NIC grid housing

[aj318]

Hi everyone, 

This is my first post. i am seriously considering getting 1 or 2 mini lops, and am trying to do a lot of homework first. I have been looking at making a home for them using NIC grids and am considering building one under my stairs in my house (I have an open plan staircase) and could fit at the very most 3 squares wide, 2 squares deep, and then in terms of height 2/3rds could be two storey but 1/3rd would only be one storey…. do you think that would be big enough? They would have plenty of floor time during the mornings/ evenings and weekends but would be in that space for 9-5 whilst I am at work.

Also, what do people use to make the flooring of the second floor? I cant see how using the grids would be strong enough to support a bun as it gets a bit heavier?

Thanks in advance for your help, this looks like a great forum with loads of great bunny owners to learn from 🙂

[MoveDiagonally]

The minimum recommended size habitat for a single small – medium sized rabbit is 4′ X 2′. In NIC terms that’s 3X2 grids and at least 2 grids high. 

Here’s a visual of that:

I’m not sure I understand your height limitations? If you only have room for less than a grid tall then I do not think that would be tall enough. They need to have enough height to fully stand up on their hind legs. 

Do you have any other space that would work for a bunny habitat? 

Edited to add: A single grid is 14″ X 14″.

[Mocha]

Hi! The general rule for the house space of one rabbit is, that the rabbit must be able to stand on its hind feet without touching the top of the cage, the rabbit must be able to hop at least three times across the cage, and the rabbit must be able to lie in any desired direction. Double this if you get two rabbits.

For the second floor, you can put wooden dowels across the cage, and put a piece of plywood with linoleum glued on it to the top. For extra support, you can put NIC grids below this.

If you have the space, I highly reccomend attaching an x-pen to the condo, or your rabbits could just live in an x-pen. My two rabbit live in a 8ft x 5ft x-pen and they love it.

Also, I reccomend that you get two bunnies so they can keep each other company while you are at work. A spayed female and a neutuered male bunny get along great.

Hope I helped

[aj318]

Thanks for your replies 🙂

Based on that picture, i would be able to fit that, minus say the left hand top 2 cubes, but i might be able to go three high on the opposite end… it would kind of be like a staircase itself, going one high, then two high, then three high… but the whole thing would be two deep all the way along. I guess i would make the second level 1×2 but it would be 2 cubes tall. Il try to find a way to draw it if that makes no sense!!

It sounds like it would make the minimum recommendations for 1 bunny but pushing it for a second.

I do have a spare bedroom I could use to give them more space but it is upstairs and I would rather them be downstairs near where I would be in the evenings so they dont have too far to go, at least whilst they are still young and getting used to their new home.

I like the ideas of the wooden dowels and plywood, that sounds safer than what I was imagining.

[MoveDiagonally]

The nice things about grids is they’re easy to customize. You can overlap grids, ect and make a habitat fit to your space. You could probably even make the roof diagonal or leave it off if you plan on building to the “ceiling” of the space. Do you have a pick of the area? Maybe we could help you come up with some more ideas (and I’m curious because it sound like a neat little nook!).

[aj318]

Im away from the house at the mo but il try to post one as soon as I get chance. It really is a cute little space and ideal as long as I can get my creation to fit nice and snugly. I think leaving the roof off like you said would be a good idea, and I might be able to get away with only needing one pack of grids potentially if I do that, will have to see. Would it be possible to cut the grids in half diagonally without it being sharp and dangerous to the bun?

[JackRabbit]

I don’t think one grid tall is enough for a mini lop unless that section was only for a sleep area and the rest of the condo was taller. Also, in order to have the height needed for standing up on hind legs, you would need two grids tall (maybe one and one half?) per condo level. If you have more than one bun sharing the space you’ll also need more square footage. Any chance you can go wider than the width of the stairs since they’re open? Maybe have a larger condo perpendicular to the steps underneath the steps at the tallest part of the opening and then have an attached play area that slopes with the steps?

[Author]

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