I’m thinking about setting up a bunny room, but it’s in the basement and doesn’t have windows.

[Nesano]

It’s the only carpeted room in the house, so it’s definitely the most suitable, but I’m wondering if lack of windows is that big of a deal. I did a little looking into it and found that apparently bunnies have good “mapping memory” to where they can find their way around in the dark and they need at least 8 hours of darkness for their endocrine systems to function properly.

[kurottabun]

Is there any reason why you think carpeted rooms are the most suitable? (If that’s what you meant by your first sentence)

I think some sunlight is always good. A basement sounds pretty damp and lonely. They can see in the dark but I realised in general their eyesight isn’t the best and they rely more on their little noses and ears to get around.

[Nesano]

Bunnies can’t get traction on hardwood and I’ve only ever seen a bunny binky on grass or carpet.

The basement might be lonely, but the key thing is that it’d be quiet. Loud noises are bad for bunnies.

[kurottabun]

There are many people here who have hardwood floors but use other things to make up for it – my whole house is tiled and I put foam mats down for traction There are also people who use fleece blankets, area rugs, linoleum etc. Kurotta has actually done zoomies and binkies on the tiles as well before I bought the mats (although it wasn’t the prettiest sight and probably isn’t good for their joints in the long term).

Actually, I find getting the bunny used to noises is sometimes good for them, unless your bunny is super skittish and gets very afraid of even the slightest noise. I leave the door of my bunny room open unless we are cooking If they’re kept in a quiet basement long term without any noises, I think they may even become more skittish since there would barely be anything going on there. What kind of noises usually go on in your house?

[Nesano]

Can bunnies even get used to loud noises? Online sources state that loud noises can literally kill bunnies due to things like heart attack and stroke.

I don’t have the basement in mind because it’s quiet, I’ve got it in mind because it’s the only room in the house that’s carpeted. The loudest thing a bunny in that room would gear day-to-day is the TV in the floor above. One of the ceiling lights in that room also give off an annoying buzz, so I’d leave them off unless I’m actually down there with the bunny. I can imagine a persistent buzz like that would be maddening.

[Sirius&Luna]

I really don’t think an occasional loud noise would kill a healthy bunny. Some bunnies are prone to heart problems, but obviously anyone living in a city is going to expose their rabbits to occasional loud noises.

Personally, I think natural light is important for rabbits. You can easily get around the carpet problem with a couple of rugs.

[Dface]

All mammals require light, even nocturnal animals, or it will mess with their circadian rythem.
As it stands, rabbits are not nocturnal, they are crepuscular, with a diurnal tenancy-they are sense oriented creatures, and their eyes although not the best compared to humans, are very important to them as prey animals, hence the very large size, so they do like being able to see. Being kept in the dark for extended amounts of their life is likely to cause damage to this sense.

It is heavily argued that rabbits need a source of vitamin D directly from sunlight to metabolise correctly.

Kept in a quiet basement you are likely to have very skittish highly unsociable animals. That’s not to sound mean, but animals that live with humans do adapt to the noises that are in their environments. Yes:rabbits do not like loud noises, but unless your house is exceptionally loud, it’s not something they can’t adapt to.

Studies on keeping animals in dark showed that rats kept in the dark for 6 weeks had damage and dearh to neurons that produce norepi­nephrine, dopamine and serotonin—common neurotransmitters involved in emotion, pleasure and cognition. This neuronal death, which was accompanied in some areas by compromised synaptic connections, highlighted that animals have the same requirement for light as humans to avoid seasonal deficit disorder, and to avoid depression.

Having a rug or some play mats put down like kuro suggests is a simple solution to the carpet issue – although most rabbits adapt well to all flooring types.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Natural light required 100% imho.

If I were a bunny, I know I would prefer a smaller enclosed area, up socialising with humans, rather than down in a basement with no natural light, even if it did mean more space.
Unless you have a seriously unsocialised or traumatised bunny, noise is not a problem for them and as has been said above, if you do keep them in a dark and hauntingly quiet basement, i’m afraid you will be creating a skittish and unsocialised bunny….

So get a second hand short pile rug or carpet and let the bunny be part of the family

[sarahthegemini]

Living in a dark, windowless basement all alone that’s eerily quiet is not a good place for any animal – including rabbits. Rabbits can get used to general hustle and bustle noises, yes. A sudden loud sound may very well startle them, but it doesn’t mean you should keep them sheltered away from all noises. That’s not very fair, or healthy.

Keep the bun upstairs and use rugs.

Very interesting Dface!

[Nesano]

I guess I’ll be using the hardwood floor livingroom and just slapping some rugs down. I’ll probably allocate the corner to bunny business and just let her out to play when I’ve got the free time. Bunny-proofing the entire house and letting her free-roam is something I can think about after the fact. There’s also the fact that I’ve got a cat. He’s an older cat that’s de-clawed and fixed, and he’s way more interested in playing with the bunny than hunting the bunny, but I still don’t wanna take the risk of leaving them unsupervised.

[kurottabun]

You could set up a larger pen in the living room and cover the top with a large blanket or cloth, clipping the sides to the pen to secure it. That way the cat probably can’t get to the bunny unless it’s through the bars. Since he’s declawed there shouldn’t be a risk of him scratching through the bars either, so it should be safe

[Vienna Blue in France]

Yay Nesano !!!!!

[Nesano]

Does anybody have any ideas as to what I could get? I don’t have any bunny stuff. I was thinking about fencing off the corner of the livingroom with those exercise fence things, but I don’t know what to put in there in regards to litter box and sleeping place.

[Vienna Blue in France]

A litter tray is a must of course. A hay rack or bowl or partition in the litter tray to put clean hay to nibble (rabbits like to eat and poop at the same time).
Either a fleece blanket (no fibres so not dangerous if nibbled) or a rug (preferably where the edges are hidden so bunny’s teeth can’t get purchase on the edge and chew) and lots of bunny friendly toys. Inner toilet tubes. Apple twigs. Hard plastic kids building blocks for bunny to throw around…… so many options !!!

[Author]

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