# My first NIC cage!



## brittneydee (Jan 1, 2013)

We got our first bunny two weeks ago, and of course we didn't know anything about the right way to take care of a rabbit. We did everything the pet store said for the cage, bedding, etc., which meant overpriced bedding and toys, and a teeny tiny cage  

Luckily I found this forum the day after we brought her home, and I quickly realized we needed to make some changes. I finished Cinnabun's new cage a couple days ago, and I would love some feedback! This is my first time having a rabbit, and I'm slowly learning what she likes to play with, so if you see anything that needs to be changed please let me know. We had space limitations, so her cage is 2 1/2 grids deep x 3 grids wide x 2 1/2 grids tall (24" x 42" x 35"). Hopefully this is enough for one bunny - it's a ton better than her previous cage which was basically the size of the first floor of her new cage  I used a clear vinyl carpet protector for the first floor. Someone else had mentioned using this in another housing thread, and I love it so far. It has enough texure that she doesn't slip, but it's also incredibly easy to clean. She's not litter trained yet, so this was a necessity when choosing flooring. For the second adn third levels I used grids covered in coroplast and fleece. 

I made all of the toys in her cage and so far she seems to like them. Luckily I had tons of safe materials (veggie dyed pine, balsa, willow sticks, loofah, palm, etc.) to use because I make my own bird toys too.


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## LakeCondo (Jan 1, 2013)

It looks good to me. I have an xpen instead, so those who have NICs should be better able to comment. I guess I've always a litter box went in a corner, but I suppose it doesn't have to.


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## Blue eyes (Jan 1, 2013)

Good for you! So glad you found this forum. Your bun will sure be happier in what you created than in the smaller cage. :mrsthumper:


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## Bunnylova4eva (Jan 1, 2013)

Amazing cage! And, absolutly *darling* bunny


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## Imbrium (Jan 1, 2013)

your bunny looks a lot like Babbity, lol... she has more of a "grump" face, though (at least in that pic) whereas Babbity has an "eeyore" face (hollands always seem to have one or the other). positively adorable!

the cage is very cute! if you ever wanted to make it bigger and space is an issue, you could always go taller - mine's 3Lx2Wx5H and VERY sturdy despite the height 

I'm probably the one who you saw recommending the vinyl floor runner thing - I love it! if it gets bad (like the time someone peed on it in the corner and it went on top AND underneath), I just pull it out of the cage, take it outside and hose it off.

only critique I have of the cage... I can't tell how your doors are set up, aside from it appearing to open from the top on the highest level... if you don't already have it so that the doors for the lower two levels open to be 2 grids wide, I highly recommend it - deep cleaning is so much easier to do when you can fit your shoulders into the condo to reach the back!


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## ldoerr (Jan 1, 2013)

Nice cage  I also just built a new cage for my girls. I used wood covered in vinyl fabric that I got at walmart for $4.50 for a 54"x 9' roll. It provides traction and should be easy to clean (I just got done building mine a couple of hrs ago). For the shelves I used grids with wood that is covered in fleece. Yours looks really good. They really do not take long to make do they? I find it relazing to build them. Your cage is plenty big enough for 1 rabbit. If you want to expand it ever, you could build up. For even more space you could rearange your home (I did to make room for the bigger cage). I am sure that your bunny will be very spoiled.


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## brittneydee (Jan 2, 2013)

Thanks everyone! 

I've been worrying about the hay and litter box set up ever since I built it, and I've already rearranged it once LOL. The hay bin I made is too tall to fit under the second floor if I put it vertically, which is what I really want to do because it keeps her from pulling it all out and making a mess with it. But in order to put the litter box in the corner and keep the hay bin vertical, she would have to get in her itter box to jump to the second floor. I worry about her tracking poop to the second floor if I set it up this way 

I think I'm going to have to rearrange again and just put the hay bin horizontally and deal with the mess. This morning I caught her sitting on the second floor eating hay from the top of the bin LOL. As cute as it was, I worry that she might try to sit on top of the bin and get hurt. Now I'm just trying to figure out the best way to rearrange everything. 

Unfortunately building higher isn't an option at this time either  In a year or so we plan to move and she'll have a ton more space. Until then this is the largest area we have for her. After that I would love to build a 5' cage for her and have an entire room for her to have free-range while we're home. I don't think we'll ever be able to let her have free run of the entire house because I would never trust one of my dogs - by nature he's a hunting dog so they are never allowed to even be in the same room together. He hasn't acted aggressive toward her, but I worry that his curiosity might stress her even though they are separated by the cage. That's the other reason she can't be in a larger cage - we keep her in our bedroom to keep her away from him. For now we have bunny-proofed our bedroom and let her run around in there with us when we're home.


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## Imbrium (Jan 3, 2013)

brittneydee said:


> Thanks everyone!
> 
> I've been worrying about the hay and litter box set up ever since I built it, and I've already rearranged it once LOL. The hay bin I made is too tall to fit under the second floor if I put it vertically, which is what I really want to do because it keeps her from pulling it all out and making a mess with it. But in order to put the litter box in the corner and keep the hay bin vertical, she would have to get in her itter box to jump to the second floor. I worry about her tracking poop to the second floor if I set it up this way



you could make a grid for the box, then she wouldn't track anything out of it. mine often jump into their box before jumping up to the next floor.

grid instructions:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=53690&forum_id=93 - check 1/3 of the way down the first page


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## MiserySmith (Jan 3, 2013)

It looks awesome!


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## roxyllsk (Jan 3, 2013)

Clever idea of putting the hay rack that way ! I like your cage too, very cool.


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