Small Apartment + Bun

[Lili]

Hi, 

I’m still relatively new to the world of buns and thought I’d see if some more experienced bunny slaves had any opinions on living in small apartments/spaces with a bunny. 

At the moment I’m in a share house which means Sally has access to a large lounge, kitchen, dining room and hallway for her free run time. 

Next year thinking I might stay on my own, but in terms of affordability this means I’ll be looking at studio apartments or at the absolute most small 1 br’s. 

Finding a place that allows sally is an absolute priority for me, I’m thinking I’ll just forget having a kitchen table and make any ‘dining’ space ‘sally space’ instead for her x-pen haha

I’m a little concerned that a smaller space will impact sally’s ability to exercise during free run time. 

I’m also a little worried about noise, at the moment I always make sure Sally is a good couples of rooms away when anyone uses a blender, vacuum etc. Sally doesn’t panic at noise but she clearly doesn’t like it, will buns eventually adjust to this sort of stuff

Does anyone have any experience living in a small space with a bunny? Any tips? 

Thanks 

[vanessa]

Some bunnies adapt well, other’s adapt with protest. My Guin adapts well to anything I’v thrown at her. She lives in half a bedroom, and refuses to leave the bedroom, even when I leave the door open. If I take her out of the room, she sits still where I put her. Lancelot wants more and more space, and thumps when he is unhappy about his space. Guin got use to car rides that use to scare her. Each bunny adapts differently. Find the best apartment you can find, and give your Sally full access. Arrange some tunnels, cardboard boxes, plastic planters for her to toss around, sticks to chew, and block off the front door…

[Kooky]

AS said some bunnies like a lot of space and some don’t. My door is always open and Archie loves it he will run around the whole flat and sleep where he feels like (Bathroom mat is his favorite). But my two girls very rarely leave the bedroom and will occasionally hop to the end of the hall but that’s about it. So it depends on the rabbit. You can do a lot with a small space. you can make levels and things for her to jump on/under. it will make the room much larger than it seems to a bunny and they’ll tire themselves out exploring everything. Moving things around every once in a while is a good way to keep you bun entertained in a smaller space as well, because to them its like a whole new area and they go around re investigating things.

[Deem]

hi lili,

Im living in a studio apartment. It is 20m2 so pretty small.
What has helped for me is to make it available for my bunny to run beneath the bed and couch.
He likes it if I switch up his environment.
So every week I will redecorate his playhouse, his food and drink bowl etc.
he needs to jump on an ikea lack table now to drink or eat and he loves it!
The shared hallway is kinda large, so my door is open when im home mostly until im going to bed, so he has the opportunity to get to the hallway as well.
My bunny likes it when i’m using the vacuum though, he will jump on it or he will try to save his hay before the vacuum gets it…So can’t help you with that one.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Deem – LOL !! “Try to save his hay” !! Mine likes chasing (or trying to make friends with, i’m not sure!) the end rollers of my vacuum. Not been bothered with noises either.
Lil – My old rabbit and I shared a 30sq.m flat and it was fine. My presence and regular massages was more important to her than running a marathon.

Different levels is a good way to increase space and rabbits like sitting up high too. Make sure it’s not too high to jump up or down.
My bunny condo is made from putting two (old and reclaimed) wooden ‘dresser’s’ one on top of the other. I cut a connecting hole (in the roof of one and the base of the other – make sure they line up !! lol). The bottom dresser has no doors and the top one has them still on and is always closed (I replaced a wooden door with a metal wire mesh so she can see out!). She loves jumping through the connecting hole and chooses if she wants to sleep “outside” her condo or sheltered upstairs !! The bottom dresser sits on a table so actually she has a 3 layered condo. Dining room, toilet and bedroom upstairs !!

If you do it well, a bunny’s space could become a major piece of “artwork” in your new home! :o) Enjoy !

[Deem]

@ Vienna BIF, haha a vacuum bestie! I would love to see your bunny condo, do you have any pictures?

[Mimsy]

Those vacuums are greedy little pigs!

lili, even a studio apartment has some good running space in it. Especially if you make things interesting by changing it up like Vienna said.

Food processors, vacuums, ect don’t seem to phase Willow. I notice she will run and hide if she hears our birds do the “alarm” cry. That usually means a cat went into the yard or they see the owl that lives in a nearby tree. I figure that is probably pretty natural instinct -I’m guessing with their good hearing that they may take a birds word on danger.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Photo 1 – Top of dresser before being the other bit is fixed on. “Tisha the cat” is modeling it !

Photo 2 – In situ – Tisha showing us how to get down from the top half. You can play “spot the bun” if you like….

Photo 3 – all 3 living happily side by side.

On the very top I have put 2 wooden fruit crates joined together – with cushion inside and plastic on top – which is Tisha’s waterproof hidey hole in a rabbit-free zone (cat doesn’t appreciate bun’s friendliness ALL the time)

My condo is outside so i’m not too picky on how it looks, but it could work inside just as well with a bit more TLC.

You can’t see in the photo but there are ‘roofs’, flat bits of wood which are wider than the hutches and protrude to provide shelter, though its in a corner, facing north, up against 2 walls and the rain always comes in from that direction, so all is bone dry, all the time.

Hope that gives you ideas…..

[Vienna Blue in France]

OK so I know it’s not ‘art moderne’, and wouldn’t win any ‘pretty’ prizes, but it was all FREE ! :o))

[Deem]

@ Vienna BIF haha, as long as the animals love it! Everything fancy im buying for my bunny is like literally just there for decoration, but a cardboard box or an old wooden basket will be adored and appreciated. Oh well vintage is hip and happening you know!

[vanessa]

I need to get pics of my setup. My bunnies have 3 levels, with a long ramp up to the top level. Lancelot loves to charge up his ramp and make a huge racket on his top level, rolling his cardboard box over and over like a tumbleweed. Changing up the area every week like Deem does is a great idea. Bunnies get bored easily.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Well it has be be a non-painted surface or bun will nibble the paint off… and metal would have rusted… and plastic? Well…. what would I have used?
So the “vintage” wood (LOL) set-up suits me just fine and looks great on the patio.

Does anyone know if there is already a post asking people to post their photos of their condos ? So that we could have a look at them all in one place ?
That would be great. :o)

[BB & Tiny]

Mine only have the middle floor of the townhouse. I do let them run the stairs but I need to monitor it, because there are unprotected cable cords up there. Monitor ? More like take my morning coffee and sit on the stairs.

BB loves the vacuum, he has cuddled up to it since the day I brought him home from the city pound

He would sit on the powerhead while it’s running if I didn’t shoo him out of the way. Takes twice as long to vacuum with my helpers.

They have associate the blender and grinder with cookies.They retreat to their A frame willow and sit under it, while still having full view of the kitchen. So to answer the question, some bunnies can adjust to noise.

[vanessa]

Wow bunluv that’s comical!

[Deem]

@ BunLuv  ahw so cute, cuddling the vacuum!

this is my current “setup” probably for a day or three, the plush mats are bothering me at this place, i dunnow haha.

and here some older setups:

[Lili]

So first of all, thank-you so much for everyone for responding/answering so fast. So much helpful info
Vanessa & kooky- I definitely think having lots of stuff, tunnels, toys ect and doing the occasional rearrange will help keep her entertained is a great idea. (plus what a good excuse to spoil sally, hehe)
Deem- I’m so used to trying to block off under the bed, couch, that I didn’t even think of using that space so thank-you, I’ll definitely look to see how I can bunny-proof whilst still giving her access. Also oh my gosh ‘trying to save his hay’ sounds so cute. Also thanks for the set-up pics I love that you’ve got the TV within the pen, I think I’ll try to bun proof mine in the new place in a similar way, maybe a little hidey hole underneath.
Mimsy- It’s nice to know some bunnies are ok with the noise, maybe I need stop making sure she’s on the other side of the house before anything starts up and at least give her the chance to adjust.
Vienna Blue- that set up looks great! I love the idea of utilising vertical space. Also having a little cat hidey hole on top is so cute. So creative to put together such a great budget friendly space!! I totally agree with Deem, I can buy the nice looking stuff for sally, or I can just make my peace with the fact that she’d be much happier with a cardboard box or toilet roll stuffed with yummies.
BunLuv- you’re monitoring sounds so much like mine, each morning I make my coffee and follow sally around the house as she hunts for anything a roommate has left out for her to destroy. Also that picture is adorable. And maybe I can sneakily get sally to associate the blender with treats too
So good to know others bunnies are doing well in small amounts of space

[Lili]

So first of all, thank-you so much for everyone for responding/answering so fast. So much helpful info
Vanessa & kooky- I definitely think having lots of stuff, tunnels, toys ect and doing the occasional rearrange will help keep her entertained is a great idea. (plus what a good excuse to spoil sally, hehe)
Deem- I’m so used to trying to block off under the bed, couch, that I didn’t even think of using that space so thank-you, I’ll definitely look to see how I can bunny-proof whilst still giving her access. Also oh my gosh ‘trying to save his hay’ sounds so cute. Also thanks for the set-up pics I love that you’ve got the TV within the pen, I think I’ll try to bun proof mine in the new place in a similar way, maybe a little hidey hole underneath.
Mimsy- It’s nice to know some bunnies are ok with the noise, maybe I need stop making sure she’s on the other side of the house before anything starts up and at least give her the chance to adjust.
Vienna Blue- that set up looks great! I love the idea of utilising vertical space. Also having a little cat hidey hole on top is so cute. So creative to put together such a great budget friendly space!! I totally agree with Deem, I can buy the nice looking stuff for sally, or I can just make my peace with the fact that she’d be much happier with a cardboard box or toilet roll stuffed with yummies.
BunLuv- you’re monitoring sounds so much like mine, each morning I make my coffee and follow sally around the house as she hunts for anything a roommate has left out for her to destroy. Also that picture is adorable. And maybe I can sneakily get sally to associate the blender with treats too
So good to know others bunnies are doing well in small amounts of space

[BB & Tiny]

I cheated and bought everything from the rabbit rescue.

and their space when I’m asleep or out

I have been inspired by this thread to look into building something in the near future !

[Deem]

@ BunLuv i really like the maze!

[BB & Tiny]

Unfortunately BB did some remodeling and the top floor has no partitions left. Though it makes it easier to stretch out and nap !

I believe this site sells the maze haven.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Be inspired by whatever bit of furniture you can find and transform it with a saw and some screws !!
If you do it wrong, it doesn’t really matter, either retransform it again or throw it out for someone to pick up to make a smaller guinea pig cage !! LOL

I love these photos of other people’s set ups !! Would love to see more !! :o))

[Vienna Blue in France]

And I used carpet tiles, cut to size to put in places when bun needs to push off and would slip. And at 6kg she’s got power in them feet! lol
She’s got carpet for comfort up in the bedroom area (where she doesn’t poop!), on the plastic tub that she uses to get ‘upstairs’ and on the wooden plank ‘in her dining area’ she sits on to eat.
If the carpet tiles ever get dirty or need replacing, then its easy peasey to replace them !

[Lili]

Carpet tiles are a great idea for the house I’m in at the moment, we’ve got wood floors and I’ve covered as much as i can in cheap rugs but still there are some spots where a bit of grip would help

[Author]

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