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Indoor enclosure plan

BeccaT

Young Bun
I am looking at rehoming a pair of bonded rabbits & have been doing lots of research on indoor set ups. I think I have worked out the set up I will have. So I guess I am after opinion as to whether I am on the right lines!
I am looking at getting an enclosure that is a sort of slight L shape, it is 2.1m in length, one end will be 55cm wide (which I know is narrow but I am working with what space I have), that will be for 1m & then it'll kick out to 85cm wide for the remaining 1.1m. (Does that make sense? I can't work out how to add pic on here!). When we r home & able to supervise they will then have free run in the lounge as well (bunny proofing is in process!). At night & when no one is home i will attach a puppy pen to the enclosure which is 8 panels each 70cm wide, therefore giving them extra room which can be folded down when we want to share the lounge! The thought process being that when they are most active early and late they won't be waiting for space while shut in their main enclosure, but they do need to leave room for us too!
Litter tray, hay rack, etc will be in main enclosure (with rabbits permission!), toys etc can be in puppy pen so in the room when pen is down.
Does this sound ok? I really want to be able to give the rabbits the best I can but still allow the lounge to be a human space too!
 
I think the main enclosure is too small for them to be shut in I'm afraid, they should really have permanent access to at least the equivalent of 6ft x 2ft hutch with a permanently attached run of 8ft x 6ft . Giving 60sq ft of space. Could you rabbit proof the room so they can use the whole room along with you, or use puppy pens or have a framework made from wood and mesh or wood and Perspex to make a pen? There are a few ideas in the housing sticky.
 
They wouldn't ever be shut in the main enclosure though? It is more an aim to utilise the space. They will always either have access to the lounge or to the puppy pen as well as the enclosure. I guess I am worried if they have free access to the lounge all the time that they may be too destructive. If I find they're not then, they will be able to have access to the lounge when we are not there as well ��
 
I think the main enclosure is too small for them to be shut in I'm afraid, they should really have permanent access to at least the equivalent of 6ft x 2ft hutch with a permanently attached run of 8ft x 6ft . Giving 60sq ft of space. Could you rabbit proof the room so they can use the whole room along with you, or use puppy pens or have a framework made from wood and mesh or wood and Perspex to make a pen? There are a few ideas in the housing sticky.


I agree with Zoobec here :)

There are also threads (I shall try and find some) with set ups that may give you some ideas as well as the housing sticky. You have to make sure the puppy pen is secure enough and high enough - buns are very persistent and can jump higher than you imagine!
 

Not sure if that'll show pic as I am on iPad & struggled with the instructions as they are for a PC (one way to find out!) The enclosure is basically 7ft long & 2ft wide for half of it, 3ft wide for the other half. It'll always be open with a puppy pen or open to the lounge.
 

Not sure if that'll show pic as I am on iPad & struggled with the instructions as they are for a PC (one way to find out!) The enclosure is basically 7ft long & 2ft wide for half of it, 3ft wide for the other half. It'll always be open with a puppy pen or open to the lounge.

No the photo isn't showing ... You need photo bucket or something similar.

Tamsin wrote this guide for us:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?136183-Tutorial-How-to-Post-Photos
 

Not sure if that'll show pic as I am on iPad & struggled with the instructions as they are for a PC (one way to find out!) The enclosure is basically 7ft long & 2ft wide for half of it, 3ft wide for the other half. It'll always be open with a puppy pen or open to the lounge.
Sorry I misunderstood your OP. How big is the puppy pen part that would extend the part that is 7ft long by 2-3ft?
 
Doughnut free ranges downstairs. Maybe I'm lucky she isn't that destructive although I have hidden all wires and put plastic corners on all the corners in the room as she likes ripping lining paper off. This is the easiest option if it's possible. Good luck
 


Ok, might've figured the pic thing!
The top pic is an example of the mesh type enclosure (mine would have all the sides though). This middle is the measurements for the space for it, but they would NEVER be shut just in there, that'd more be somewhere for the litter tray, etc. Then they would either have access to an adjoined puppy pen (something like the third picture although possibly not that one). The puppy pen would then be folded when we are in so they can use the whole lounge. I suspect the puppy pen is possibly too small in which case I will look at two or extra panels. I've had a look at some of the pictures on the indoor thread & it looks as big (at least) as some of the dog crate & puppy pen set ups. I am not very handy & so am not confident in building my own with cubes, etc. It would have to be the size of the planned enclosure anyway as that is the space I have available! It would just allow me to go upwards.
 
The puppy pen size is my biggest concern. Most seem to be 8 panels each of which are between 60 & 70cm. Usually set in an octagon so I am struggling to work out the floor space?! I think my brain is fried, but I really want to get this right.
 
The puppy pen size is my biggest concern. Most seem to be 8 panels each of which are between 60 & 70cm. Usually set in an octagon so I am struggling to work out the floor space?! I think my brain is fried, but I really want to get this right.

8 panels 70cm wide would give you 5.6m or 18ft long if it was stretched out in a line. Whereabouts would you set up the pen against your other space, and what shape would you make, maybe that will help work it out. For instance if you made the pen 7ft long as your other space is, it would be about 5ft deep if it only needed 3 sides.
 
I think what I will do is masking tape it out on the floor & take some photos. The pen will be a sort of random shape I think as I have room for 2 panels coming out perpendicular to the enclosure & the the other will just make an angular shape back to the enclosure to join up the other side of the door. I will mask it out & see how it looks (just need to move a bit of furniture!)
 
I think what I will do is masking tape it out on the floor & take some photos. The pen will be a sort of random shape I think as I have room for 2 panels coming out perpendicular to the enclosure & the the other will just make an angular shape back to the enclosure to join up the other side of the door. I will mask it out & see how it looks (just need to move a bit of furniture!)


It can be quite a palaver making good living quarters for our rabbits! :)
 
I think what I will do is masking tape it out on the floor & take some photos. The pen will be a sort of random shape I think as I have room for 2 panels coming out perpendicular to the enclosure & the the other will just make an angular shape back to the enclosure to join up the other side of the door. I will mask it out & see how it looks (just need to move a bit of furniture!)

Good idea :thumb: have fun ;)
 








I think masking taping it has proved to me that I can't really go much bigger than this in the space (this is taped with 7 puppy pen panels at 70cm each). There is often someone in as hubby works shifts so in theory they'll b out in the lounge most of the time anyway. This is really for night & early morning.
 
They will be more entertaining than watching TV :D

You're certainly giving these buns all you can - well done you x
 
It would be hard watching tv like that! :lol: Can u imagine my hubby agreeing to that!?! The theory is if we r in watching tv then the pen will fold & they can roam the lounge.
I'm definitely feeling happier now I've masked it out, makes it easier to see!
 
My hubby has just come down from sleeping off a night shift & nearly had a coronary! I did have to explain the folding down pen!!
 
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