Need ideas for a temporary enclosure

[j_frenetic]

Hey everyone,

I’m getting my first bunny this weekend, but unfortunately the cage that I ordered for him from Amazon will be delayed by 1-2 days. He will have his own room, but what can I use as a temporary enclosure? Would cardboard boxes be enough? He’s 15 weeks old, if it matters.

Also, the cage that I got for him has no bottom (basically just an exercise pen), and I have wooden floor. What can I use to cover the floor? Would a mat work, or he’ll still chew through it?

Would appreciate any advice.

[DanaNM]

I don’t think cardboard will work, as he could easily chew through it.

Some options could be picking up an exercise pen or dog crate from a pet store (sometimes thrift stores also have these for cheap). You could see if you could track down NIC cube grids in a store like target or walmart to make a pen. You could also get wire mesh from the hardware store and build something if you are crafty.

Young bunnies are very good at squeezing through openings, so make sure whatever you use has a small grid size so he can’t fit through.

A sheet of vinyl flooring works well to protect flooring (you can get from the hardware store). I was recently able to order the size piece I wanted online from Home Depot and then pick up curbside, which was awesome (vs. standing around in the store looking for an employee to help forever).  As long as he can’t reach the edges of it he won’t be able to chew it. Other more temporary solutions are a tarp or shower curtain with a blanket on top, but some buns chew these and are harder to keep clean during litter training.

. . . 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.  

[j_frenetic]

Thanks so much for your reply! Do you think something like this would work for a temporary cage?

25 ft. L x 24-inch H Galvanized Steel Hexagonal Wire Netting with 1-inch x 1-inch Mesh Size

Our rolled fencing is made from either galvanized steel or vinyl and comes in unobtrusive colours including black or green. Versatile and durable, our fencing products are suitable for a broad range of applications including garden edging, rodent proofing, mulch containment and even creative DIY projects! Our safety fence and snow fence are made from high-quality vinyl and come in bold, bright orange for high visibility. They are ideal for crowd control, snow control, warning barrier and more. This Galvanized Steel Hexagonal Wire Netting is perfect for poultry fencing, animal proofing, as bird deterrent, walkway cover and compost containment. This chicken wire can also be used to make inexpensive DIY crafts such as hanging baskets, jewellery organizers and more – let your creativity soar!

• 25 ft. long, 24 inches tall
• 1-inch hexagonal mesh size
• Versatile chicken wire constructed from galvanized steel
• Ideal uses include poultry fencing, animal proofing, bird deterrent, walkway cover for added grip on
• slippery surfaces, and mulch and compost containment
• Easy to install and corrosion resistant
• Install using Peak U-Posts (available separately) or fasten to wood stakes using staples

(Edited by Wick – link removed; item name and image inserted)

I guess, they sell them in sheets, and I should be able to make a pen out of it?

As for the vinyl flooring, could you share a home depot link to the one you ended up getting? Thanks!

[DanaNM]

That should work, you might want to have some sort of structure to create a frame though, as chicken wire can be pretty floppy. I also have heard of baby bunnies fitting through 1 inch mesh, so you might want to go a mesh size down if your bun is small!

There’s some examples of housing made with chicken wire in this section: https://binkybunny.com/bunnyinfo/other-habitats/

They aren’t very temporary looking, but you might end up making something you like enough to just cancel your cage order!

You could also use dowels for supports, or even pieces of PVC (those would be easy to work with because they have joints for corners). They can cut PVC for you at the hardware store, or you buy a hand cutter to do it yourself.

Something like this would work (i don’t like the choice of fencing here because it’s plastic, but the frame looks good:

I like working with chicken wire because you can cut it and re-weave the ends together so it can be made very secure. Having some gloves and a pair of needle nose pliers helps a lot.

This was the product I got “Grayson Wood Residential Vinyl Sheet Flooring 12ft. Wide x Cut to Length”

It is slightly textured and my bunnies haven’t had any issues walking on it. They have you order the number of sq yards you want and enter that, but the roll is 12 ft wide (3 yards). So keep that in mind if you want one big piece with no seams. Like, if your area is 4 ft x 4 ft, you would want to order 4 sq yards so that you have one edge that’s 4 ft wide. You would have a bunch extra, but it’s pretty handy stuff to have around and it’s affordable.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Yes, chicken wire would work. I agree it will need some kind of structure though. Personally, I like the rectangular grid mesh fencing better. It’s more sturdy and the openings are smaller.

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