Which is better?- UPDATE- Opinions please

Can I ask which people think is best as these are the two options for accomodation for my bunnies;

1) A 48" dog crate in my bedroom which they are closed in between 8am and 4.30pm and then free range in the whole house till bedtime then free range in our room over night (it has wooden floors).

2) A 6ft by 3ft NIC set up in our spare room which they are locekd in between 8am and 4.30pm then free range in the house. But overnight they have to be locked away in the NIC setup again as the room is carpetted and Strawberry eats it.

I am surprised so many people have said option 2. Although they do have more space in their they get much less free range time and the time in which they are most active (early morning and late evening) they are locked away whereas with option 1 they are only enclosed during the time they would sleep anyways.

I guess it might depend on individual bunnies but my pair sleep all day with the occasional movement to munch some hay so I dont mind putting them in a crate as I know they can be free range all evening and all night when they will be active.

I am going to try and use the run panels to make their area bigger but its difficult with it being in our bedroom as we dont have alot of space. If I cant find a way to do it then I will have to put them back in the NIC set up in the spare room but I would rather they got to stay free range overnight which cant happen in the other bedroom.

I have been shifting furniture and have managed to make this....


Its their 48" dog crate with an extra 2ft added with a run panel.

Is this as good as their NIC set up bearing in mind they can be free range in our bedroom overnight with this arrangement and are free range in the house from 4.30pm every day anyways.

I haven't voted as I think it depends on the bun! Ted, as an indoor bun, went to bed every night and was free range all day. His bed was an indoor cage (120cm). He didn't bat an eyelid at being in it at night (he enjoys it) and would be ready and waiting when it was morning. I tried him in my room and his room at night and he jumped up onto the counters and knocked everything off (could have hurt himself) so we went back to the old setup!

Do what you think is best for them! I'm sure you know which they would enjoy most!!

Could you not just mix it?
Put them in the NIC setup in the spare room while you're out but let them sleep in your room with the dog crate so they can be free range. Best of both worlds?

steph182 said:

Could you not just mix it?
Put them in the NIC setup in the spare room while you're out but let them sleep in your room with the dog crate so they can be free range. Best of both worlds?

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I did try this but the mess was unbelieveable!!!

We live in rented accomodation so like to keep the destruction to one room as much as possible! We also find that if there regular base isnt in our room then they get confused over night and will wee on the floor as they cant get back out into the spare room, even if we put a litter tray in our room. We also like to keep Snowdrop as settled as possible so want something that is permenant for her.

The NIC set up isnt any bigger than the crate with run like they have now.

Snowberry said:

I did try this but the mess was unbelieveable!!!

We live in rented accomodation so like to keep the destruction to one room as much as possible! We also find that if there regular base isnt in our room then they get confused over night and will wee on the floor as they cant get back out into the spare room, even if we put a litter tray in our room. We also like to keep Snowdrop as settled as possible so want something that is permenant for her.

The NIC set up isnt any bigger than the crate with run like they have now.

Click to expand...

Then I guess it depends what's best!
I personally prefer to have Charlie in my bedroom with me, so I keep his hutch in there (and he's a single bun so it's best for him too).
If they're happy either way, do what's best/easiest for you

at the end of the day you know your buns best. bella has this set up:

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she has that during the day while we are at work and then has the run of the front room/hall when we are there. she is perfectly happy with that, she has her routine and knows that when we are there she gets to come out. when she is intro'd with jasper we will need to adapt so there is more space but not much more as its what she is used to (just want to have some hidy holes for him as its apparent she will wear the trousers in that relationship :roll

as long as they are happy, i dont see whats wrong with the set up you have x