How much room do bunnies need?

[MadRabbit]

Hi,

My bunnies are currently in a cage/x-pen that covers about a 5×7′ area.  I understand that then need to be let out but they are afraid of the hardwood floors that surround their area.  Would increasing their cage.x-pen area to 10×14′ be good?  I’d rather not give them free roam of the house, yet.

 

[hooty22]

General rule, the bigger the better. They need at a minimum enough room to lay down in a stretched position, plus free time to run and exercise.

[BunnyBuns7]

Is there a reason you don’t want them out yet? Nervous they’ll chew on things they shouldn’t? If that’s the case, I suggest letting them roam in the bathroom or something. The problem is, if they don’t get room to run, then they can hurt themselves very easily because they’re muscles are built up. Then, when you do let them out, they can actually break their backs if they kick to hard or jump wrong. If you intend for them to alway be in their play area, then I would definitely make it bigger.

[Beka27]

many buns don’t like hardwood floors, so people use large, cheap area rugs or runners to give them footing. after awhile, you might be able to decrease the number of rugs and they’ll learn to be okay on the hardwood. they’ll figure out how to walk without sliding all over.

i agree that the bigger the area they have, the better… like hooty said. but i also know that it’s nice for them to be able to come out and play. that will increase their interaction with you and make them feel more a part of the family… have you been able to bunny-proof an area for them to play in yet? what are your hesitations in allowing them outside-the-pen playtime? many people cannot allow their buns absolute free-roam, and that’s okay. oftentimes, bedrooms, computers rooms, etc. need to be placed off-limits. can you start with having one room that is safe (ideally the room they are housed in!) and see how they do?

[MarkBun]

A rule of thumb is to have 1 square foot of cage per pound of bun. This is a minimum.

You can put down some carpets or even towels on the hardwood floor and buns tend to take to it quickly. Maryann is also one that doesn’t like linoleum/slippery surfaces. Dono doesn’t mind and it saved him many a time during the early bonding sessions.

[MadRabbit]

I’m concerned that they don’t have enough room to run.  They have plenty of room to stretch and stand up.  A 10×14′ area is almost the size of the room they are housed in.  The problem is that they don’t like to come out during the hours that I am awake, and they are most active past midnight.  Yes, they are nervous and have chewed on baseboards and door frames.  Therefore, I don’t let them out anymore. 

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