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cat flaps for rabbits?

G

gil

Mama Doe
Hi
anyone know if rabbits are good at using cat flaps?
I'm about to re-arrange runs when next on a week's holiday and wondered if anyone has experience of this?
want to attach one at the side of the hutch to lead to the run but don't want to do this if the buns won't use it!
thanks!
 
My lot have a cat flap but I have to tie it open or else they can't use it (unless I'm trying to catch them and then suddenly they know how it works :lol: ).
 
My hubby has just fitted a cat flap to the front Flopsy hutch at the weekend so he can rundown his tunnel into his run but so I can remove the tunnel and lock the cat flap to get access to the run (if you can picture that). After scratching for about an hour he had worked it out no problem. It has a little slide in piece of plastic to lock him in on a night which is very secure.

Hope thats of help.
 
My giants use a large cat flap from their shed into their run without any problems. They were using it with hours... Bit of food on the other side worked wonders :lol:
 
I agree with the food!! Flopsy soon worked it out when he could sense weetabix on the other side!! Only a small piece of course but it works every time I need to bribe him!:lol:
 
great to know that it works! I have another couple of weeks before I am off and can tackle this/decide what I'm going to do!
thanks for your input everyone!
i have been looking at cat flaps in a pet shop near my work and they are all sorts of prices and sizes! i'm just thinking of something basic so that they can access the run from their hutch. i'm currently in design mode and working on ideas.......:)
 
Yep, My two have two cat flaps - one from hutch to run (cheap square one with sliding plastic flap to close it) and one staywell locking flap from run into house through a glass window. Didnt take them long to figure out it either. From my point of view, it was worth the extra money for the staywell locking flap, and I wish I'd got one of those fitted to the hutch, so much easier and as you can set it they can only go one way - ie once back in their hutch they cant get back out - great for getting them both back to bed.
 
I also had the fancy locking 4 ways one I think its called but my giants soon got confused as to why its locked sometimes and not others and would bang their head to try and get out! :lol: Radar broke one and Ruby has taken all the catches off the 2nd one... :rolleyes:
 
that's interesting-i wondered if they would try and chew the plastic or not?
i actually can't decide whether to keep Dusty as a house rabbit or not or rebuild theexisting combination that i have and put in cat flaps. at the moment i had made a wooden sliding door which gets opened in the morning and closed over at night once they are in for their dinner.
i have another week or so before i finish for a week's holiday so still have time to decide what i'm doing :)
thanks again for all the replies :)
 
I've got a flap for my cats. So when I got buns, I got bored of keeping the patio door open for them to come in and out (and freezing!).

So we taught them how to use it, we tied it open and shoved them thro a few times, they soon got the hang of it. Because our one is for the cats its fitted quite high, so at first we made a sort of bridge thing for the buns to get used to the height. Now Jess makes running jumps thro it, can scare the wits out of you, if your lost watching tv or something!
 
Cat flaps seem to work well for many buns. My only concern would be if the bun stuck his head through, then decided he really didn't want to go in/out for whatever reason. Do you use a material that bends or is a solid piece of plastic? If the door doesn't bend, I would worry that the bun would get his head stuck. We all know how easily buns freak out and panic. I would be afraid of injury or death.

This is what I am talking about-

This one bends: http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...v_dropdown0_link10&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

This one does not bend: http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind.../Type+1/Door&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1
 
Hi, I have the ones that are solid (large cat), quite often then get half way through if they think they are getting food, then see I just want to groom then and then back up!
 
thanks for the advice-never thought about the bend/not bend scenario. perhaps it comes down to the rabbits personality on how well they use the cat flap? the pet shop that i have been looking at the cat flaps seem to have loads of different varieties-obviously different sizes-they very helpfully list them according to weight size too. :)
i have another week before i finish for a week's hols so will need to make a decision by then.....
it's good to read everyones experience too-it will help me make my mind up about my design!
 
Yep, all my bunnies have cat flaps and learned to use them with no problem, but can I just add a wrod of warning.......One of my bunnies starts running from the top of the garden at full pelt and clatters through the flap with enormous force, I ALWAYS have to make sure that it is left in the open position.............otherwise I think he could get a headache :shock: :lol: :lol:
 
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