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Under Stairs Cupboard??

Rogue

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I have just recalled a website I found a few years ago (back in the days that I had chinchillas) about someone who converted their understairs cupboard into a large "rabbit house" for when they were out. They had put down vinyl flooring, replaced the door with a baby gate (backed with extra wire), and had all the general things in there, toys, hayracks, litter tray, etc, and when they came home they let the rabbits out. At the time I was looking for ingenious ways to "disguise" some of my many chinchilla cages and didn't think much of it, but now that my post about cage dimensions seems to have reminded me, I'm not sure whether to feel a little appalled, or impressed with their ingenuity. I can't imagine there would be a lot of natural light in an understairs cupboard, even with the door removed, and thinking about mine at home, I'm not convinced there's really enough space for a pet (just about room for all my junk! :lol: ). Because it was so long ago, I can't remember all the details, and I can't find the website with the pictures on. I may be off the mark, and it might actually be a huge space. There was another person who made a tall cage in a wardrobe for their pet chipmunks!

What do you guys think? Does anyone know anyone who has made a similar conversion, and how does it work out for the animals concerned? Has anyone else seen this website before?
 
I would have thought it would make a good base for a house bun. The cupboard under my stairs is huge, it's filled with junk and a freezer. I wouldn't have thought it being a bit on the dark side being a problem but you would have to ensure theres no wires in there.
 
I think an understairs cupboard is fine for a rabbit (depending on size of course). After all in the wild they'd be in a dark burrow and as long as they get plenty of time out in their awake time I don't see a problem. I've thought about it with our understair cupboard. I'd take the door off and attach a stair gate, so it would let light in and the bun would only be in there when I was out.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the light. Wild rabbits are under ground most of the day, and there is much less light there than in an understairs cupboard. :)

Vera
 
Do you know, I must be having a dumb day! I had totally forgotten that a rabbit's natural habitat is a warren underground! :lol: No electric lights down there :oops: . I think, if memory serves correctly (and it often doesn't!) that it was only a little bigger than mine (I think my cupboard is approx 6ft long by about 3ft wide) , and housed a couple of lops - not sure whether they were Dwarfs or Minis, but certainly not the large lop breeds. There were some very very clever ideas on there for custom built pet homes.
 
I used the cupboard under the stairs before we moved house. It was a large cupboard and I would leave the door open (with baby gate) to get light in.

The best thing was the cupboard was in the living room so you could watch them play when you were at home.
 
I want to convert my under stairs space to a new bunny base and wondered if anyone had pics of this having been done? The area under there is currently open so a baby gate would not be a solution I would have to build something in front and was curious as to whether or not anyone had done this?
 
not built for bunnies, but love this idea!

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How funny, me and the OH were talking about this earlier!
My rabbit has free range at the moment and were always finding him in the cupboard under the stairs as it has no door just a curtain hanging across it!
Said we may as well turn it into his little house he's in there so much!
 
If it was a cupboard it would be much easier but it is all open, just trying to figure out the best way to make it secure as we occasionally have to close the bunny (soon to be bunnies) in.
 
tabby rabbit loves the understairs cupboard. i try to keep her out of it, as the stairs turn, so there are some inaccessible parts to the cupboard. those are her favourite parts, of course. she gets territorial there. another place she loves and isn't allowed to go is behind the freezer!
 
I found a guinea pig home where they had used part of a run cut at an angle to create a cage that could be pulled in and out to be cleaned.
 
I think it would depend on the rabbit. When I got Anna we didnt have an understairs cupboard, it was hollowed out, so you could walk under the stairs. For the first couple of days before I started bonding I had Anna in a cage there, and it is surprising how deafening it is when you walk up and down the stairs, it sounds like the house is collapsing around you. We had to tiptoe up and down as she really panicked at the noise.
 
At the moment she has her cage under the stairs and spends most of her time (through choice) in there so noise is not an issue to her, although it is a good point to consider for others. We just feel it would give her even more space if it was converted for the times she has to stay in her cage.
 
I really like this idea! I converted an old display cabinet to make a degu cage which works really well, I might have to try this when I move house...
 
I passed someones homecheck where the converted cupboard under the stairs was the rabbits base, it was super! Lovely and bright too :D
 
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