# Why don't some of you like NIC cages?



## Double N (Oct 28, 2009)

Yup....the subject just about sums it up!



When I first started looking into buns and cages, I just thought they were the most amazing things (but I'm also easily amused....)



But I see a lot of people saying how they just don't like them. What are the reasons?


----------



## elrohwen (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't like them because they seem too fussy for me. I don't really have the energy or creativity to set up a bunny palace and I much prefer something easy like an xpen. Plus, xpens are easy to take down, move, etc, while NICs aren't. I also don't think most NIC cages are nearly as easy to clean as my xpen set up.

So I don't really have anything against them, I just don't find them as practical as an xpen. I do looove NIC panels for bunny proofing though!


----------



## Yurusumaji (Oct 28, 2009)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> I don't like them because they seem too fussy for me. I don't really have the energy or creativity to set up a bunny palace and I much prefer something easy like an xpen. Plus, xpens are easy to take down, move, etc, while NICs aren't. I also don't think most NIC cages are nearly as easy to clean as my xpen set up.
> 
> So I don't really have anything against them, I just don't find them as practical as an xpen. I do looove NIC panels for bunny proofing though!


I had a huge NIC cage for my cavies way back when. That thing took _hours_ to clean! I thought about building one for my new baby coming home, but I remember how much I hated cleaning the one for the cavies.

It was cool-looking, had 2 levels and I enjoyed the way it functioned. It held my 3 boys quite well. Still, it was a complete hassle. I eventually had to take it down and get everyone separate cages.


----------



## NorthernAutumn (Oct 28, 2009)

I think design has a lot to do with ease of cleaning. I had to rework my design a number of times until I got it right. Y'know, double doors, swing up panels, etc. Then, cleaning was a breeze


----------



## Yurusumaji (Oct 28, 2009)

Mine was open-top and it was still a nightmare. ;;


----------



## JadeIcing (Oct 28, 2009)

What Autumn said is true that if you make the doors right it is a lot easier to clean. Moving them alone? No with help yes.

Now why am I going back to cages after all this time?In my case for some of my bunnies it is easier to maintain and safer for them. (3 have head-tilts)My biggest reason is that when you need 7 cages the NIC is not as easy to maintain. The plan right nowis to get all my solo buns into cages as well as my bonded pair. My trio and foster (currently just one bunny I am sitting for.) will be the only buns in NIC cages. Unless I can find a good cage for the trio (have one in mind but not cheap) and another for a foster. 

The cages I am using are a little longer in length and just a bit shorter in width. They don't take up as much room and are easier to clean. 

When it comes to x-pens..... Buying NIC and making a pen are cheaper.


----------



## RexLovables (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't like them.
I don't think they look as nice and clean.
They don't seam that easy to clean.
There is no way to make a door unless you use a panel for one of the doors,
and if you do that then you need clamps and stuff to hold the panel/door shut so
it looks cheapy and bad to me.
The panels need to be held together with bulky things or zip ties which look cluttering to me.
They just arnt appealing at all to me.
I just don't like them.

I stick to other types of cages


----------



## mardigraskisses (Oct 28, 2009)

I'm addicted to NIC grids. Bayou likes to move his x-pen around too much. :grumpy:

Anyway, the NIC cages do have their flaws. Bayou figured out how to pull the grids apart so I had to zip tie all of them. Keeping the connectors on right is a pain, the space between the wall and the grids gets dirty fairly quickly, some water bottles don't hook on right, you have to find your own flooring, and what not.

But I love the space and the ability to customize it and move it around and what not.


----------



## elrohwen (Oct 28, 2009)

*JadeIcing wrote: *


> When it comes to x-pens..... Buying NIC and making a pen are cheaper.



Good point! I guess I just associate NIC cages with big, multi-level bunny palaces. I don't know if I've seen anyone use them as just a pen, but it's a fantastic idea; and it is cheaper than buying a puppy pen.


----------



## fuzz16 (Oct 28, 2009)

i prefer the NIC cage over cages cause most are to small, but dog kennel wit and x-pen is ideal.
but you can use NIC panels to make an x-pen type, which is sorta what i do, and its cheaper.


----------



## tonyshuman (Oct 28, 2009)

My problem with them is that it's hard to get the right kind of flooring in them. I had linoleum and it was good until they started eating holes in it and then their feet could go through to the grids, which could cause real problems. I think they're great cages, especially if you're not a student who has to move around a lot (flippin huge and heavy!) and you can solve the flooring problem successfully. I just recently switched to a more furniture-looking cage as well (to class up the place a bit ) but I haven't posted pics.


----------



## Korr_and_Sophie (Oct 28, 2009)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> *JadeIcing wrote: *
> 
> 
> > When it comes to x-pens..... Buying NIC and making a pen are cheaper.
> ...


I use them as a pen for Lillian (Sweets). She does have an NIC cage, but also the pen to hang out in during the day. I also have some (2*12) to use for agility demos. It is cheaper than an x-pen and provides enough space for the buns.


----------



## Luluznewz (Oct 28, 2009)

I have never had an NIC pen, but I thought I'd say why that doesnt work for me. My landlord is really fearful about pets. At first she said no to a goldfish in a bowl...seriously.

Now I have a rabbit but only because I made sure having one didnt seem like a big deal. In that situation a store bought rabbit cage was a lot less scary than some huge NIC creation. I dunno, apparently a cage that says "my first home" on the side with a pretty purple tray just seems more friendly to her. Whats she doesnt really know is the rabbit is rarely locked inside it....mwhahahahaha

Thats my reasoning. Even if they are similar sizes, I feel like there is something comforting to non rabbit people about a cage with clean lines that they see in stores all the time. My roommates like it a lot better too.


----------



## bunniekrissy (Oct 28, 2009)

I think NIC cages are great, but they do have their drawbacks. Personally I don't mind the look as long as the grids are in a color of your choice (mine were silver). 

The biggest problem for me was the cleaning. It took a lot of body contortion to reach all the way into the back and on top of the shelves. I had 1 grid open in the front on the bottom level and a row of grids open on the top. It seemed like supporting the upper levels would be a problem if I made more grids open on the front. When I had grids on the bottom on the cage (covered with carpet or linoleum), they got filthy and were impossible to clean, so I removed them and it does work better with an open bottom set over some type of flooring. 

That said, they are a lot of fun to make and you can tailor them to fit the space you have. Currently my buns are in a large puppy pen in my garage, but when my husband and I get our own place they will probably be back in the NIC cage indoors with plenty of run time in the house. Unless I can get my hands on a Leith Petwerks condo!


----------



## Happi Bun (Oct 28, 2009)

I'm finding that the NIC cages at 2 grids deep is just a tad too wide for me to clean and get to Dunkin easily. He dislikes being picked up and hides in the farthest corner. I basically have to climb inside it to get him!:shock: Then there is the flooring issue, finding something he wont chew at.


----------



## Double N (Oct 28, 2009)

Wow....thanks for all of those replies! I never really thought about the trouble cleaning. Isn't that strange?

But that may be because we have our Goffin's Cockatoo in a GIANT macaw sized cage so I have to crawl into that to clean it up.

I think the reason they appealed to me was because my dream bunny would be a Flemish and those just seemed to be the most roomy since you can add a second level.

I'm not sure an X-pen would work in our homes as they fold up VERY easy and I'm sure that some dog would lay down against it and fold it up on itself!!


----------



## bunnybunbunb (Oct 28, 2009)

I have a four level NIC. The only hard part is the guinea pig's level. They messy buggers and are constantly moving the fleece and chewing the linolium - annoying. For the rabbits it is great. A simple sweep, and a pee clean if needed, of the night and it is fine. It may look crappy but looks do not matter to me. Don't like my room? or the fact the 2 grid x 4 grid condo tales up 75% or more of my floor space? To bad, you do not live in there. It is about their happiness, not my want to "look good".


----------



## bunniekrissy (Oct 28, 2009)

Also I love having extra NIC panels around for various purposes. I've blocked off my bed with them to keep the bunnies out from under it, made a pen for playing outdoors and for temporary foster rabbits, and even made a crate for my parents' puppy with them.


----------



## Mrs. PBJ (Oct 28, 2009)

Having had a store bought cage nic and free rome for about a week or two I have a tmpoary NIC going to order a super pet giant in dec unless money alows earlier. 

The problem with nic for me is there hard to clean. Espcically behind the litterbox. 

I can also only own one small bun. Under five pounds. So one cage will work for me I will use nic to bunny proof though.

And the look for me I have a ocd about looks. So a cage looks better. If you have a big bun or more then one I would go nic its cheaper


----------



## tonyshuman (Oct 28, 2009)

*bunniekrissy wrote: *


> Also I love having extra NIC panels around for various purposes. I've blocked off my bed with them to keep the bunnies out from under it, made a pen for playing outdoors and for temporary foster rabbits, and even made a crate for my parents' puppy with them.


This is really true. I've blocked off under the bed, on the sides of the couch so they can't get behind there, etc etc.


----------



## elrohwen (Oct 28, 2009)

*Luluznewz wrote: *


> Now I have a rabbit but only because I made sure having one didnt seem like a big deal. In that situation a store bought rabbit cage was a lot less scary than some huge NIC creation. I dunno, apparently a cage that says "my first home" on the side with a pretty purple tray just seems more friendly to her. *Whats she doesnt really know is the rabbit is rarely locked inside it....mwhahahahaha
> *


Haha, my landlord came over and there was Otto, lounging in the middle of the dining room. I had originally promised that he would be in a cage all the time ... Oops! But the landlord didn't seem to mind as nothing smelled and nothing was torn up.


----------



## lovebunnyok (Oct 29, 2009)

Tupper's cage is with NIC, and I love them! The way I made it, it only takes 10 minutes at most to clean. I have a particle board floor that I just sweep up. 

The doors are like french doors made with NIC, that just swing open. I keep it closed with a clear hair clip. Tupper loves it! It's a large cage 4 cubes x 3 cubes x 2 cubes high. It doesn't have a second floor yet, but will someday.


----------



## mouse_chalk (Oct 29, 2009)

I LOVE our NIC cages! They're awesome.

It did take a couple of builds to get them how I wanted them, but I really like them now. 

Both of ours are set up like this:








The door is made with grids, it folds back out of the way when the buns are out and playing, and it's held shut with carabiner (sp?) clips that keep it pretty secure and are easy to open in a hurry. I've designed it so that the first shelf is at the back, so I can easily kneel in the entrance and reach to the back to sweep it out, although to be honest usually I use the vacuum to clean the cages, so I just put that in there and suck up all of the hay and stray poops! The bunnies are fine with the hose now and barely bat an eyelid when I vacuum the cages. I used both the connectors and zip ties to hold it together- the connectors hold the shape and the zip ties keep it secure, and the whole thing is very sturdy. 

I think the grid cages give a lot of space, and being able to make it up however I want means it's easy to move furniture about, or if we move house to make sure the cages fit in. The bunnies love having the levels too- Mouse and Chalk use their top level as a bedroom, and eat/toilet at the bottom. It makes me feel a whole lot better if we can't let them out for as long each day that they aren't cramped up in a small space. I have seen some store-made cages that also come 2/3 leveled, and about the size of 2x3 grid cages, which are the only ones I would ever consider buying if I had to switch for any reason.

The only thing that does bother me about them is that Mouse and Chalk aren't the greatest with their litter habits, so if they pee at the back of the cage it can run out behind, but we have slats of laminate flooring laid down, on top of a shower curtain, so that stops it going onto the living room floor. We're currently looking for coroplast to fold up and make a sort of 'tray' in the bottom of their cage, or perhaps building a wooden base and lining it with lino. I think Aurora369 has something like that in her cages which works really well.


----------



## BlueCamasRabbitry (Nov 1, 2009)

I like NIC cages, but seeing as how I have a rabbitry, I just wouldn't be able to have them in NIC cages. 

I also find that NIC cages are kind of hard to make sure they're sturdy. I get frustrated just making my xpens out of NIC panels....so I'm sure trying to get the sides and everything else on a NIC cage sturdy would be much more frustrating, and I'm a perfectionist so it would bug me if a panel wasn't placed right, etc. 

If I had a house rabbit, then I would most likely have a NIC cage. The only other thing that I find difficult about NIC cages is that they do seem very hard to clean. I agree though, it wouldn't be too hard if you had the doors in a good place, built correctly, etc. and it would be a plus if the rabbit was completely litter trained.  

Emily


----------



## kahlin (Nov 1, 2009)

*NorthernAutumn wrote: *


> I think design has a lot to do with ease of cleaning. I had to rework my design a number of times until I got it right. Y'know, double doors, swing up panels, etc. Then, cleaning was a breeze



I definitely agree with this. Once I was able to design my condo so that the *whole* front portion opened up (the same way you can open up most xpens) it was a lot easier to clean. I also had a few swing up panels to help clean between the levels. Adding wheels made it easy to move and clean behind. (even alone)

However, I still like using the NIC cubes for xpens instead. If we were to downsize from our current house, I might consider a condo again. I didn't hate it....the main reason I switched was because using xpens makes it easier for travelling, or outside play time, etc.


----------



## Orchid (Nov 1, 2009)

*Luluznewz wrote: *


> I have never had an NIC pen, but I thought I'd say why that doesnt work for me. My landlord is really fearful about pets. At first she said no to a goldfish in a bowl...seriously.
> 
> Now I have a rabbit but only because I made sure having one didnt seem like a big deal. In that situation a store bought rabbit cage was a lot less scary than some huge NIC creation. I dunno, apparently a cage that says "my first home" on the side with a pretty purple tray just seems more friendly to her. Whats she doesnt really know is the rabbit is rarely locked inside it....mwhahahahaha
> 
> Thats my reasoning. Even if they are similar sizes, I feel like there is something comforting to non rabbit people about a cage with clean lines that they see in stores all the time. My roommates like it a lot better too.



This place had two pitbulls that TORE it up badly..the walls were nasty, the carpet detroyed and even the fence opening was torn apart (backyard)...so when I asked to check this place out she said no animals...and I said I couldn't agree to that as we had Simon still at the time...she had to think about things for like two weeks...before she ok'd it on the fact Simon stayed in his cage most of the time...(which did not happen)...but anytime they came I made sure he was in there...everything clean and what not...

Now I found I personally like creating the castles and getting nuts....A bunny who likes to chew through the zip ties can be a problem...but also for those that think they look bulky...when they do come in tiny size which actually can be less an attrraction for the chewing bun...and you barely see them.

I have had one that was open on top, made like a pen that worked well for Simon...

I would just shift it aside if I needed to get to the wall, but I also had the room to do so. Same with the fist cage I made for Isobel...all I had to do was lift and move it forward and I could get to everything fine..

I like to think I created mine in such a way that there was not much I needed to do but switch out towels on the shelves, clean the floor and boxes as needed,,,...and I use this CHEAP, but great, totally flat carpet that is great for buns..I think so at least...and if peeing is an issue....put like kitchen flooring down under it...cant chew anything then...and replace cheap carpet as needed....

I never worried much about flooring to encase it all like a cage...


----------



## Orchid (Nov 1, 2009)

zip tied panels, made like a pen do fold up as well...perhaps more bulky, but they fold and can travel with them...


----------

