Housing
A great cage is the
foundation for creating a healthy rabbit home. You want a cage at least 24” x
24” for a single dwarf sized rabbit up to 4 pounds. Larger cages will be
necessary for larger rabbits. I made the mistake of getting most of my cages in
a small size, 18” x 24”. These are too small for a rabbit to stay in all the
time. Even with a larger cage, it's great for the rabbit to have a pen to run
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around in outside of the cage.
The cage needs to have a door that opens easily and is large enough for a nest box if it is to be used for a breeder. I also found it's nice for the cage to be close to the floor rather than on legs or a stand. If close to the floor, a pen may be put around it, so the bunny can come in and out at will. We only lock up our house bunnies at night in the cage for their safety. The rest of the day they have a large pen area and the cage to play in.
A cage with a wire bottom is best. It should have a tray underneath to collect waste, unless it is a hanging cage outside or in a rabbitry. You need to ensure that the rabbit doesn't sit in urine or feces. The wire bottom of the cage must be kept clean also.
You can teach a rabbit to use a litter pan by placing it the corner where the bunny usually goes. A corner litter pan is best, with a wire tray for the bunny to sit upon while doing its business. . I have a litter pan for most of my rabbits. Some rabbits won't use a litter pan, but if they will, it helps the cage to stay cleaner and healthier. There are many acceptable brands of litter for the pans, but litter isn't necessary if the tray has wire in it.
The cage will need a feeder. A feeder which has a sifter type bottom is best. This way, the fines or crumbles of the feed can fall through. Rabbits don't like to eat fines.They bunny will also need a water bottle and possibly a water crock. Top fill water bottles can be filled easily. You can also buy inexpensive tops for pop bottles to really spend less, and have a large bottle to hold plenty of water for your bunny.