Many new owners of rabbits tend to wonder how to best house their pets. They want the best for their rabbit and are curious how to best accomplish that. Rabbits are versatile and enchanting creatures that will adapt to their living quarters, but what is good for them?
Multi-level cages are good for rabbits. It gives them room to move, ways to avoid predators, and more functionality for living in general. Rabbits are suggested to have at least 8 sq. feet of living space, and the bigger the better. This gives the bunny plenty of room to stretch while contained.
Why Multi-Level Cages Are Good For Rabbits
Rabbits love to move and be active, needing up to five hours of exercise each day in order to stay healthy and fit. But oftentimes they can’t just roam free in your yard or throughout your home. They need to be contained.
Having a good cage for your rabbit is important and the cage should feel like a safe nest that the rabbit can be in when resting. So, the more the cage resembles a nest the better. It will create a good atmosphere that the rabbit will enjoy.
The functionality of the multi-level cage seems to take care of these needs for rabbits more often than not. They love a ramp function according to the House Rabbit Society.
You can build or buy your rabbit a two-story “condo” with the floors connected by a ramp–they love this!
Rabbit.org (Source)
The Best Materials for Your Rabbit Cage
Most cages that you can purchase are made from coated wire mesh that is safe for a rabbit to chew. The floors are typically made of a plastic material that is comfortable for the rabbit to stand and rest on. Wire flooring should be avoided as a floor for your rabbit.
Some other good materials that can be used are rugs and carpets, as well as wood for the frame itself. But the rabbits will chew on their cage and could wear down these materials in particular. They are safe for the rabbits but may need to be replaced.
Many owners struggle with creating a run for their rabbit and whether they should use concrete or grass for the floor. Both have their perks but in most situations there is one clear winner. Find out more about using either of these in my article Concrete vs. Grass: What Is Best for a Rabbit Run here.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some magazine paper and even newspapers can be toxic to your rabbit and the last thing you want to do is use these in your rabbit’s cage. How can you tell if the magazine, newspaper, or other paper that you’re thinking of using is toxic to your rabbit before using it? Find out in my article Ask the Vet: Is Newspaper Safe for a Rabbit Cage.
Other Good Cages for Your Rabbit
A rabbit hutch or multi-level cage is a great cage for your rabbit, but may not be the best for your situations. There are many different options for rabbit cages, ranging from simple wire cages to cages that are large and give the rabbit the ability to exercise.
Small cages provide a simple place for rabbits to sleep and eat but may create a living space that is too confined. It would be suggested that these types of cages are not where the rabbit will spend the majority of its time. You will need to bring it out more often for exercise opportunities.
Some owners create a large area enclosure in a yard or field for the rabbits to live in with lots of room for the rabbit to exercise. These cages may be more open to the elements but could be attached to a hutch which would be very good for the rabbits to exercise when they want.
There are also many different cages that people have personally created for pet rabbits. Here is an attached video of good and bad cages for your rabbit and near the end are some ideas of cages that could be made.
Predatory Problems
Depending on where your cages are placed, there can be problems when it comes to other animals pestering or causing harm to your rabbits. There are some simple fixes to these problems, but and if you have an indoor cage you may not even need to worry about this.
Also, many small or simple cages may have no problem with predators as they can easily be kept off the ground or indoors in some way. The larger and more complex cages may be the ones causing trouble.
Many hutches and multi-level cages have open bottoms that are placed on grass or dirt. This can create an easy way for predators to dig under the open bottom itself and have full access to your rabbits.
It can also allow your rabbits to create an unwanted way out of their cage. They will leave and could be at a high risk of predators and other dangerous situations.
A suggested way to fix this is placing the open bottom on a sturdy material that can’t be dug out such as concrete. It will keep the functionality of the cage while keeping your rabbits safe from outside predators.
Ways to Make the Cage Feel Safe for Your Rabbit
As stated before, the cage becomes the nest for your rabbit. It becomes its living quarters and will be where it spends most of its time. So what can be placed in the cage to make the cage more comfortable for the rabbit?
There should always be a food and water source for the rabbit. The sustenance that the rabbit gets will make it enjoy its cage. It is important to keep the water replenished often and the bowls clean as well.
Something to think about with water is whether your rabbit likes drinking from a bowl or a bottle that hangs from the side of the cage. You can experiment with both to discover what your bunny prefers.
If bowls are used, then try to use a bowl that will be hard for your rabbit to spill or turn over. So using an atypical bowl can prove to counteract this effect.
A good litter box put in a corner of the cage is also a necessity for the rabbit. It will make that corner its spot to do its business and keep the cage relatively cleaner than if no litter box were added. I list the step-by-step process for setting up an absolutely ideal litter box for your rabbit on my page How to Set up a Rabbit Litter Box in 10 Steps here.
Also, some added hay and additional snacks are a good idea for your rabbit as well. Rabbits will enjoy creating their own ‘nest’ within their cage, and the hay or straw can provide good building material for that nest.
Some things to avoid putting in the cage could range from wood chips to coconut husks. Some owners will put these in the bottom of cages, trying to create a better floor for their rabbits. But these can prove to be choking hazards. It is suggested to just use shredded paper for this purpose.
More Useful Information
- How to Keep Rabbits’ Cage Clean: 5 Tips That Work – Making a luxury cage for your rabbit sounds like a great idea, until you have to clean it! Luckily, I’ve come up with some really cool methods for keeping your rabbit’s cage clean with minimal work. Check out this article to learn what they are!
- How Many Rabbits in 1 Cage? (Hint: It Depends) – Once you have your palace of a cage ready for your rabbit, could you share all that space with multiple rabbits? Or would you be inviting trouble? Check out this article to find out.
