1. Less Expenisve and Easy Do-It-Yourself Options
make sure to pay CLOSE attention to the parts list instructions and use the how-to guide or you'll end up doing everything over again. Keep scrolling down to see photos of what previous adopters have built for their bunnies and also for photos of our FOSTER CAGES - which are the largest foster cages of any rescue!
Also check our You Tube channel to see some of the luxury condos our foster rabbits have.
----a. Our Step-by-Step Guide
----b. Parts List. All the things you will need to build one of the DIY (do it yourself) houses link to above.
2. Acceptable Retail Options
Leith Petwerks -- the premier house rabbit accomodations, if money is no object, go for it! Plus we usually have a number of USED LP condos for sale at great discounts, so just about that.
DOG CRATE
A large dog crate works just fine and you can easily add a shelf for a 2nd level but these tend to be expensive and it's just much less expensive to build a cube cage! There are two bunnies in here (medium sized Dutches). Also, it tends to be noisy when they're hopping around in these cages because of the plastic tray clanging on the metal bottom. Certain brands of these crates allow for two Cube grids to fit perfectly to make a shelf for perching (yes rabbits love to perch).
THE DOG HOUSE
LESS EXPENSIVE AND EASY DO-IT-YOURSELF OPTIONS
All the models linked below were BUILT BY ADOPTERS for the rabbits they adopted from us.
The section below that has photos of some FOSTER RABBIT HOUSING setups.
Each type is rated by SIZE OF RABBIT; small rabbits (under 5 lbs.), medium-sized rabbits (5-7 lbs.), and large, giant rabbits (7-13 lbs.).
MOUNTAIN RESORT MODEL
MURPHY & MADELAINE
SMALL RABBITS (UNDER 5 LBS.)
THE SPLASHER MODEL
SPLASHER & COLETTE (NOW BART & COLETTE)
SMALL RABBITS (UNDER 5 LBS.)
STARSHIP VOYAGER
STAR
LARGE, GIANT RABBITS (7-13 lbs. or more)
BUCKYHAM PALACE
BUCKY
LARGE, GIANT RABBITS (7-13 lbs. or more)
Note: you don't really need all those
cable-ties but for sure, this condo is earthquake proof.
COMPACT MODEL
HARRY & TRINITY
SMALL RABBITS (UNDER 5 LBS.)
URBAN BUNNY MODEL
TABITHA & TWITCHETT (mini-lop and dwarf)
MEDIUM-SIZED RABBITS (5-7 lbs.)
GRAD SCHOOL OVERLORD MODEL
HARLEY & CELLY
MEDIUM-SIZED RABBITS (5-7 lbs.)
KITCHEN CORNER MODEL
ANTONIO BUNDERAS
SMALL RABBITS (UNDER 5 LBS.)
RECROOM MODEL
MARTHA
MEDIUM-SIZED RABBITS (5-7 lbs.)
TOWNHOUSE MODEL
DALE & TEESA
SMALL RABBITS (UNDER 5 LBS.)
THE TEAM SPIRIT DOUBLE DECKER FOSTER TOWERS
MEDIUM-SIZED RABBITS (5-7 lbs.)
Also, check out our Triple Decker Foster Towers on YouTube. We'll be adding instructions on how to build those to this website as soon as we can. They are very easy to build, the one in the video was built by a 'handicapped' person in five hours although designing it in my head took about six months. The problem with the towers above (UNC) was I didn't like the way the plywood blocked light from getting to the lower level, and the plywood had to be very thick (thus expensive), heavy, and had to be cut by my spousal unit on a table saw which meant I had to wait until he had time to do this which wasn't often. So the new Triple Decker Foster Towers are made with bamboo and the stalks of this 'woody grass' were cut by me with a Dremel using a diamond cutter wheel. This still produced some smoke and the wheel only lasted long enough to cut enough bamboo for one tower. However, the bamboo makes it nice and airy and easy to be engaged with the bunnies on each level and more importantly, allows light (both ambient and natural) to filter down to each level. The circle is noted by psychologists and animal behaviorists as having an enriching affect and the bunnies enjoy running in both directions and love to stretch out as long as they can stretch themselves. We'll be adding more (and better made) videos soon of each tower and their residents. The tower in the video at the link above is called 'the iPool' so look for videos soon of the Mothership, and so on. We have two completed so far with six more to do. You can easily subscribe to our YouTube channel to get updates on this project.
A note to fosterers considering this setup: you will not want to use water bottles for these pool setups (even though you seem them pictured above). The bunnies spill about half the water when they drink which causes much more work to scoop out the CareFresh and use of more CareFresh. We have long since switched to using heavy water crocks and although they need to be refilled a couple times a day, we use a small plastic watering can which makes it easier. When the crocks need cleaning or become filled with flying litter or hay, we use a slop bucket to empty them and wipe out thoroughly with microfiber towels. This eliminates multiple trips to the sink for both emptying and filling. Yea, we do a good job and we have a system although we've been accused of being control freaks, that usually comes from out of control freaks who don't understand time management. Also, with a litter box in the middle of the pool, the bunnies invariably only use that for 'necessaries' and the rest of the CareFresh remains dry for a long time and provides the traction they need to be able to run at high speeds in circles. Some of them even end up running on the side of the pool like they're in a centrifuge! Guess it's kind of like a big hamster wheel but for rabbits!
VERSAILLES
LARGE, GIANT RABBITS (7-13 lbs. or more)
That says it all. We haven't put in the chandeliers yet, it was just built and only the bottom level is complete. We had just finished it and put the coroplast pan in the bottom level and transferred mini-lops Graham & Pepper into it. We still have to add a carpet and some toys. But we will! This is 3 feet x 8 feet or 24 square feet!!!!!
Graham & Pepper looking lost in their new palace. Accoutrements to come.
We will be adding more photos of this huge condo and how the doors work and more info about it's design and construction as soon as we can.
II. HOW TO GUIDE: OUR STEP-BY-STEP ASSEMBLY GUIDE. It's still under construction but this is a good start.
III. PARTS LIST:CUBE SHELVING from Walmart ($19.00 - go to store to buy, shipping is cost prohibitive, available in black, white, purple, white is less expensive). Check this link for a comparison of the grid holes, make sure you get the smaller holes. The large hole ones are UNSAFE. Bright Eyes Sanctuary also has equipment that can prepare a long-lasting, unstainable acrylic (guaranteed for life) for you that these will fit in. Photos coming soon.
HEAVY DUTY cable ties (also called zip ties) rated at least 80lbs!!!!!! (you will need a LOT - hundreds - so cheapest to order online - some brands are not as good quality as others). Any lower weight rating is not strong enough, these will be 8" long but you just clip off the excess. If you are concerned about the resulting sharp edges, you can round them off with a Dremel, or just point them outwards away from the interior. I got my cable ties (also called zip ties) here.
DOWEL RODS (no wider than 1-1/4", depending on size of rabbit should be at LEAST 1" in diameter!!!) from Home Depot or Lowe's or a mom-and-pop lumber store (if there's any left) or 2x2's (can be hard to find sometimes) for shelf support that will fit through the grid holes but be strong enough to hold up the shelves, be sure to cable-tie the dowels to the shelves for extra support.Depending on the length of your cage, you may want to use T-shaped support for extra support over the usual parallel support - that is, having support rods lengthwise and widthwise as opposed to just lengthwise. THE POINT IS IT HAS TO SUPPORT THE SHELF ABOVE IT. If you can bend the dowel, it is not strong enough.
COROPLAST for flooring, white is the cheapest, get from a sign store, tell them you're not making a sign or they'll mark it up since they want to make your sign for you. Some rabbits will chew the coroplast unless you provide more fun chew toys. They like the noise it makes when they rip it, so give them something noisier to rip, like newspapers or a phone book.
Or use indoor/outdoor carpeting, like the Splasher Model above, but it's not that great because their fur sticks to it, use whatever you like, you can use linoleum remnants (they chew on this), cardboard with towels (they might pee on that).
Or use BERBER carpeting, if it's the washable kind. It's more costly than all the above but it's the longest lasting and least likely to be destroyed.My personal favorite is the coroplast because you can fold it into a deep pan which can be washed and disinfected with bleach and it also keeps the hay from escaping.