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Keeping a decorative or dwarf rabbit is no less popular than caring for a cat or dog. The animal is characterized by a friendly character and attractive appearance. To make an eared pet feel comfortable among people, you need to buy a cage for a dwarf rabbit or make it yourself.
Features of keeping decorative and dwarf rabbits
Rabbits are considered undemanding animals in terms of ambient temperature. Decorative bunny feels favorable in the temperature range from -10 to +25aboutC, and individuals of the dwarf breed are more thermophilic and they need from +10 to +20aboutFrom the heat. The owner is unlikely to lower the temperature of his home to a critical point, so you should not worry about the pet in this regard.
But rabbits are afraid of sudden changes in temperature, drafts, too humid or dry air. If heaters work in the house, then in tandem with them you need to turn on a humidifier.
It is important to maintain hygiene in rabbit cages. The pet's house must be kept clean at all times. This is achieved only by regular cleaning.
Rabbit hygiene includes pet brushing, hair and claw trimming. As for the toilet, it is necessary to train the animal. The rabbit is an intelligent animal and will quickly understand what is wanted from him. The toilet bowl is best placed outside the cage. Of course, the owner will have to transfer the litter there himself several times. The animal is sensitive to smell, and over time it will find the tray itself. The portable toilet will be chosen by the bunny himself and the owner will not have to clean the manure in the cage.
Eared pets are quite active animals. They love to walk in the fresh air and inside the apartment. On the street, an animal of a dwarf breed is walked, wearing a collar with a leash. But in the apartment, the rabbit needs to leave the cage door open. Further, he himself will figure out what to do. It is only necessary to take into account that the animal is an excellent rodent. An open cage is best placed in a utility room where there are no valuable items.
Alone, an eared pet will quickly become sad. It is advisable to add a couple to him. If you only have one dwarf rabbit cage, an accurate gender estimate is needed when choosing a companion. Two males will constantly fight for territory. Only two rabbits can be accommodated together. Different-sex animals will get along well, but if you don't want offspring, the male will have to be castrated.
Determine the size of the cells
It is necessary to calculate the size of the cage for decorative rabbits taking into account the breed, as well as their lifestyle. Regarding the first question, it should be noted that dwarf rabbits grow up to a maximum of 2 kg in weight. They are kept in apartments for beauty and entertainment. Animals of the decorative breed can grow up to 5 kg in weight. They are not kept in the apartment because of the bad smell. Ornamental rabbits are raised for their beautiful skins.
Now let's look at the second question related to lifestyle. If the animal spends more time outside the cage, then you can save on its size.However, no one will release decorative rabbits for a walk in the barn. Since the animal will be locked up all the time, it needs free space. You need to select a cage for a decorative rabbit at least 1 m in length and 0.6 m in width. An individual of a dwarf breed can be planted in a smaller cage 0.8 m long and 0.4 m wide. The height of a dwelling for a rabbit of any breed is selected taking into account that the pet can stand on its hind legs at full height. A dwarf animal can be placed in a cage with a height of 0.3–0.4 m.
Choosing a cage design
Specialized pet stores offer a large selection of cages for dwarf and decorative rabbits. If the pet will live in an apartment, then the owner is trying to find his home more beautiful. It should be noted right away that multi-storey cages are not suitable for an animal. Rabbits in nature live in burrows. Ladders and other obstacles installed inside a multi-storey cage can cause injury to the animal.
In general, when choosing a cage, they first look at the convenience of its maintenance, and also take into account the comfort and safe stay of the animal. In rabbit breeding, there is a standard according to which a rectangular design is considered the optimal shape of the cage.
Cells are produced in open and closed types. Sometimes owners choose a plexiglass house for a pet. The structure, completely closed with transparent walls, allows you to admire the animal and eliminates unpleasant odors. But only the owners will like this option, and the rabbit inside the house will not be comfortable. The enclosed space prevents the circulation of fresh air, which affects the pet's health.
Rabbits are optimally suited to cages made of galvanized steel rods. It is important to ensure that no paint is used instead of the zinc coating. Animals love to chew on twigs. Paint in the stomach can cause illness in your pet.
When choosing a cage, you need to pay attention to the structure of the bottom. Often, inexperienced rabbit breeders choose a house with a mesh bottom, under which a waste collection tray is installed. This option will not work. Rabbits have no protective pads on their feet. The mesh will press the pet's paws when moving, which will lead to an inflammatory process. Better to buy a house without a mesh bottom with a deep plastic tray. It is easy to clean and does not absorb dirt and odors.
In order for the rabbit in the cage to be comfortable, it must be properly equipped inside. Accommodation is divided into 2 zones:
- A smaller part of the internal space is occupied by a recreation area. Here, the eared pet is placed in a shelter in the form of a decorative house.
- Most of it is allocated to the activity zone. A feeder and a drinker are placed here.
Prefabricated cages are often sold already fitted inside. The owner will only have to put the rabbit in there and give him food.
Making a homemade cage
If you wish, you can make a house for a rabbit with your own hands. Tall structures are not welcome, but if the animal is made a small rise in the form of a second tier, then it will not harm it. They build homemade houses according to drawings. In the photo, we suggest looking at one of these options.
Now let's look at how to make a cage according to the proposed scheme:
- First you need to make the floor. Let's take the standard dimensions - 60x90 cm. You need to cut two identical blanks: one rectangle from chipboard, and the other from galvanized sheet. Tin is fixed with self-tapping screws to the wood board. This will be the final floor covering. Galvanizing will protect the chipboard from getting wet.
- Next, the walls are made. The back element is made of solid plywood. For the side walls, a galvanized mesh is used. The cut fragments are attached to the floor with self-tapping screws. According to the standard, the height of the walls is 45 cm.
- Now we need to build the roof.Plywood or mesh is suitable as a material. The choice is made at the request of the owner. The roof is made removable so that it is convenient to clean it in the cage.
- The front wall of the house is made of mesh. It can be made with two opening sashes or sewn up with a net. In the second version, an opening of 30x30 cm is cut in the wall and a door made of a wooden frame sheathed with mesh is hung.
- At the end, the finished structure is processed with a file and sandpaper to get rid of all burrs. Inside the plywood house, a lift is attached for the second tier, but you can do without it.
There is one weak point in the proposed design - the floor. A galvanized sheet laid on top will not protect the chipboard from moisture by 100%. It would be wise to pick up a plastic pallet in the store in size and put it on the floor.
Video on how a cage for a dwarf rabbit is set up and made:
There is nothing difficult in making housing for a dwarf or decorative rabbit. When developing a drawing of a house on your own, you need to remember not only about the beauty of the structure, but also about the convenience of housing for a pet.
