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newbie - advice needed :-)

J

jivebunny

New Kit
Hello:D I am due to pick up my new rescue bun in 2 weeks. Just a few questions I need to ask as its been over 4 years since I had a bun so I'm quite nervous!!

- what is the best age to get her speyed? the rescue have advised at 5 months (she is 16 weeks at the moment)

- she is going to be an indoor bun but with enough room to roam free, so what cage is a suitable size for her? i think she is a medium lop

they are the only two questions I can think of but I am sure I'll have more. Any general advice would be great

thanks xx:D
 
:wave: Hiya and welcome.
Well done for choosing a rescue bun - it all sounds very exciting!
5 months sounds about right for spaying, but depending on the bunny, it could be earlier or later than that. Your vet will be able to advise you more.
Our housebunny (nethie dwarf) has a 4' double hutch as his base, and he also sleeps in there. He is free range for about 16 hours a day though.
 
I think cage sized depends on how much free range time your bunny will have. Assuming it's a sleeping area, then it needs to be long enough for your bunny to lie down in stretched out. (And bunnies have a LOT of stretch in them!)

My small cross-breed bunny (3lb or 1.6kg) has a 3' indoor cage with a litter tray at one end and vet bed at the other. 99.5% of the time he has at least the remainder of my little dining room at his disposal though (8' x 8' tho he tends to stick to the rug and doormat because he hates laminate flooring!!). [I'd only ever shut him in his cage if I had small children visiting and it was for his own safety and sanity.]

Lots of people go for puppy crates (48" at least) and set that up with all the essentials, especially if the bunny's only free range part-time.

Depends on your circumstances and the rabbit's temprament tho - you dont have to bother with a cage at all. Just give him a bed and a litter tray :D
 
my indoor buns have a 48" crate w/ homemade shelf but i have just ordered them this 4ft x 2ish ft cage

cage.jpg


it is from germany and came to about £112

they also do a double storey one

details are here

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=92039
 
forgot to say the double storey one is the same floor size as the petplanet one and the same price but obviously it is double storey

cant wait to see piccies of your ned addition :D
 
Sounds great! Mine have a dog crate, it's only a mid sized one. With a shelf in so it's technically double story. But I am going to invest in a bigger one when I move as they'll be in it more. They get shut in before I go to bed and seem pretty content. Sometimes Molly will stay in all day and get very cross if I try to make him come out so he obviously loves it.

I think 48 inches is the biggest dog crate you can get. They're very high and bulky though and certainly take up quite a bit of space but make good dumping grounds for newspapers and bags etc. :p
 
wow the three tier cage is fab but i', worried she might grow to big for it!!

the dog crate is a good idea, i may look into that as well. what do you suggest putting down inside it?

she is very cute, a sort of browny/fawn colour and doesnt have a name yet!
 
Hi :wave:

My two live in a dog crate, I managed to get one from e-bay a lot cheaper than in the shops and still brand new. I made a shelf in it so it's two tiers, and they love it. The flooring is all carpet tiles, dog crates will come with a metal tray in the bottom anyway. As your bun is still quite young, I'd reccomend newspaper on the floor until she is litter trained, with a litter tray with plenty of hay in whichever corner she choses to toilet in at first. When she's litter trained, then you could use carpet tiles or vet bed and they won't get messed on.
 
yup I used newspaper when he was litter training, and moved up to carpet. I get sample bits from the local textiles place. :oops: They must think I'm really indecisive. hehe.
 
jivebunny said:
wow the three tier cage is fab but i', worried she might grow to big for it!!

the dog crate is a good idea, i may look into that as well. what do you suggest putting down inside it?

she is very cute, a sort of browny/fawn colour and doesnt have a name yet!
Click to expand...

will he be shut in during the day?

mine have their own bedroom so the cage is ok (i have a dutch and a lionhead cross) or could you attach a pen to the front of either a cage or a crate?


ooo nearly forgot to say, mine used to have newspaper (litter gets kicked out of crate) and now they have vetbed :D
 
thanks for all the advice. I;m watching a few crates on ebay as we speak.

i work from home so she will be out most of the time where i can keep an eye on her, only being caged when I go out, eg food shopping:D
 
oooh my head is spinning now!!!:shock:

can i just ask what people's general opinions are on housing? my previous buns lived in hutches in my garage but I live in a smaller property now so my new rescue will be living indoors!

so it's a toss up to a cage or a dog crate. what are the pros and cons to them?? or which do you prefer?
 
jivebunny said:
oooh my head is spinning now!!!:shock:

can i just ask what people's general opinions are on housing?
so it's a toss up to a cage or a dog crate. what are the pros and cons to them?? or which do you prefer?
Click to expand...
a lot depends on the size of the bunny... apart from the smallest of buns, few would be able to stand up "periscope" style in the cages
 
Hi:wave:
I have the pleasure of having two housebunnies, 1 nethie and 1 lionhead and I currently have them in the 3rd bedroom. I have a 4ft x 4ft double storey hutch in there with a large dog pen attached to the front so they can run around etc.
The only reason why I don't have them 'free range' in there is that they are sooooo destructive. I have just moved into my new house too so I don't want it destroyed in the first two weeks:lol:
I'd like to think in time my skirting boards will be safe so it's a case of trial and error. I like the idea of carpet tiles- at least the bedroom carpet will be protected then.
If anyone has any better alternatives, please let me know- the whole set up looks like a monstrosity, buns love it though :p
 
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