Confused about my options

So Im a new owner to bailey. He is a chunky-ish 2yr old bun. I was given him last week along with his cage and run. At present he is living in the utility room over night in a 4ft ferplast rabbit cage (I read this is too small) but he goes down in his 4x4ft run by day (kept in my utility room) and comes in the eve when the kids are in bed for free run of the bottom floor by night, tho he isnt a very active bunny and tends to just curl up by the fire and sleep in between 5 min bursts of hopping about.

I would like to bring him indoors to live so am liking the idea of an indoor crate type cage. what size do I need? the spot to fit his cage is only 4ft wide, would a 48" crate be big enough? is this any better than being in the ferplast cage?

Are there any better options? I really like the ferplast cage, would a ferplast 140 be any good or still too small?

Should I just get a big hutch/run for him and keep him in the utility area instead? the floorspace out there is 6ft wide and 4ft deep (am planning on getting him a 4ftx6ft run, could he even live in a run full time in the utility area (its enclosed and dry but quite chilly, not as chilly as outside tho) with a nice cosy bed?

So confused by my options! can you tell? LOL

I personally wouldn't go for a ferplast cage.
I have a 48" dog crate but mine are never shut in they free range, if you don't have that option then you could attach a puppy pen, I saw in a previous post you said he was quite large so I don't think any cage alone will be enough for him.

Here's a picture of my dog crate with attached puppy pen to give you an idea


Crate wa about £30 from eBay and pen about £25 so MUCH more space for your money than a ferplast cage to!

How about no cage at all?

Could he not just have free-run of your utility room and then the ability to come out to other areas of your house as and when he can?

Rabbits dont NEED a cage, a few blankets and water bowl and somewhere to hide like a big cardboard box should make a nice home

HoneyBear said:

Crate wa about £30 from eBay and pen about £25 so MUCH more space for your money than a ferplast cage to!

Click to expand...

Thanks crate and run looks ideal but i dont really have the space inside for that option but it is very similar to my 6x4 run idea in the utility area

GrahamL said:

How about no cage at all?

Could he not just have free-run of your utility room and then the ability to come out to other areas of your house as and when he can?

Rabbits dont NEED a cage, a few blankets and water bowl and somewhere to hide like a big cardboard box should make a nice home

Click to expand...

Id love to let him have free run but the catflap is out there (it feeds through to my kitchen) and I have 2x 1.5 yr old cats that come in via that way, so free ranging unattended/unsecured isnt really an option unfortunatly. but I can put a 6x4 run out there (thats where his 4x4 run is at present) which is pretty much the entire floor space of the utility area anyway! The cats are very good, they dont really pay any attention to him. but I wouldnt trust them. I also have 3 kids and the front door opening and shutting often.

My two indoor buns have a 48" dog crate (they are never shut in...unless im hoovering the pen!!) attatched to a puppy pen...they free range in the bedroom when im home and are closed into the puppy pen when im out

GrahamL said:

How about no cage at all?

Could he not just have free-run of your utility room and then the ability to come out to other areas of your house as and when he can?

Rabbits dont NEED a cage, a few blankets and water bowl and somewhere to hide like a big cardboard box should make a nice home

Click to expand...

^^ loving this idea...but of course with kids and cats its difficult to make sure bunnny is secure and safe but also has room to run, lea and exercise. Exercise is hugely important to rabbits...they usually run alot of distance,,,and its essential for their health ...

Im presuming he has come from an indoor set up already?

If he was outdoors already - then he would have his winter coat - in that case Id house him outdoors if you are able to provide ample space BUT if he has come from an indoor setup then he wont have his winter coat so will get too cold for outdoors now and you will have to wait till spring/summer next year to house him outdoors.

They are active mostly during dusk & dawn...so his "night time" accomadation needs to be large so he can run and play...

Is your utility room seperate from the rest of the house?

I was just thinking that perhaps you could let him have the utility room as a base and does the utility room have an outside wall? Im thinking you could put a catflap that then leads outdoors to a say 6X8ft (must be at least 3ft high for him to jump & play) run so he can go outdoors too...bu into a secure safe place.....
and then also let him free range the rest of the house when supervised.

I have a tunnel through the wall with a catflap that goes from hutches to indoors into my sideboard...was just wondering if oyu could do something along the same lines so he had more space, will try find the link.

where is pics of him? he sounds lovely!!

Is he vaccinated? and neutered?


here it is>..

OK - things have changed...there is now a catflap inside the sideboard cupboard which works really well and keeps draughts from coming intside. Also the buns have the whole area and there is alot more creatives, painted bits etc and hay...it was not properly set up when I took the pics..should take some more pics now..but just an idea that works well...the buns have the choice to be outdoors..which they naturally adore and of course when they nosy and come to see what we doing indoors and for any apple branches or hawthorn I might have handy! It meansa they have some freedom to be where they want to be,,,,they bolt indoors when there is danger which is a great reassurance for me ...and we get to interact with them without taking their outdoors lifestyle away!
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...Post-46-(23-11-11)-Our-new-setup-Check-it-out!

Is he vaccinated? and neutered?

He is neutered but not vaccinated, Im going to look into this in the new yr.

I must say, He is freeranging in the house at the moment and he is 100% happier than when hes in the run, hes darting about hopping up and down on the sofa, stretching up on his hind legs looking around and generally being super cute! In the run he generally sits in the playcube thing and looks a bit bemused with a few dashes about thrown in.

The outhouse/utility area is attached to the house, it leads off from the kitchen I cant really do any changes to the building as it is rented.

I think Im going to go with the dogcrate route with a pen when i cant supervise (the room he will live in is the lounge and I can shut it up when im not here to keep the cats out) That seems the most versitile soloution. Im home most of the time so he can be free range most of the time. we also have a garden but its far too boggy for use at the moment.

Hes a very well behaved boy

Have you looked at the sticky? There's lots of photos in there to help you visualise how you could adapt it to your own home