My rabbits are so loud

[Cocoa]

My bunnies make so much noise because they run around their cage and crash through cardboard boxes and flip stuff over. Every time their feet hit the plastic bottom in their cage it’s so loud. What can I do to make it quiet in their cage? If we use fleece will they shred that?

[Sirius&Luna]

Lots of people use fleece as cage lining, but you need to make sure they’re not eating it. Lots of rabbits will chew fleece, but most don’t actually eat it, so it’s worth a try, but do watch them at the beginning.

How much space do they have? They might crash into things less if they had more space to run around

[GarfyTheLop]

My bun used to be sooooo loud at night in his ex pen, he just hated being in there and would shake it until he was let out.
We’ve now just let him have the entire living room 24/7 and he’s super quiet so maybe yours just need more space?

[GarfyTheLop]

Ooops sorry S&L didn’t mean to basically repeat what you said haha

[Wick & Fable]

Are their nails trimmed? I don’t recall Wick’s feet making much noise against hard surfaces, but it can happen if it’s time for a nail trim.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Cocoa]

Their nails are trimmed. They are in an extra large dog crate. My parents don’t want them loose in the house. I can talk to my parents about that but we also have a cat and two dogs that are always loose so I don’t know if that would work.

[Cocoa]

They cant have the whole house because my parents don’t want them loose. I have carpet in my room but that’s the only room they could have. Would that work?

[sarahthegemini]

How big is the dog crate?

[Cocoa]

The cage is 4 feet by 2 1/2 feet

[Rio and Buns]

It would definitely be better if they could have your whole (bunny-proofed) room rather than just a dog crate. That seems like way too small of a space for multiple bunnies to be cooped up in all the time. They need enough room to be able to run around and binky without crashing into things.

[Cocoa]

We have no extra rooms in our house. There are two rooms not being used constantly, but one is my brothers room and he wont let them be in there. The other room is the game room but there are no doors and its the cats room. In my room its all carpet and my parents are worried about that even though they are litter box trained. They also have an outdoor cage but they are hardly outside because the weather is always too hot or too cold. The outdoor cage is the same as the indoor one. They are each out the cage 1-2 hours every day. I would normally spend 2-4 holding them, plus walking them and letting them play in their outdoor exercise pen. That is all the time I can spend with them because I have multiple other pets and then school. Do you think they would be fine on carpet?

[Alex&Clary]

My buns are on carpet in my room, and there has been some peeing, but it has been easily cleaned with urine removal spray to clean it up. They don’t usually pee on the carpet for no reason, its usually been if they can’t get to the litter box for some reason. I would bunny proof your room, thats what I did, and I would let them have your room to live in.

[Rio and Buns]

It depends on the bunny. One of mine loved ripping up and peeing on carpet in his younger years (he eventually grew out of it), while another of mine has never ripped up or peed on it. I cover the floor with canvas-type sheets that prevent moisture from soaking in whenever I have a bun whose bathroom habits I’m not yet sure about.

[Cocoa]

I have a wooden bed in my room. Would they chew on that and ruin it? I also have some shelves in my room, would they knock everything off of those?

[sarahthegemini]

Your rabbits deserve adequate space and adequate time out to play.

If you let them free in your room, sure they might chew your bed but you can put a pen around it to block it from them. Or just accept that wooden furniture is always a risk with bunnies. 

[Cocoa]

I’m not home for most of the day so 4 hours is the most I can set aside for them. There is no extra space and that’s the biggest cage we could find

[Rio and Buns]

Protecting things like wood furniture is part of the bunny-proofing process. You also need to cover or hide exposed wires and anything else that you don’t want getting chewed or is dangerous for them to ingest. One of my buns loved chewing the baseboards so that’s something to watch out for. I wouldn’t think they would knock things off of the shelves, but they might chew on stuff that’s on them if they can reach it. Shoes aren’t safe to leave on the floor either – the laces are very enticing, I’ve learned.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/14/2018 5:43 PM

I’m not home for most of the day so 4 hours is the most I can set aside for them. There is no extra space and that’s the biggest cage we could find

Why get rabbits if you don’t have the space for them  

They really need more time out of their cage, especially when the cage is so unacceptably small…

Having them in your room would be best but you need to bunny proof. 

[Cocoa]

Every person I’ve talked to said that’s how they keep their rabbits. My bunnies spend 1 hour being able to run in the field next door, they get a lot of exercise. How much time do you spend with your rabbit daily? That’s why I just asked if they would ruin my furniture in my room.

[Rio and Buns]

There are many people who are uneducated about the proper way to keep bunnies. A lot of them think they’re like having hamsters, but it’s a lot more like having a cat.

[Cocoa]

Today we moved both of my bunnies back outside so I have a little over a week to figure out their cage setup inside. Do you think they will chew on my wood furniture Rio?

[Rio and Buns]

There’s a good chance they would, but for some bunnies all they need are various types of chew toys to deter them from chewing on things that they shouldn’t. It’s also pretty easy to protect furniture. I use NIC cubes around my bed, dresser, and nightstand. Cardboard, hard plastic, and wooden boards can also be used. You can read up more on bunny-proofing with a google search, there are quite a few articles on it.

[Cocoa]

Okay Thanks! I will talk to my parents about doing that. Do you think their outdoor cage is too small?

[Rio and Buns]

If it’s the same size as the indoor dog crate then yes I’d say it’s too small for them to be in there full-time

[Cocoa]

Could you please explain what you mean by full time? They are out of the cage for normally 4 hours a day.

[Deleted User]

If they are in there 20 hours a day, it is too small for both buns.

[Rio and Buns]

By full-time I mean longer than a couple hours. A small space like that should not be their primary space to live in, not for one bunny and especially not for two. 4 hours a day is still 20 hours of them being crammed in there.
I hope your parents agree to bunny-proofing and letting them be in your room. I think you should consider reading up on having house bunnies and telling them what you’ve learned. There’s lots of information even on this site under the “Bunny Info” section.

[Cocoa]

I’ve talked to them about having indoor rabbits when I first got them but I will ask them again

[Deleted User]

Bunnies are not easy pets. They really require a lot of work and a lot of patience. They are very high maintenance, and need a good amount of human interaction as well.

[Cocoa]

I still have school and homework that takes up most of my time plus all of my other pets but I spend as much time with them as I can. Some days they end up getting about 6 hours of attention. I have them out of their cage as much as I can. I just talked to my parents about giving the bunnies my room. They said I can but if they go to the bathroom at all on the carpet I have to sell them. Should I let them have my room?

[YandereCapybara]

It’s great that you and your parents are providing them with more living space now.
Keep an eye on your bunnies: my parents threatened to revoke Gary’s bed privileges if he pees on the bed or carpet.
So far, he’s done his business about seven times on the carpet.
To hide it, I press paper towels on it until it dries, soak the now-dried stain in hot water, put more paper towel on the stain.
Once the water evaporates, no one will be able to tell what happened.

[Cocoa]

So you think I should do it?

[Deleted User]

Sometimes bunnies get ill and they become incontinent. That’s no reason to sell a bunny. Many bunnies lose litter box habits when they’re sick or when they hit puberty, so it’s sad their dependence on a secure environment is on their toilet habits.
How old are they?

[Cocoa]

They are 6 months. We just moved into a new house so the carpet is really know so I get what they mean

[Cocoa]

It makes since when they are sick or hit puberty, my parents wouldn’t be mad about that.

[Deleted User]

They are at that age where you are going to have to start watching them very closely. Not just for their litter box habits, but the two of them together. If they start showing aggressive behaviors towards each other at all, they need to be kept separate at all times. Bunnies can and will fight to the death. It’s typically advised not to have bunnies together until both have been spayed/neutered because of the high risks of fighting and pregnancies, both of which are hormonally driven. As for the litter training, they could lose their habits soon if they aren’t fixed, and when they do get fixed they may take a month or two to re-train due to the fluctuating hormone levels.

[Cocoa]

How much does it normally cost to get them spayed? My parents are getting really annoyed will all of the extra costs. I don’t know how we could do that because we have an indoor cage and an outdoor cage. I don’t think we will have long enough where one can be inside and the other outside because of the weather.

[Deleted User]

It really depends on the vet. But you really need to see a good bunny vet with a high success rate. If you’re in the States, the House Rabbit Society website has a list of bunny vets that you can check out. Spays are more invasive than neuters, and will cost a bit more. You should also make sure to get them spayed for health reasons. There’s a 50-65% chance they can develop ovarian or uterine cancer, if they remain unspayed by the age of 4. Spaying will also help to control any aggressive or territorial behaviors.
In general, if a bunny gets sick, their care can be very expensive.

[Cocoa]

Okay thank you.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/14/2018 5:55 PM

Every person I’ve talked to said that’s how they keep their rabbits. My bunnies spend 1 hour being able to run in the field next door, they get a lot of exercise. How much time do you spend with your rabbit daily? That’s why I just asked if they would ruin my furniture in my room.

With all due respect, the people you’ve spoken with clearly don’t look after their rabbits  properly 

My rabbits are cage free, have their own room and I’m constantly interacting with them…

Edit: Just read the rest of the thread – they’re now outside? You said the outdoor cage is the same as the indoor, so they’re outside in a dog crate?? Please bring them inside. 

You and your parents need to read up on proper bunny care. They should be inside, with a large enclosure (unless they can free roam) The enclosure needs to be big enough that they can run and binky in it but they still need 6 hours out of it every day at a MINIMUM. They both need to be spayed, and at this point separated until they’ve been spayed and hormones have disipated. Then you need to bond them. Until bonded, they need to be kept completely separate. Your parents can moan about the ‘extra costs’ all they like but it’s their responsibility to provide for your rabbits. Being spayed is one of the requirements, having a large space is a requirement. I can’t see how anyone would be happy to see two rabbits shoved in a tiny cage :-/

In regards to selling them if they have an accident – that’s cold. At the end of the day, being litter trained is a human concept. You need to teach them but even when taught, there may still be the odd accident – they might pee on the floor because they are poorly or because they got excited and couldn’t make it to the litter tray. Or you might get a stubborn bunny that pees next to the litter box for no reason  (my boy does that) 

[Cocoa]

Sarah you’re being kind of rude about this.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/15/2018 10:29 AM

Sarah you’re being kind of rude about this.

It’s blunt, not rude. My point still stands. You need to educate yourself on bunny care because it is clear they are not being treated properly, and in the end it is the rabbits who suffer. You need to get a (much) larger enclosure for each or have them both free roam separate parts of the house. It’s actually in my opinion, easier to have free roam bunnies because you don’t need to worry about staying up late/rushing home/getting up super early etc or whatever to give them exercise time as they’re always out! It’d be much less of a struggle. 

[Cocoa]

So you don’t exercise your bunnies?

[Deleted User]

Hers have an entire room, so they don’t need to be let out to stretch their legs and to move around. They are doing that all day,

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/15/2018 11:13 AM

So you don’t exercise your bunnies?

My bunnies can run and do whatever they like at whatever time. I don’t need to designate time for it because they’re never cooped up. I do play games with them every evening tho to get them running around. 

Edit: Thanks A & B

[Sirius&Luna]

You don’t need to ‘exercise’ bunnies that have permanent run of an entire room, which is what people are recommending you do. If they have a permanent large space to run around in, they don’t need to be let out to exercise, because they have the choice to run around whenever they wish.

I appreciate that not everyone can have free-roam bunnies – I can’t personally either, because I have a rented house and I can’t make it all bunny proof. But my bunnies have a large custom made pen, and whenever I’m home, I let them out to run around, so they have an hour in the morning, and a few hours in the evening too. But, they also have space in their pen to run around if they choose to during the time that they’re away.

This all started because you mentioned your bunnies were crashing into things trying to exercise, and people have suggested a variety of different ways in which you can give your bunnies the space they need to run around.

[Deleted User]

If your rabbits are female, they both need to be spayed and that is not negotiable. Females have a very high incidence of reproductive cancers, some say as high as 80% chance of development by the age of 2. It is expensive because they are considered “exotic” animals.

Sadly, the situation you describe is very common. Rabbits are marketed as cage-dwelling, low-maintenance pets- which could not be further from the truth. They require much more than people think, which leads to a lot of rabbits living in unsatisfactory conditions. In turn, this makes your rabbit frustrated. Frustrated rabbits are often a handful, and they get the reputation for just being destructive, unrewarding pets… But this is because people go about rabbit ownership all wrong. When cared for properly, a rabbit can be an AMAZING companion, and can form very special bonds with you.

I do suggest that you bring this fact up to your parents, and ask them to be patient with the rabbits. They require a lot, but when they are provided with everything they need, you’ll notice that they seem like MUCH less of a “chore” than when they were sitting bored in a cage all day.

[Cocoa]

I will try to convince them to let them stay in my room. I take them out of their cage as often as I can. I normally take them out for an hour in between activities. So an hour before school and an hour after school and then an hour after homework and so on with my other activities. 

[Cocoa]

And as I said before they do have time where they can run in a large area. I did talk to my parents already, you are just saying the same stuff that others already said. I’ve said multiple times there aren’t extra rooms that they can have

[Deleted User]

We seem redundant because this is a forum, so lots of people are sharing the same facts…

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/15/2018 11:45 AM

And as I said before they do have time where they can run in a large area. I did talk to my parents already, you are just saying the same stuff that others already said. I’ve said multiple times there aren’t extra rooms that they can have

We’re not expecting you to click your fingers and make another room appear. You can make one of your rooms suitable for them. I thought you were going to ask about using your bedroom? 

We’ve advised as best we can – and yes we are repeating ourselves a bit because you’re not listening – we’ve told you that adequate space will likely stop the crashing around. We’ve explained how important it is that you upgrade their space but all you seem interested in is a quick fix. You and your parents don’t seem to care about the welfare (mental and physical) of your rabbits.

I’m not contributing to this thread anymore, we’re going round in circles. Good luck. 

[Deleted User]

are you sure they aren’t fighting when this happens? If they are unspayed, 6 months old, not bonded properly, it could be that they are chasing each other around at night?

[Cocoa]

I have watched them when they were making noise to make sure they weren’t fighting. We are trying to find a vet clinic near us to get them spayed. They are sisters who haven’t been separated.

[Deleted User]

Bunnies don’t recognize family units. To them they aren’t sisters, they are just another bunny they are coexisting with. It’s good you’re trying to get them spayed. Remember, you want a less than 1% mortality rate from the vet who will be spaying them.

[Deleted User]

ok, it will be good to get them spayed. You might look into local rabbit rescues around you and inquire if they offer any vouchers for a low-cost spay. I have a rabbit rescue in my area, and they provide a voucher for a free spay/neuter in exchange for a $65 donation to the rescue. They work with local vets that provide the spay/neuter and you just have to pay for an exam and the pain medication for after. This may not be an option for you, but it is worth looking into.

Rabbits can be difficult to sex, so it’s usually recommended to keep them separate starting at 3 months just to be sure that you don’t end up with an accidental litter because they were sexed incorrectly. Also, if they do get into a fight, it will be very hard to get them to get along again. This is another reason that separating them before a fight is important.

[Cocoa]

Lily was biting and chasing Cocoa today. After we stopped Lily, Cocoa would walk up to her with her head low and she would lay down in front of her. What does that mean? They are now in separate cages.

[Deleted User]

Cocoa is asking for Lily to groom her. It is often times a sign of dominance. It’s good that they are now in separate cages.

[Cocoa]

My parents made me put them in the same cage again even though Cocoa was making no noise at all. Tomorrow we will be posting an ad on craigslist to find them a new home because my parents wont pay for them to be spayed and they cant be together so I would have to sell one but they wont pay to even have one spayed so that’s not fair to them.

[Deleted User]

Can’t you give them to a shelter instead or back to the breeder? Giving them to someone on cragislist they can either end up in an abusive home or more than likely as snake food.

[Deleted User]

Can’t you give them to a shelter instead or back to the breeder? Giving them to someone on cragislist they can either end up in an abusive home or more than likely as snake food.

[Cocoa]

There aren’t any rabbit shelters near us. In the morning I will call a few more vets for prices. I will look for any way I can earn money or things I can sell. In the morning if I cant figure it out ill ask the breeder

[Cocoa]

There are only a few exotic vets near us, the one I talked to today said it would be $800 to spay both and for the medications after.

[Deleted User]

That’s pretty standard. My boys were neutered the same day for $800, but they were kept overnight to be monitored and sent home with loads of meds.

[GarfyTheLop]

I’m not familiar with Craigs list as I’m in the UK but I think it’s similar to something we have called Gumtree? If that’s the case, please please please ask loads of questions to the people offering to take your bunnies, make sure they know everything they’re getting into.

[Sirius&Luna]

Agreed, it’s also important to ask for a small fee or a donation to a rescue, so you know that the people taking them are serious and don’t just want them as snake food.

[Deleted User]

With Craigslist I would definitely be VERY cautious about who they go to. Could your parents advertise on Facebook instead? I just feel that people on Craigslist may not have the best intentions for your rabbit…

As S&L said, I would charge and not just give them away freely. People who aren’t willing to pay definitely raise a red flag. And you may be able to sell your enclosures to the buyer as well.

If I were you, I would make sure that you include a disclosure in your advertisement. Something along the lines of:

Rabbits are a long term commitment, as domestic rabbits can live 8-10 years (or longer) with proper care. Contrary to popular belief, they are not low-maintenance pets. They require as much work as a cat or dog. You will need to have access to a rabbit savvy exotics vet, as normal vets are not experienced in treating rabbits.

If you get any inquires, I would make sure that you tell them they aren’t spayed and that they need to be for health reasons, but also in order to be bonded. Since they aren’t bonded, you could probably separate them without doing any harm. But if you do give them to the same person, please do emphasize that the rabbits should not interact at all if the new owners will not be spaying them.

I don’t mean to sound so “over-the-top” here, I just want to make sure that these rabbits aren’t given to another inexperienced owner who will make the same decision to get rid of them after they learn all that is essential to proper rabbit care.

Especially if they go to a first-time owner, I would give them a sort of “bunny care manual”…If you’d like, send me a PM and I’ll help you gather the necessary information that a first time owner would need.

Best of luck, I hope they find a good home!

[Cocoa]

We would never give them away free. We would sell the enclosure with them. There is still a chance I will be able to keep them.

[Deleted User]

If they ever get seriously sick, would your parents be willing to part with the money it takes to care for them and get them treatment? Spays are expensive, but so is caring for a bunny who has GI stasis, E Cuniculi, ear infections, and any other disease a bunny can have. If you’re parents are fighting so hard over a necessary procedure like a spay, how much more so would they complain about having to pay $2000 to keep one of them overnight at the vet during a bout of stasis? I don’t say this to be rude. I say this because in a circumstance like yours, it might be in the best interest of your bunnies and your family to rehome them. Because things like not wanting to spay them because the money is a hassle, or still keeping them in the same small cage despite one showing aggressive behavior, toilet accidents (which happen whether or not a bunny is sick), or even how stressful the bonding process is (because even after spay you can’t just put them together and hope for the best).
We sound like broken records because we’re all passionate bunny lovers who really want the best for every bunny. We don’t mean to sound rude, but we do ultimately want what is best for both your family and your bunnies.

[Cocoa]

If they are sick my parents would be okay paying for that. Lily was biting Cocoa in the exercise pen we have.

[Harley&Thumper]

Did she draw blood? It sounds like you need to separate them immediately if you haven’t already.

[Deleted User]

that’s still aggressive behavior that can’t be allowed to continue. they aren’t like cats or dogs where they forgive and forget. they can seriously harm each other and hold grudges for a very long time. if they actually get into a fight, it will be very difficult to bond them in the future. They really do need to be completely separated at all times. some people have had bunnies with missing pieces noses and ears from not keeping their bunnies separate.

[Deleted User]

Wow, this is getting so frustrating.

Gonna see myself out of this thread now, but not before I advise you ONCE AGAIN that they need to be separated immediately.

[Mikey]

They need to be separated immediately and kept apart for the next six months (to both let hormones drain, and to forget about their drive to be aggressive towards one another). They also need a cage that is atleast double the size you have now, and they need a full room to themselves atleast 6 hours a day. If you and your parents will not give them the minimums needed for their health, you should be rehoming them.

[Bam]

Rabbits can fight badly. This is why it’s not recommended to keep 2 un-neutered rabbits together. It’s very sad though. Are there no no kill shelters near you? Sometimes shelters offer low cost sprays or give out vouchers for spaying campaignes.

Rabbits should have rather a lot of space. That’s not something pet stores like to tell people. Thank you for coming here to ask questions. Sometimes we can’t give buns a perfect environment right away but have to work on the situation. Read up, ask questions, make improvements gradually. Most of us here -although not all of us – are adults and can decide over our homes much more independently than you can when you live in your parents’ house. We all need to work with what we’ve got though.

[Cocoa]

I cant find a rabbit rescue within two hours of us. I looked for one when I was buying the bunnies. I have been calling around today for some more vets. The least expensive one I’ve found is $500. I will have to pay for it so I will be paying my parents for the next year or two until I have paid it off.

[Bam]

Could you perhaps get another cage the size you have and place them next to each other? Not so close that they can reach each other to bite, but so close that they still feel they are together? Then they could be let out for playtime individually. And you’d have time to save up for their spays.

[Cocoa]

We only have one crate for inside so we will have to keep them separate. It will take me a while to save up enough. I will talk to my parents tonight to ask if I can borrow $400 and I will pay as much as I can every week. I have $100 dollars saved up so just $400 to go. My grandparents forgot my birthday and they normally give $100 so I really hope they remember soon. I may try bake sales or selling jewelry to cover the cost.

[Harley&Thumper]

Is it possible to stack the two crates so both buns are inside? I know it’s not ideal but leaving one outside can be dangerous.

[Cocoa]

We put the cage under the bar in the kitchen so we cant really stack them. We don’t really have any other places to put it where we could still get around the kitchen.  I am following your suggestions as much as I can, I’m not trying to be difficult with caring for them. It is kind of hard to follow them since I still have to get my parents approval. I’m doing everything I can. I just have to convince my dad. His parents agree that he pays for it and I pay him back when I get the money. That should help convince him. Thank you for all of your suggestions.

[DanaNM]

It sounds like you are trying hard in a situation that you don’t have complete control over, I’m glad you are trying to make it work in a somewhat overwhelming situation. When I was young my parent’s wouldn’t let me have my bunnies in the house, so I feel your struggles.

I just wanted to add a few ideas that could help you with some housing solutions that are more affordable that buying large store-bought cages (as they are often quite expensive and too small anyway). Sorry if these things were already mentioned

Build a pen or condo out of NIC cube grids. You can use a piece of scrap linoleum with a blanket over it as flooring. The cube grids can be zip-tied together.

An x-pen, again with a piece of linoleum, or one of those plastic mats people put under their office chairs can also be a good option. You can attach it to the front of the cage and keep the cage open all the time to give your bunny more space. This would let you protect the floor in that area.

There is a housing section under “bunny info”. I think in your case, the housing situation should take priority over the spays. First and foremost, get them set up in a way that is safe and better for them. That way you will have time to save up for their spays and won’t feel so rushed. They will need time to heal after the spay anyway, and then more time to re-bond. If you can keep them near each other they will hopefully re-bond quite easily, since they have fought badly.

Not sure how much space you are working with, but what I would do is to build a crate/ cube condo for one bunny that could be placed next to the current crate, about 6 inches apart. Then get 1 or two x-pens, and make a “front yard” for each crate/condo. Lay down linoleum, or even cardboard boxes with some plastic sheeting underneath to protect the carpet as temporary flooring. Not sure what part of the world you are in, but there are decent x-pens on Amazon for about $35-40 (https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Foldable-Exercise-Pen-Playpen/dp/B000H8YTJI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518832187&sr=8-3&keywords=x-pen).

You can make a decent size condo out of one set of cube grids (also about $30, https://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-Storage-Cubes-Black-Wire/dp/B007ELALZC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518832303&sr=8-3&keywords=storage+cube+grids).

I estimate that when you add in cable ties and some flooring, you could have everything set up for around $100 for them. It might not be perfect, but it will be much better.

Then once they are bonded you can reconfigure everything and have a nice space for them, but in the meantime while you save up for their spays they will be in safe conditions.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Cocoa]

My parents are not wanting to purchase additional things so I am paying for it all. I will borrow money from my dad to pay for the spays and then I’ll pay him back.  As for the cage we have one dog crate to use and I have one ex pen. I will most likely use the c&c cage. Instead of zip ties can I just use strong string to tie them together? Since I’m paying for it all I’m trying to save money any way I can. Instead of the mat for under the cage could I use a tarp?

[Bladesmith]

Using a tarp, I think, would increase their noise level a thousandfold. Tarps are noisy. You can buy sheet of linoleum cut to size in lots of places. I personally use stall mats for horses in a 3×4′ size, put together. I get them from my local farm store, they run about $20 each. They’re very heavy though. Also, you can get play mats that clip together from Walmart, and they’re relatively cheap.

[Cocoa]

I actually have some of those play mats. Thank you for that suggestion!

[OverthinkingBun]

You can also use linoleum scraps if you want for flooring. Some home improvement stores sell the leftovers for very cheap. You may be able to unfold the x-pen and block off parts of your room that either aren’t safe or you don’t want to have chewed, and allow the bunnies to run around the rest of the room one at a time. Good luck with them!

[DanaNM]

They might chew through string, but just today I saw a genius idea of threading the spiral from a spiral notebook through cube grids as a way to attach them. Cable ties are pretty affordable. Wouldn’t really be cheaper than cable ties, but if you have a lot of notebooks around it could work.
A tarp under play mats would be a great floor, just keep an eye on whether they chew the mats. Some bunnies are great with them, others chew them, and the foam could be dangerous if they eat it.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[sarahthegemini]

Hi Cocoa, I know I stepped away from this thread but I wanted to pop in and see any updates and I’d like to make a few points.

Firstly, I’m sorry if I have upset you with my tone. I see my posts as blunt rather than rude but it’s an ongoing battle with what I consider rude vs what others consider rude. So, I need to accept that if someone sees my posts as rude, I need to clarify and apologise. In regards to the point I made about the cage not being large enough and them needing more time out, I should have said it in a nicer tone. Looking back, I can see how it came across as rude. I think this is something I need to remember for my future posts – I need to try and read my responses as if I was someone else and re-assess my wording. I apologise sincerely. I can see that you are trying your best. I forget that we have young people on here that don’t have full control over the situation, so I understand that you cannot immediately make the changes we advise because your parents have the final say, so to speak.

Secondly, I think it’s really commendable that you are going to save up to have them spayed. Perhaps to make it easier on yourself, you could ask for any birthday/Christmas presents to be a contribution to the cost? Do your parents know the health implications of unspayed females? Perhaps they’d be more willing to help if they knew how spaying can prevent cancer further down the line? 

I’m glad to hear that your parents are willing to pay for treatment if your rabbits got sick. That’s really an important factor. Do you have insurance available where you are? I’m in the UK and have pet insurance which makes things a little easier financially if an emergency cropped up. 

In terms of housing – I might have missed it but did you have any success with asking to have the rabbits in your room? Regardless of where their home base will be, using grids to make a cage would be much more cost effective as others have already mentioned. Perhaps you could borrow some money to make a new grid cage – you could make a large one split down the middle so you’d have one bun on each side. Then you could sell the original cage to try and get a little money back?

I saw that one of your females bit or tried biting the other. This is why it’s really important to separate them as hormones can make them crazy! And it’d be awful if you weren’t there to stop it. It’s a horrible sight and would make bonding in the future more difficult which of course has a huge impact on daily life (having a bonded pair makes things so much easier!)

I hope you accept my apology and continue to stick around for advise. Best of luck

[Bladesmith]

Posted By DanaNM on 2/17/2018 3:19 AM

They might chew through string, but just today I saw a genius idea of threading the spiral from a spiral notebook through cube grids as a way to attach them. Cable ties are pretty affordable. Wouldn’t really be cheaper than cable ties, but if you have a lot of notebooks around it could work.
A tarp under play mats would be a great floor, just keep an eye on whether they chew the mats. Some bunnies are great with them, others chew them, and the foam could be dangerous if they eat it.

Wire bread ties would work as well.

[Cocoa]

I think I will buy some more play mats to cover my bedroom floor just to protect the carpet. I spent about an hour last night digging through my room and I now have a total of $235. My birthday already passed this year before I knew that I would have to pay for this. I love doing crafts so I can sell some of those. I still have a few more boxes to go through. So I have a bunk bed in my room but underneath its just shelves. Could I put an x pen in front of that and keep one bunny there and let my other bunny have the rest of my room? Do I need to leave some space in between their areas so they cant reach through the bars? I’m not sure about the pet insurance, I live in Texas. I will start looking on amazon and some stores nearby to find the best prices. Thank you for your apology. I also need to apologize, I understand you weren’t trying to be rude. I’m sorry.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Cocoa on 2/17/2018 11:58 AM

I think I will buy some more play mats to cover my bedroom floor just to protect the carpet. I spent about an hour last night digging through my room and I now have a total of $235. My birthday already passed this year before I knew that I would have to pay for this. I love doing crafts so I can sell some of those. I still have a few more boxes to go through. So I have a bunk bed in my room but underneath its just shelves. Could I put an x pen in front of that and keep one bunny there and let my other bunny have the rest of my room? Do I need to leave some space in between their areas so they cant reach through the bars? I’m not sure about the pet insurance, I live in Texas. I will start looking on amazon and some stores nearby to find the best prices. Thank you for your apology. I also need to apologize, I understand you weren’t trying to be rude. I’m sorry.

Thank you for accepting my apology

You’d need to have a buffer of some sort between their areas, yeah as they could potentially fight through the bars. Rabbits can also mate through bars by the way. I know you have two females so you don’t need to worry about that but it’s an amusing fact  You could have bun 1 in the pen and put cardboard sheets around it so that bun 2 that has the rest of your room can’t touch bun 1 Not going to lie, it’ll be a real nuisance but hopefully worth it in the long run. 

Ah, you’re in the US. I’m not sure about insurance possibilities in the US, hopefully someone else with knowledge on that will chime in. 

Selling crafts is a great idea. Especially with Easter coming up, you could make bunny things! If you’re a good drawer/painter, you could make easter cards  

[joea64]

As far as the U.S. goes, the main company offering insurance for exotic pets (including rabbits) is Nationwide. Their exotic-pet medical insurance is fairly cheap; Panda and Fernando are insured for $11.50 per month, total $23.00/month. This insurance has annoyingly odd limitations in that it only covers illnesses and emergency care, not routine/wellness care, but that being said, it’s well worth having if – or possibly when – you do have an actual emergency. Many people use Care Credit, a specialized medical card issued by Synchrony Bank, which is accepted by many veterinarians, for their buns’ medical expenses, but I gather you’re too young yet to have a credit card; you may want to keep it in mind, though, for when you start earning a steady income.+

[Cocoa]

I’m not very good at painting. I normally make bracelets and earrings, book marks, clay, cross stitching, needle felting, basically everything except painting and drawing. The bracelets and earrings I could probably sell for $2 and book marks for $1. I have a lot of sewing and needle felting projects that would work with Easter. I am working on a very realistic needle felted bunny right now. Please let me know if you have any more suggestions on how I can earn money. I’m about to start my research on the prices.

[Cocoa]

Thanks for that info joea64, I will look into that

[Author]

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