Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Run Flooring

Viewing 11 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Rusty
      Participant
      6 posts Send Private Message

        Hi everybody! 

        First time posting here and first time bunny owner. Welcomed a new member to the family on Saturday, Lola. She is a dwarf lop and already up to lots of mischief! She loves to explore and seems to know exactly where I don’t want her to go just making her more intrigued.

        Currently she just has a cage in the corner of the dining room, I let her out to play when I get home from work but I’m worried as she gets bigger she will need more space during day. 

        I’m a little nervous about giving her the run of the room unsupervised. Want to make sure it’s fully bunny proof and I don’t miss anything.

        I’ve ordered a run from amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/VivaPet-Outdoor-Octagon-Protection-55-inch/dp/B0064NOR5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411490913&sr=8-1&keywords=rabbit+run) which I plan to set up outside her cage to give her an area outside of her cage where she can spend the day when she is unsupervised. I bought her a tunnel yesterday which she seems to enjoy and I’m going to make her a little hiding place out of a cardboard box for this area outside her cage. I just don’t want her getting bored.

        Sorry it’s a long post! Just wanted to set the scene a little bit. Question now.

        The flooring in the dining room where the run will go is fitted carpet, will this be okay or should I put something else down on the floor of her run? If so, any suggestions?

        She doesn’t seem too bad with carpet, she has pulled at it a bit but I’m yet to see her sit and try to eat it. However it is still early days. Should I worry about carpet? The whole of the house is carpeted and when she is let out to play she has the run of downstairs.

        I just want her to be as happy and healthy and comfortable as possible.

        Basically, is carpet bad for Lola?


      • Rusty
        Participant
        6 posts Send Private Message

          I realise nobody has replied yet but I have so many question.

          1) In the dining room there is an exercise bike, at the moment is has some cardboard round it to stop her getting to it, however tonight during her play time she managed to jump over. My first thought was to put an old bed sheet over it and tuck it under on all sides so she couldn’t pull it off, but if she starting biting at it would it do her harm? She might eventually pull it off. Obviously the ideal solution would be to move the exercise bike to another room but we just don’t have the space. Would the sheet be okay?

          2) What would be best to stop her going behind the TV? We have a small open unit with the DVD player and satellite box on it. At the moment it has just been blocked off by cushions but I’m worried she will find a way in and was hoping for a more permanent bunny proof solution, any suggestions?

          3) Also blocked off the sides of the sofas to stop her from getting behind, am I being too paranoid? Would it be okay if she went behind the sofa? One of them has a radiator behind it.

          I’m not sure if I’m being overly protective at the moment, she is just so small and I don’t want her to come to any harm. It’s difficult to constantly keep an eye on her though and because we only have temporary blockades that she could still potentially get through I feel like I need to try to guide her away if she starts pulling at the cushions.

          Basically what’s the best solution for permanently blocking off areas? Am I being too paranoid?


        • Pipje
          Participant
          73 posts Send Private Message

            That’s really good you bought her an xpen, rabbit cages are usually too small and one bunny needs 2ftx4ft space minimum but more is always better. An xpen attached to a cage is perfect!

            For the flooring it depends on your bunny. Just in case, to protect your floor, I’d advise a roll of linoleum flooring. It’s easy to clean, durable and you can get stuff with a little grip to it, pretty much perfect. I’ve been through a lot of flooring (blankets, foam floor tiles, rubber mats, cheap carpet rolls) and this is by far the best.

            To block of areas you can use these wire storage grids that people here use to build big cages. http://www.amazon.co.uk/SEVILLE-Storage-System-Modular-Organizational/dp/B00HN7X1OK/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_0
            These can be put around areas you don’t want her to get to (zip ties are great for connecting them to be more sturdy). But bunnies will always want in the small dark areas you don’t want them in, that’s just how they are!


          • Flopsie
            Participant
            388 posts Send Private Message

              No I don’t think you are being overly cautious. Bunnies will try to get into areas that you don’t want them to. Blocking them off is a better option.

              As far as the sheet goes I would go with something sturdier to block it off. Biting the sheet isn’t a huge deal I would think but if she eats it then it would be an issue


            • Rusty
              Participant
              6 posts Send Private Message

                The xpen will arrive tomorrow, I’m excited to get it set up for her!

                Ordered some of the storage grids too, should arrive Friday, thank you for the suggestion. The cushions and cardboard blockades just aren’t cutting it anymore, she is eating the cushions and pulling the cardboard or knocking it over. She seems to be getting more confident and just wants to explore more and more!

                However as her confidence increases, mine just decreases. She may have eaten some of the cushion covers, I’m not sure, there was a hole in one of them and while I found some bits on the floor I’m still worried.

                She is going for a health check at weekend and for her vaccinations so I guess I will ask the vet then.

                Hopefully when I get her pen setup and the storage grid blockades she should be a lot safer and happier. After this weekend everything should be fine hopefully!


              • Pipje
                Participant
                73 posts Send Private Message

                  Sounds great!

                  Yeah mine will eat anything that is in their way.. so many holes in cushions/blankets and cardboard is ripped to shreds! The more you block something off the more they want in, they love a challenge! Whenever they chew or eat something a bit dodgy like that I just make sure they get back in their pen and have lots of hay and poops so their gut keeps moving.


                • Rusty
                  Participant
                  6 posts Send Private Message

                    Got her xpen set up now. Think she likes it! She was running around in it for a little while before I let her out to play just so she could explore and get used to it.

                    A little nervous about leaving her in it unsupervised for now. Mainly worried about her trying to jump out. Also where it meets the edge of her cage, at the bottom the plastic tray of her cage angles in so there is a small gap, she tried to get out of one but quite quickly gave up. Still makes me nervous, should I be? hopefully when she is a bit bigger she won’t even try.

                    The house I made her out of a cardboard box with two holes cut in the side was in there but I’m worried she will jump on top and try to jump out of her xpen. It’s only 60cm high, is this too low? Another thing, she is eating the top of the box, is this okay? She is eating plenty of hay too. I took the house out because I was worried.

                    The storage cubes should arrive tomorrow, maybe I could put a roof over a corner of her cage with it, not quite sure how to secure it yet, then put the house under that, atleast then she won’t be able to jump out. Would this be okay? Any suggestions on what to put inside her house? I was thinking just hay so she can burrow into it and dig a little a bit, any other suggestions?

                    Going to try to get her (or make her) some more toys and distractions this weekend so she isn’t as bored during the day.

                    I think I’m just going to let her in the xpen when she is supervised over the weekend, and then maybe next week let her have access to it at night. I’m nervous about leaving all her day until I know that she can’t do herself any harm in it.

                    Sorry about all the questions and if it sounds like I’m being paranoid. She is just so small right now and I really don’t want her to come to any harm.

                    Any more suggestions on how to keep her safe and happy are very much welcomed!

                    Can she hurt herself? If she starts to feel pain will she just stop or will she ignore it to achieve her “goal” of getting up to mischief?


                  • Pipje
                    Participant
                    73 posts Send Private Message

                      You can peg a sheet over the top during the day to stop her jumping out, that way she can still have space when unsupervised and be safe. When the grids arrive you can make a top for the pen by using zip ties to secure them together and onto the pen. She might not be a jumper yet, but she could grow into being one!

                      With those type of pet store cages with the plastic sloping bases, the best way to add an xpen to them is to attach it not directly to where the door is but to the either side of the cage, about halfway down each side, that way there is no big gap from the slope at the bottom.

                      The most important thing is that you can give her 24/7 access to a bigger living space soon as she really needs it.

                      About the pain, well yes rabbits can hurt themselves. Mine get up to all sorts of crazy stuff, they sprint around the room and run headfirst into things with massive smacks, they fall of off the furniture and land on their backs, they throw themselves around like ragdolls and it scares me so much, but they always seem fine! They have checkups and are never injured despite all of this, so I think they are a bit hardier than they look. But yes try and keep her out of trouble, I just cant stop mine from running into the walls and furniture when they binky haha. Usually when they give themselves a knock they will lie down and recover instead of carrying on the mischief.

                      You can give her hay and shredded paper to dig in, as long as it isn’t shiny paper or with ink that isn’t soy ink (in case she eats it). Filling toilet roll tubes with hay makes a great toy. You can also poke holes in the tubes and put pellets in there, mine go crazy for that and run around with the tubes like dogs with sticks haha. You can get sisal string and plait it to make a rope to be chewed on, and you can make toys out of it or hang it from the top of the pen with cut up toilet roll tube loops on it. My rabbits like to play with things that dangle down and things that be thrown around and chewed on.


                    • Megabunny
                      Participant
                      2041 posts Send Private Message

                        Hello,

                        I never get on this forum but was looking for Toytorrials to make something for my guy and I saw this thread. Did you decide on a floor? While I find linoleum to be the best, I also get carpeting that can be put in some areas and I roll up duct tape in the backing to hold it in place. That way there is more traction. I worry about my rabbit slipping around and hurting his back. The carpets pull up and can be hosed off/scrubbed/dried outside if/when needed. I’ve had several buns chew the carpeting and everything else and haven’t had it cause a problem. Of course, when he wants to stretch out, he picks lino instead of the soft carpeting.


                      • Rusty
                        Participant
                        6 posts Send Private Message

                          Hi,

                          Sorry I havn’t posted until now, been a busy weekend. Got her xpen all set up now, still need to come up with an idea for a roof on it. Thinking a sheet as a temporary option pegged to the top.

                          She has had access to the xpen all day, just shut her in her cage for the night though, still a little nervous about leaving her unsupervised in it over night, going to see how she gets on tomorrow then try her over night.

                          As for the flooring, she is just on the carpet for now. She hasn’t been pulling at it or biting it at all over the past few days.

                          One of her nostrils looks a little bunged up and is a little crusty, she is still eating and running around and pooping. She is booked in at the vet on Saturday. Can’t really take the time off work to get in her sooner sadly. I’ll keep a close eye on her.

                          I… I spend more of my time worrying about her rather than enjoying her, I don’t want any harm to come to her. I hope with time that I’ll start to worry less, she just looks so small and fragile right now.

                          Fingers crossed in a couple more weeks she will be all set up and can have access to her xpen all the time and be let out for play time in the evenings.

                          Thanks for all the advice guys.

                          I’m scared.


                        • LongEaredLions
                          Participant
                          4482 posts Send Private Message

                            Don’t be too worried about the crusty nose-you are going/have gone to the vets. It is likely just a minor URI, which should clear up quickly with antibiotics.
                            Bunnies look really fragile, but (most of the time) they are pretty hardy. Do try not to worry so much (I know, its difficult!). Good bunny parents do worry for their babies, but don’t let it get too bad. You are doing a great job.


                          • Rusty
                            Participant
                            6 posts Send Private Message

                              We managed to get her to the vets on Saturday, the vet listened to her chest and said it sounded fine and since it was only 1 nostril was likely just to be sinus issues.

                              He gave us some Baytril to give to her. He said 0.4 twice a day for 7 days. Had a bit of trouble with her this morning, we have to syringe it into her mouth and she just struggles and starts to nip me. She was a little better this evening but still a struggle. Any suggestions? Can we put it on her food or in her water? She just gets so distressed, it worries me. If syringe is the only way then I will persist, I just don’t want her to end up hating me!

                              She has been cleaning herself a lot, I hope this is normal? I’m such a worrier!

                              Thank you LongEaredLions. Means a lot you think I am doing a great job! I just want her to get this course of baytril out the way. The vet won’t give her her vaccinations until she is over this. She is going again at weekend to get checked out and make sure she is all better, then she can get vaccinated. Hopefully then I can get over my worrying! She is growing really fast!

                          Viewing 11 reply threads
                          • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                          Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Run Flooring