New area suggestions (see post 4 onwards: pics included)

Next door (car repair place) was getting rid of a dog crate so they offered it to us for free It's not got a base (just mesh) and is not collapsible, but fine for us. We'd like to use it as (yet) another area for the buns to have access to 24/7 with the option to have it as a different space on the lawn when they're on there. We'd like to add some levels but as the whole thing would be open to the elements, I'd prefer to not use wood (wood tends to get covered in algae in our garden because it's so damp over winter). I was wondering about the C&C/NIC/mesh cubes: any idea how they'd fare outdoors? Specifically the not-mesh solid panels, which I think are plastic but I dunno whether they need to be put on to a mesh base or how they come.

We also need to work out how to attach it semi-permanently to the hutch: there's a 'spare' door which we use to stroke the buns through or feed them, we always tell them it's 'not an exit' but maybe it will be now! Maybe the cubes could provide a tunnel-y thing to there, as the doors are very different sizes. We have the ramp from the hutch that they no longer use as well (it fell off when I upended the hutch in storage: Aboleth's never even seen it!) so could repurpose that if necessary.

I'll try and get a picture at some point: it was too dark by the time we got back yesterday and I didn't have time when we fetched it. It's about three and a half foot square in area so a little smaller than their house, and maybe 3.5' tall.

Any suggestions appreciated

I think that they would quickly rust outdoors. Would you be able to make something using weldmesh and well (rabbit safe) painted wooden frames?

Some of my older c and c grids (for my guinea pigs) have a bit of rust on and have never even been outside!

tulsi said:

I think that they would quickly rust outdoors. Would you be able to make something using weldmesh and well (rabbit safe) painted wooden frames?

Some of my older c and c grids (for my guinea pigs) have a bit of rust on and have never even been outside!

Click to expand...

Mmm, interesting! The products all say 'don't use outside for long periods' but then so do the puppy pens and they spend all year outside and are alright (a bit orange but not really corroded). Yes, I can make something. I was looking for inspiration for levels/shelves that aren't made of wood! I expect the tunnel will be a mesh&wood hackjob :S

How about acrylic/thick perspex, anyone think that would work OK it it was textured or otherwise nonslip? I can use wood to make beams/joists but I'd rather the surface itself wasn't as it'll just go mouldy in our microclimate.

OK, now we've kyboshed the C&C cubes ideas, I've had a look at non-wood decking from here for ledges. We've also thought a bit about getting the area connected for Christmas so they can have some extra space even if they don't get the ledges. It's 4x4x4 with 2" square mesh. here's some pictures with bunnies (and Matt) for scale:

















Tall human = food ;P

















We're thinking of a three-sided 'spiral' of ledges made of the composite (plastic) decking or similar, mounted on shelving brackets that hook over the mesh (but are fixed with wire ties for stability) and probably supported by wire ties at the corners. 'Spiral' being it starts on one side from the entrance relatively low off the ground, then goes up to a middle position at the back and then the highest ledge is the other side. The problem currently is the Millboard stuff is max. 200mm/8" wide and that's not REALLY wide enough. I'm thinking of applying some sort of acrylic strip edge to prevent sliding off, about 1" high, although I'm hoping the ledghes won't be slopy :S And we're looking at the super grippy stuff: the reason I don't want to use wood is 2-3 years in, it gets algae on it and becomes slippery and maintenance won't be easy in this area! The composite is also lighter. I'm very lucky that the only things my bunnies have ever wanted to chew are sticks and the odd cardboard tube or piece of newspaper: they've never gone for plastic or resiny wood like pine (and there's no nibble marks on the sample we left for them to test on the lawn today :thumb.

Aboleth's not keen on the floor, but Lopsy doesn't care, and it's not going to be their only area and they're not going to need to go on the floor if they don't want. If Aboleth doesn't use it at all when we pop it on the concrete (where it will be over Christmas) I'll figure something out. We think we've solved the entry/exit problem at least as a temporary fix while we're away at Christmas, which involves putting the cage on its side so the door form a roof and butting as close to the hutch as possible, then dealing with any gaps with mesh and wire ties. This is how we've attached the tubes (wire ties) and because we're lucky we don't get foxes, it's perfectly serviceable in our garden