# How high of an exercise pen should I get?



## Bville (Aug 7, 2013)

I have two dwarf mix rabbits that are supposed to get to be about 6 pounds as adults. I have an exercise pen that is 30" tall and am thinking of buying another one. Right now they can't jump out of it, but I am wondering if they will eventually get big enough to make the 30" leap. Should I buy a higher one or is 30" tall good?


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## Watermelons (Aug 7, 2013)

I would do at least 36" even tho i know my 4lb rabbits can both jump 36 with no issue.


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Aug 7, 2013)

It really depends on the rabbit, some will jump over a 4ft pen and some who even try with an 18" one. I'd say 30" or 36" is good for most rabbits. The size of the rabbit doesn't really matter either, I have seen a 2.5 pound rabbit get over a 28" tall pen and I have an 8.5 pound one who can do 42" when he wants (he kind of climbs out). 

If your rabbit is fine now with the one you have, don't worry about it. If they do start to get out, then you can go up to a 36" tall pen. If you do go that high, I would recommend one with a walk through door to make it easier to get into.


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## Azerane (Aug 7, 2013)

I agree that it really depends on the rabbit. Some rabbits are in pens that they can easily jump out of, but they're just not inclined to. Other rabbits it almost doesn't matter how high of a pen you put them in, because they will get out. Bandit has proven that to me, he is one heck of a jumper, most of the time he doesn't bother with it though, but I do have to keep an eye on him just in case. There was one day when I had the height of his pen almost doubled up because he kept jumping it, I had it over 40 inches tall and I watched him jump from the ground, right onto the very top of it. There's just no stopping some rabbits


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## Bville (Aug 8, 2013)

Cwazy Wabbits!:bunny18


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## PaGal (Aug 8, 2013)

If your bun is jumping out of an x-pen you could fashion a top for it from a sheet, cardboard, coroplast or a similar material.


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## Watermelons (Aug 9, 2013)

You mention in your other topic youre sticking the rabbits outside? Regardless of pen height it needs a lid.


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## Bville (Aug 9, 2013)

Watermelons said:


> You mention in your other topic youre sticking the rabbits outside? Regardless of pen height it needs a lid.



I'm talking about two different things. My husband is building an outdoor hutch, very secure with roof, walls, and doors. Right now they are in the garage (without the car). One is in the cage from the pet store and the other is in an exercise pen because they were fighting in the cage when they were together. The one in the exercise pen looks so much happier (because it's bigger) that I was thinking of getting another exercise pen to put the other one in with his own setup until they are neutered and re-bonded (hopefully) and can go in the outdoor hutch. I know not everyone agrees that domestic rabbits should be housed outside, but I am allergic to anything with fur so a house pet is not possible for our family. This is the only way we can have a pet and we are really committed to taking good care of them.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 9, 2013)

I have 30" high run, but I only let them out in it once a day, with supervision, otherwise my rabbits stay in their cages. ( which is a wire cage and it works perfectly for me) and they are much happier buns in their cages they binky a lot more and are a lot friendlier. Outside of their cage, I do rabbit hopping which is great exercise and it wears all the energy out of them so when they go back in their cage, they just take a nap.  I also take them in the house just to love them up multiple times a day.


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## Bville (Aug 9, 2013)

RabbitGirl101 said:


> I have 30" high run, but I only let them out in it once a day, with supervision, otherwise my rabbits stay in their cages. ( which is a wire cage and it works perfectly for me) and they are much happier buns in their cages they binky a lot more and are a lot friendlier. Outside of their cage, I do rabbit hopping which is great exercise and it wears all the energy out of them so when they go back in their cage, they just take a nap.  I also take them in the house just to love them up multiple times a day.



The rabbit hopping sounds fun. Our vet suggested that and I think my son would like to teach them to do that. Did you need to use treats to train them to hop where you wanted them to? 

My kids take the rabbits outside in the exercise pen every day to socialize with them because they don't like to be held much at this point. The kids sit in the pen with them and pet them, but let them hop away if they want to. This is how we are slowly getting them used to being around us. I'm also using the pen for one of the rabbit's cage right now (in the garage as I said in an earlier post), but want to get another one so they both have a big cage. I'd like to get another 30" so they match. Good to know the 30" works for you.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 9, 2013)

No i use positive reinforcement because my rabbits don't eat treats out of the cage, I just harnessed trained them (using an H harness) and then set the jump in front of them within the first session I had hopping buns!


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## Tauntz (Aug 9, 2013)

One newbie bunny mom suggestion, I use an xpen in my house to give my buns more room. Just as an added "bunny escape" deterrent I use a flannel sheet as a cover that I attach to the xpen with plain old fashion wood cloth's pins. So far no bunny jump escapes. Just a thought.


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