# Help with NIC Condo Please



## woahlookitsme (Jan 6, 2012)

I really need help with this one. I'm trying to build my new french lop a new home in my 500 sq ft apartment and I used my old dogs crate as a place for his litter box. I want to add a shelf on top of the cage and also on one other side. I just can't decide how far up or down to put it and on which side I should do it on. Here are pictures

This is franky he is aprox. 9.8 lbs and growing. 






This is the cage





So you can see height of cage and placement of everything





This is a top view





And a top view of where I can't decide to put the shelf. If i put it in the red area the doorway to the dog crate will be shorter/smaller. But will he be able to jump all the way over to the top if i put it in the blue area. I dont want him to get hurt trying but I can't think of another way to do it.


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## SOOOSKA (Jan 6, 2012)

I have a much better idea. Send that Big Beautiful French Lop to me.:biggrin:

To me the cage looks good already. Is their an actual enclosure on top of the dog crate? If yes then I would probably put the shelf where you outlined it in *red*. That way he can jump to the enclosure on top of the dog crate.

Why don't you get/make a wooden hidey house for him to go into?

Also is he a jumper? Would he be able to jump out of the cage or are you going to put a top shelf. I also cove my cages with fleece blankets. More privacy.

Susan


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 6, 2012)

LOL he sure is beautiful  Maybe he can visit but only for a day 

Yes, I was going to make the top part of the dog crate a shelf. I think I decided to put the shelf in the blue part but make a ramp to go from that shelf to the top of the dog crate. I think the red part just cuts down on the opening from the crate too much. you can kinda see the opening in the top view picture i didn't edit. It's right in the middle. 

Do you mean just a small box that he can hide in the cage? Well not small but you know what i mean lol. I could try but he likes to explore alot and i want to give him as much running room as he wants. If he isn't overly crowded then I could probably find a spot to put one. 

I'm not sure if he is a jumper yet but i am not going to put a roof on until i get the shelves and floor done just for easy access. I am planning on covering it though. Just bought more squares today. 

I am having a hard time finding out what to make as a floor. He slips on the laminate we have at home in our kitchen and loves to chew and dig at the carpet in the living room. I want something that will allow easy cleanup while also being comfortable for him. I was looking at those puzzle piece floors but my only concern is him chewing on those and ingesting the plastic parts.

Thank you for your reply


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## SOOOSKA (Jan 6, 2012)

What am i suppose to do with only one day?:?

Yes a box to hide in. Maybe put it in the dog crate across from the litter box. That's a good size crate.

In Daisy's cage I have like a cheap canvas rug I bought at Walmart a couple of years ago. She has excellent litter box habits. I also made the bunnies fleece blankets that I put in their cages.

Now Winston & Vega's, that'sa different story, he is such a piggy. Their cage has NIC panels on the floor also. I went to Home depot and got this paneling like boards that they cut to my size. One side is smooth, the other is a little rough. Now because Winston is a PIGGY and pees every where I put ceramic over the paneling. Easy clean up and keeps them cool in the hot summer.

Susan


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 6, 2012)

I can see About a hiding spot. His litter box is 18.5" x 15.5" with the dog crate at 19" x 30" so only about 15" to play with.

That's part of my problem. I'm tryin litter box training but his neuter isn't scheduled until the 19th. I have plenty of time to work with him but until then I need some easy cleaning floors that arent too slippery. He would definitely chew on any type of carpet/rug.


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## NorthernAutumn (Jan 7, 2012)

I would cut a piece of board to fit the shelf, and add thick dowling underneath for support - that's a big bunner!
Pegboard is a good floor covering - wipes up easily, and attaches easily to the NIC using zip ties. 

I strapped on fleece blankets to my shelves, then would take them for a wash each month - The nice thing with fleece is that urine doesn't really go through - just sits as a puddle - easier cleanup.


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 7, 2012)

Again Idk about fleece because he chews and digs. I saw people using peg board. Would you use it over the board on the shelves? Or just that on top of the wire. I couldnt do the second option because he isn't litter trained. I'll look for pegboard on our trip to home depot


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## OneTwoThree (Jan 7, 2012)

I wouldn't put any levels in until after his neuter, since you have to keep him from jumping for about a week anyway. 

That asides, I don't know if theres really room for a level or 2 in there? I'd worry he'd jump up and out to start, but even then he's a big bun and still growing, a cage isn't ideal. Hopefully once he's neutered litter training will go better, and then maybe you can bunny proof your room instead? Or just expand his pen all the way under that table?


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## NorthernAutumn (Jan 7, 2012)

I would mount the pegboard over whatever wood you choose for shelf support. I ducttaped my fleeces down, and they didn't bother it...just cheap fleece from the dollar store.
I agree, keep the second helf inaccessible until the neuter is fully healed... Litter training may alao be easier if he learns on the ground floor... Fewer interesting places to pee


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## LakeCondo (Jan 7, 2012)

You could get a cardboard box the right size to just fit into a cube. That would make a nice hiding place. You'd have to replace it from time to time, but the destruction of it would be fun for him and might keep him from chewing on worse places.


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 9, 2012)

Thank you again for all the replies. I bought the puzzle piece flooring and it's perfect. He hasn't even tried chewing on it. I put a towel down underneath the pieces because there are cracks. His litter training is very good in his new cage surprisingly. I think because it's new and doesn't have so many animal smells on it. I put two litter boxes in his cage thinking he would have an accident i might as well avoid it but nothing. Not even poop. The other litter box was used for digging. I pulled it and still no accidents outside the box.

I tried indoor/outdoor carpet and low and behold the chewing began...I guess I can try cheap fleece but I still think he will chew. I got some peg board and i will try to cover the wood with that ifthe chewing continues. I even tried adding more toys. Everything else is great besides that. He only has the one low shelf for now. I added a roof to it and no jumping out so far. He is super laid back. I do live with a boyfriend and neither of us will let him free roam until I can trust he won't pee in the apartment. I dont have a room per say. It's a 500sq foot studio/efficiency. I chose this place because it's like 2minutes from the horse barn. After this semester my horse will go back to his owners and I can find a cheaper and bigger apartment. This cage is temporary until then. After his neuter he will be confined from jumping. I wish I could be the surgery tech for his neuter just to see how it's different from a dog and cat but I have to go to school unfortunately. But I trust my boss and cant wait till he gets cut. He already tried humping my knee after me and my mom cleaned the other rabbit cages. But anyways sorry for the book I will post up pictures tomorrow of him and his new cage. He actually fits in it nicely. Oh I'll try the cardboard box idea I was also going to give him PT and TP rolls to play with


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 9, 2012)

Here are the pictures I promised. He made a mess during the night lol. there were a few poops outside the box but i haven't been able to spot a pee area except in his litter pan. I'm very excited about that but i must go get more bedding because it's all fluffed up lol. Bigger rabbits=bigger urine loads I almost forgot that lol. 

I expanded the floor way past his cage partly because it doesn't get in the way and also because it doesn't bother me. I'll leave it so i can reuse the mats when he can get a bigger cage.





The shelf is pretty low but he has learned how to more gracefully hop up and down on it. He also has chosen underneath as his hiding and flop spot. 





He got bored with the PT roll pretty quickly but oh well


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## OneTwoThree (Jan 9, 2012)

Does he get a lot of out of cage time? That cage is really too small for him to be in for an extended amount of time IMO. It looks like the top is open as well? That could be potentially dangerous, if he tries to jump up there and falls or makes it up and tries to jump out to the desk or floor.


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 9, 2012)

He doesn't because I still don't trust him keeping his litter habits in a bigger area as this is only the second day in his new cage. You can kind of see in the second picture I did put two cubes above the shelf. The middle of the cage is open partly for easy access to him if he trys to pee anywhere but his litter box and also because I am still making changes to it. He has not tried to jump anywhere but on the low shelf. I am planning on putting a ramp going to the third floor on top of the dog cage but i probably wont do that until after his neuter incision has healed.

the cage size is actually a step from his cage at the breeders house who i bought him from. The cages looked like 36" x 36" which is what we used for my californians in FFA and most commonly used for 8-15lbs bunnies (the breeder estimated him to be 11-13lbs full grown). Looking at it I can expand to one more cube length under the table. As I'm sitting at the table now it wouldn't bother someone sitting here. Like I said before this cage is temporary until the end of the semester. Ill try to get a better picture of the top.


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## OneTwoThree (Jan 9, 2012)

Ok I'm just brainstorming here, I understand if what you have is the best you can do, Ijust thought I'd do a rough draft thing and see how this is- since you have the extra space on the mat, what if you brought the pen out 1 more squarewith the desk leg inside the pen (and wrap that in cardboard) and then across? And then put 1 across the top for the time being, just to be sure there aren't any escape attempts. He just looks really cramped in those photos, and the space doesn't seem long enough for him to do a total sprawl, my reasoning is my Lady is large but smaller than your boy and she can stretch about 30 inches when she wants. Again I hope I'm not stepping on any toes! He is such a sweet looking boy!!


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## LakeCondo (Jan 9, 2012)

I agree that it would help if one cube could be expanded to a rectangle.


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 9, 2012)

I actually can't add one more square out because our patio door is right there. No stepping on toes. Its just hard to expand his cage because this is actually the biggest area available in our apartment. I think I will add one more square to the right (under the table) I agree he looks kinda cramped. I'm curious how long he is. I'm going to measure him real quick. I spread him out and he's just under 28in long. He looked like he could sprawl two cubes length comfortably (his flop spot under the shelf) Ill add pictures now. . 

Sorry for the quality these are from my iphone. This is showing the patio door to the left and the end of the dog crate on the right. Only 1ft shy from the door.






Showing under the table where I can expand






Showing the top of the low shelf






And Showing the only open spot so I can do more work on the inside


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## OneTwoThree (Jan 9, 2012)

Oooh I see. Yeah 1 more under the desk would be awesome! I hope he litter trains fast for you, I love being able to have my girls run and binky around the house


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 9, 2012)

Me too. He hasn't binkyd in the cage at least from when i'm watching him which means he's not as happy. I'm proud of how good he is doing so far. I will try to let him out to run in the rest of the breakfast room to see how he will do in a bigger area. My hopes are high since he has been this good. I think im going to keep it open in the one spot because it's the only way i can get his litter box out of the kennel LOL


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 10, 2012)

YAY more room!


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## OneTwoThree (Jan 10, 2012)

Ooh that looks better! Yay cute bunny! How's his litterbox thing going?


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## woahlookitsme (Jan 10, 2012)

He is still peeing inside the box. 

UNTIL
. . . you might notice the shelf is pegboard now because my boyfriend came into the apartment and told me it smelt like urine. I cleaned everywhere and moved the whole cage. No wet spots. The litter wasn't due for cleaning and as I was brushing under the table I smelt the carpet on the shelf and sure enough it was the carpet. He hasn't been on the shelf since it has been pegboard but I did open his cage up for the first time to let him out to run. He's very shy and doesn't like going on the wood too much. He will stay right on the excess puzzle pieces only exploring a little onto the wood and then back to his cage. I can lure him out pretty well but not long till he goes back.

There's a lot of poo pellets in his litter box but still some outside in the cage also. I think this should subside when his neuter is done. 9 days until  

He stays in the dog kennel alot more since I expanded it. I think a hiding place would be good for him.


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## kjm84 (Jan 14, 2012)

I don't have the space for such a large bunny, but he is beautiful! I would love one of him.


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