Remodeling the cage

[Samicles]

I made Nimmy’s bunny condo back in August, he had two floors but once he broke his leg I took out the top floor so he wouldn’t jump up. But now it’s a pain in the butt to clean since I can’t really get in there, and I’d like to make a completely new one for him. So I’ve got some questions for everyone.

I was playing around with the idea of taking a piece of furniture (like a dresser) and converting it into a rabbit cage. But I’m concerned over the types of wood that are and are not okay. Plus, even if I get a dresser that’s made of suitable wood, I think he’d chew on it a lot. I don’t want him to eat his cage… Does anybody have furniture converted cages? Does your bun chew on them?

Also, I’ve got a ton of the NIC cubes leftover and I was thinking, why just throw them out? So maybe I’ll make a NIC condo cage again (but this time enlist the help of someone so Nimmy will be safe). How thick was the wood that you guys used for the flooring? Mine is incredibly thin, if I picked up the cage it’d fall apart  Also, did anyone do a trim around the cage? Nimmy has a layer of hay and poop inbetween his cage and the wall and it’s seriously difficult for me to clean up. I’d like to add a trim around the cage, did you guys put the trim behind, in front of, or beneath the bars of the cage? 

[Little Lion Head]

We have a NIC condo that we hold together with the attachments that came with it but reinforced with zip ties all over. We also bought some furring strips that we put through some of the top grids to help stabilize it. The zip ties are important b/c when we pull it out to vaccuum, those little connectors tend to pop out. I think they help w/ stabilization, but you need the zip ties too.

We have a large, cheap area rug (like from a Lowe’s, Menards, Home Depot, etc.) under the condo to protect our carpet. We don’t have a trim, but the rug is longer than the condo and it curls up the walls so that hay and poop doesn’t go anywhere.

I think it would easy and nice to add a trim though!

[Samicles]

Yeah I forgot there was a habitat pictures section, so I started looking through there. Some did have trims so that reinforced that idea. But I didn’t think of grabbing an area rug, that’s a good idea. He’s got a favorite pee spot of his right behind my door. I can’t put anything there to block it because then I wouldn’t be able to open the door. I’ve got a litterbox there, but sometimes he’ll aim himself to where the pee ends up outside of the litterbox. So I can protect the carpet (we’re renting) with an area rug.

Also what type of flooring did you use? I see a lot of people used old baby blankets and fabrics but I don’t like the idea of having to wash them regularly – the dryer in my apartment stops working whenever it feels like it so I don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of dirty fabrics and being unable to wash them. I’ve got linoleum tiles in his current cage, but he slips on them so I’ve got a hay mat which I bought from the BB store in his cage so he can walk safely. Just wondering if there were other options?

[Little Lion Head]

We only have the rug but also have a fleece blanket in once corner that Pumpkin seems to like. We use fleece blankets on the shelf in the condo too.

I’ve seen a few different ideas though including rubber flooring if your buns not a chewer.

[Samicles]

I think he’d end up chewing on it. But I’ve got such a great idea! Industrial shelving! It’ll be really sturdy, plenty of space and I’ll be able to customize it (to an extent). I can attach the NIC cube cage bars with the zip ties into the holes of the support bars, and as long as the shelf is wood I can add a ramp so he can have two floors. Plus I can still add the trim that I’d like. I’ve been so concerned about how I would accomplish the second floor, but this idea really puts me at ease.

[Samicles]

Whoops, double post. But instead of buying an entire shelving unit, I can just buy the platted slotted angles, and the wood. Screw the slotted angles (i think that’s what they’re called?) into the wood and badda bing-badda boom! Oh I’m so excited!! 

[Little Lion Head]

Oh fun!! Be sure to post pictures once you figure this mansion out!

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