# Difficult Decision



## Glorylocks (Jun 13, 2012)

I am at my wits end right now! Clyde is becoming extremely destructive. I am not able to watch him all the time that he is out of his cage and running around my room and during this time he has managed to tear huge holes in my carpet. I tried spraying vinegar on my carpet because I read that it might stop rabbits from chewing at things. It hasnt worked and I'm not allowed to buy any spray or anything like that. I wanted to buy some rugs to put down for him but I am not allowed to get those either. My parents feel like I spend too much money on Clyde already. So I guess my main point of this post is to ask how I go about building an outdoor rabbit hutch. Preferably for as cheap as possible. Right now I am open to anything. Ideas on how to stop this destructive behavior and/or ways to safely move Clyde outside and into a rabbit hutch. Sorry for rambling I am just so worried that if his behavior continues my dad will insist on getting rid of him or worse....killing him. My father isnt really the animal type. Thanks everyone for the help!


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## caustin4 (Jun 13, 2012)

I have built a few rabbit hutches. The most recent has approximately 8 sq ft as the floor. The total cost for everything came out to around $50. Its tough to go much cheaper because all the supplies add up in the end. I built mine with my own plans I came up with half making them up as I built, but if youd like I can take pictures and write dimensions of each piece of wood and how to assemble.


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## Glorylocks (Jun 13, 2012)

Thank you so much caustin4! Pictures, dimensions, and instructions would be so helpful! I'm hoping that we will already have some of the materials needed so that will cut down on the cost overall. Again thanks so much!


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## fuzz16 (Jun 13, 2012)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-an-indoor-rabbit-cage/

Affordable and easy


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## Glorylocks (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks fuzz16! Thats a really nice and simple cage. I could probably attach hinges to the top somehow so that the top opens up. Only because I prefer to have a way to get the bunny out from the top. =)


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## LakeCondo (Jun 14, 2012)

I would be concerned about cold winter nights, snow, etc in Ohio. Is there a basement area the hutch could go into? Or use nic panels to make a cage in your room. That would cost less than an outdoor hutch, insulation material, heating for water, etc.

Vinegar removes urine smell but does nothing to discourage chewing.


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## Glorylocks (Jun 14, 2012)

I would be bringing him back in side for the winter. There is NO way I would ever make him stay outside in cold Ohio winters. Right now he has a rather large cage in my bedroom its just that he keeps ripping up my carpet when I let him out to run for his average 4 or so hours. I can't watch him all 4 hours that he is out to make sure that he doesn't tear up the carpet. I can watch him only 1 hour at the most and I don't feel that one hour is an adequate amount of free roaming time. Not being able to watch him at all times will happen more frequently once I start school again this fall. I figure that it will be easier for me and Clyde in the long run if I move him outside because I can add an outside run onto his hutch where he can enter and exit it as he wishes therefore hes not destroying my carpet and I'm not confining him to his cage.

I am open to other ideas though. If he is inside he has to stay in my bedroom and its quite a small area. Sorry for rambling again..Thanks everyone for the help!


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## missyscove (Jun 14, 2012)

Could you try letting him out into a pen with a mat down instead of letting him run in the whole room? Just a tarp or a shower curtain would protect the carpet. If you don't plan to leave him outside year round, it might be better for both of you to come up with a year round indoor solution.


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## fuzz16 (Jun 14, 2012)

Making an outdoor pen could help release somd anxiety..or s friend. Poor guy seems afraid of ppl still but a rabbit friend may solve dome problems


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## Samara (Jun 14, 2012)

Matthias is a huge chewer. Drives me up the wall, that one. I'm going to put together a bunch of NIC panels into a sort of X-pen and let him run in a specific area to try to curb the destruction. 

That link about building the cage is inspiring!


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## Glorylocks (Jun 14, 2012)

An indoor run does sound like a good idea since I am going to have him indoors during the winter. How big of a run do you think I would need?


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## NorthernAutumn (Jun 14, 2012)

Sorry if I missed this - is Clyde neutered?
If not, neutering would assist in slowing marking and general destruction 

I also have digging fuzzballs - I put down a sheet of rough linoleum 10x10, and surrounded it with a pen (made of NIC cubes, 2 high). The pen easily folds away for when they are not out and about. 
The perk on my linoleum is they can't dig through it, it wipes up easily, and the surface is rough enough that they can get some traction.

If you would like, you could post some pics of the area so members could make more specific suggestions...

Hope that helps!


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## Glorylocks (Jun 14, 2012)

No Clyde is not neutered. We are having trouble right now finding a vet in our area who will neuter rabbits. We mostly just have cat and dog vets around here. We do plan on getting him neutered as soon as possible though. I will take pictures of my room and post them soon that way everyone can get a better idea of what I have to work with. 
Thanks!


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## Nancy McClelland (Jun 14, 2012)

Males aren't a troublesome as females to get neutered. We used to put down cardboard on the floor to the the carpet--cheap and easy to replace. Also used boxes as a barricade.


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## 1357rabbitlover (Jun 15, 2012)

I think using an x-pen indoors and put lino on the floor or something? Then he won't be able to chew. Also if your wanting to move him outside could you not put him in as shed with a run?


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## rabbitfarmer (Jun 15, 2012)

Curious what temperature is to cold for a rabbit? We are also in Ohio. We got our rabbits in the spring, when most of the cold temperatures had left. I think the coldest it got was like 45 degrees. I worry about extreme cold too, but not sure where we would keep 17 rabbits! Right now their hutches are located outside our basement door and underneath our deck.


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## LakeCondo (Jun 15, 2012)

Rabbitfarmer, maybe in the fall you could put something insulating & waterproof over the deck. My first thought would be bales of straw & a tarp, but there probably are better choices. You could make the hay higher toward the center so rain & snow would run off.

Also, a water supply has to be kept above freezing.


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## rabbitfarmer (Jun 15, 2012)

LakeCondo wrote:


> Rabbitfarmer, maybe in the fall you could put something insulating & waterproof over the deck. My first thought would be bales of straw & a tarp, but there probably are better choices. You could make the hay higher toward the center so rain & snow would run off.
> 
> Also, a water supply has to be kept above freezing.



Oh they can't get wet. My husband built their hutches. They're wood hutches with roofs that can hinge up (i can also get in through doors). Trust me i've gone out to feed them and am getting wet from rain dripping through the cracks on the deck floor. But they're all nice and dry. Not sure if snow would be able to drip through the deck floors, but i doubt it.


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## Lydia (Jun 16, 2012)

I have Mini Rex's too! 

It depends on the rabbit, and their age, but generally a rabbit can handle temperatures around freezing (32 F). Whenever it has started to get below freezing we bring them inside. Keep wind chill in mind however! It can make things feel a lot colder for them!

I have experienced both having bunnies in hutches outside (on a sun porch) and inside. If you want to keep him inside, I suggest making an enclosure for him. If you don't have cardboard or something like that to put down on the bottom of the enclosure, use old heavy blankets or towels. Obviously, you would need to ask your parents first before you go through the linen closet getting towels for bunny bedding. A good solution is to buy towels or blankets from a thrift store like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Go for ones that are thick as possible, as that will make it harder for him to dig through.

Whenever he starts to make a mess on the old towels or blankets, you simply take them out and wash them, replacing them with some fresh ones. To occupy his time and give him something to chew, consider giving him paper towel or toilet paper tubes. He can chew them up and be as destructive as he wants with them, and it distracts him from trying to dig or chew his bedding or the carpet. 

Also, you can give him a small cardboard box to play in. Bunnies love cardboard boxes! He can chew it, hide in it, sit on top, etc. It gives him a "den" to hide in, and when he sits on top he feels like king of the hill!

Hope this helps!  
If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask. I love talking about bunnies.


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## kagerod (Jun 16, 2012)

Toys are also a great thing. Certain baby toys I've heard are great, and I like to give my rabbits wooden blocks (the ones from pet stores) or hard balls/rolling things for them. It might keep him from digging. Another thing is a digging box - a shallow box that he can get in, filled with paper, towels, carpet pieces, etc..

As for your parents and not getting money for him - maybe ask for bunny supplies as presents? My birthday gift this year was my bunnies' cage and a few of their supplies.


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## hayhaylizw (Jun 17, 2012)

I know online you can find a lot of instructions on how to build a rabbit hutch. If you end up putting him outside, I recommend strongly to get him a leash and harness and take him out in the nearby grass for about 30 mins every day. And since it is summer, take him inside frequently and put him in a play pen while you watch tv or something so that he doesn't have heat stroke. Another thing to prevent heat stroke is to get a shedding brush and brush him once a day. I hope this helps!


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