieces… or playing playstation and don’t have bunny-proofed wires…

 

my suggestion would be to get the NIC grids and zipties and play around with them.  it might take a few tries to get it 99% bunny-proof (i don’t think you’re ever truly 100%), but the end result is a very secure feeling.  you won’t be afraid to leave the room for a few minutes while your bunny is out.  this can soon progress to full run of the area all day.  i could leave mine out 24/7 if i chose to and i’d be virtually guaranteed that they could not get into trouble.  i choose to pen them up at night for my own peace of mind, but if i didn’t… i don’t believe any harm would come of it.

[RachelF]

Skibunny– My honeygirl had wide eyes one day when I was watching her on the couch– like she was determined/planning her next move. Next thing I knew, she jumped clear off the back of the couch! Scared me half to death! Glad you now know what that evil eyeball means, hehe, it can be dangerous.

Beka– your bunnyprooffed living room is amazing! I am definitely going to do something similar.

[Laura]

Beka-thanks so, so much for the pics. This is all very helpful.
~Laura

[skibunny8503]

Those pictures are awesome but our living room is all open and you have to walk through it to get to the other rooms in our home. Right now we’re blocking the couch with boxes but I don’t think blocking will help because he’s a stubborn bugger; he’ll dig on the boxes and start going through the carpet. My husband is going to try (sometime this week) to make a long tunnel going behind the couch. I wish we had more room for him to have a whole room to himself…we could put him in the basement but it’s so cold down there I hardly go down there. :o/

[pryzmkess]

Bunnys are supposed to be kept in the 50 to 70 range; it’s actually heat that’s worse for them. He might be fine in a cool basement.

Dawn

[kralspace]

I have several of those long concrete tubes behind furniture and they run through those rather than trying to go under stuff I have it blocked with.

[skibunny8503]

Posted By pryzmkess on 01/05/2009 2:06 PM
Bunnys are supposed to be kept in the 50 to 70 range; it’s actually heat that’s worse for them. He might be fine in a cool basement.

Dawn

Yeah but I’ll be too cold to visit him   My husband says it could be 70 degrees and I’d still be wearing a hoodie  

 

Yeah we were thinking about that piping behind the couch…we’ll see what he comes up with (we have so many boxes in the basement from moving). 

[Hedi]

We make ours NIC blockades several cubes high. If this doesnt work then cover it in fabric or something occlusive so your bun can’t see thru it. If they see it as “solid” then they will think they cant get thru it.

Dont forget- for TUBES you can use the tubes they use for setting up concrete – they are long cardboard tubes w/ yellow on the outside. Can be found at Lowes or Home Dept. We have them all over the house. We have one that runs behind our couch and they all love it! You can always hear them scurrying thru the tube behind the couch. I have a dig box at the end of it for them to play in.

Im having serious brain farts today- a lot of people have those cardboard cement forms and can explain them better.
Here is a photo of my Cooper sitting at the end of one…

115121478071.jpg

[skibunny8503]

I’ll go look for that cement tube tomorrow, it looks perfect!  I’m stuck here until they get these footer drains unclogged…ugh it’s a mess!

[Dave]

The cement tubes are fantastic.  Quik-rete makes them in 8″ and 12″ tubes i believe.  The smaller one is $7 and the 12″ one is $9 I believe.  Pepper uses hers whenever she runs into her room.  Steve doesn’t always use his so I have to stand it up when he gets bored with it.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ohhh I need to get a cement tube!!!

[skibunny8503]

Went out to Ace Hardware down the street but they didn’t have it.  It’s really snowing out here so I think I’m stuck indoors for the day

[jerseygirl]

Try lurking around the back of hardware stores and building sites!

[Author]

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