No video :(

How to Determine Your Best Rabbit Housing | Meat Rabbits 103

Подписаться 19 тыс.

Просмотров 85 тыс.

50% 1

This video is the next in our Meat Rabbit series and gives you some options to house your rabbits. We have previously used the hanging cages in our rabbit barns, but have moved on to the stackers and flush clean units. We will show you some options you have available if you want to purchase or build your own.
We recommend these choices for your rabbit housing:
Double Stacked Hutch - amzn.to/2C3c7Dp
Single Story Hutch - amzn.to/2EbuvAc
Complete Stacker Cage - amzn.to/2Ebcd1V
Rabbit Cage - amzn.to/2BLD4Qe
1/2" x 1" Cage Floor Wire - amzn.to/2nJwVeK
Book "Building Rabbit Cages" - amzn.to/2C2sbp7
We are a small homestead in south central Oregon living the best sustainable life as possible. We raise goats, rabbits, and heritage birds. Follow along as we divulge our secrets to surviving off-grid on solar power and growing our own food.
Keep up with us between uploads on Instagram: @spragueriverhomestead
www.youtube.co...

Опубликовано:

5 сен 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 118

@amyjohnson6089 6 лет назад

9:20 preach !! Most people don’t understand the work and bacteria that comes from having solid flooring. Rabbits stay cleaner when they have wire floors, though you should still provide resting boards, great video

@paulherndon8306 5 лет назад

Amy johnson is wood chips a bad idea on solid floors

@fugotones 4 года назад

that's kind of selfish, you'd rather have a wired bottom cage to not clean it than having your rabbit's feet not sore or cut?

@ritcheymt 4 года назад

@@fugotones I can see why you'd make that assumption, but it's not correct. It also isn't useful to accuse someone of selfishness based on your assumptions when they have years more experience in a given domain than you do. I raised rabbits for years in 4-H as a kid, so I can support what Amy Johnson and Sprague River Homestead said. Solid floors create infections and sore feet in rabbits unless the rabbit is in its natural habitat in a burrow. Imagine the health ramifications to you personally if you had to walk around and sit, stand and sleep in your own feces. Your feet and limbs would be much more sore and infected than if you had to spend a couple weeks toughening up your feet to handle walking on wire. Every rabbit breeder I ever knew provided a resting board in each cage, which the rabbit would keep clean and dry if the breeder put it in the right location. That resting board would give the rabbit a place to lounge and rest its feet.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

@@fugotones wire floored cages DO NOT create sore hocks. That is the biggest myth of the ARA crowd. What causes sore hocks are dirty living conditions, damaged flooring, and improperly trim/untrimmed toenails which cause the rabbit to put pressure on a part of the foot not designed to carry weight. I have rescued and rehabbed far more rabbits with sore hocks that came from solid wood floors than wire cages. And that's a fact. I have rabbits that are 5+ years old that have lived their lives on wire floored cages and have never had sore hocks. Not once. Why? Because we keep clean cages in good shape, provide resting boards (which most don't use), and keep nails trimmed.

@danielgriffith8911 4 года назад

you guys realize they sell coated mesh and no, the rabbits dont chew it. Resting boards are great, or a rectangle of marble, or even the aluminum cooling pad they sell works well to give them a place to rest. Keep the resting boards about the size of your rabbit so they have plenty of places to poop. I have a ceramic baking dish i put in the cage and my rabbits love to sit in it.

@mairzydoats4879 3 года назад

I see how your barn is now. (I feels so silly because I would've sworn that I already watched all your old rabbit videos) I'm so glad you made a playlist 😂

@twistedpost1066 4 года назад

One of the most informative video I have seen so far!! Thanks for sharing

@miller17013 5 лет назад

I use rabbit tractors for my grow outs from about 5weeks to butcher to reduce the cost of feed and keep my pasture grazed down to reduce mowing. They work well in my location.

@josephrodrick6451 5 лет назад

Great video, and though I've sucessfully raised rabbit for a many years, I loved watching this video, it was very thoroughly executed

@meredithr9824 Месяц назад

Those were great cage examples. Wish i had seen some of those before i planned mine. 😮

@markroberts6322 5 лет назад

Very good video. Good, practical, concise knowledge on raising meat (AND show) rabbits. The different photo examples are excellent. Rabbits don't need a 40-acre field for space. Remember, domestic rabbit ancestors lived in warrens dug into the ground, which were usually low, dark and often crowded.

@carrieashley6465 5 лет назад

Sprague river homestead Your right about wood floors for rabbits oh you forgot mention Blow flies lirva can get rabbits skin be murman on Wood floors is another about them ..

@reneebrown2968 3 года назад

I use a 3'×4' cages for my American doe and a 3'×3' for my New Zealand doe. My 12 week old American doe is already bigger than my New Zealand that is near 2 years old. The biggest thing that i like is i build them 3 foot tall so i can add a top level for the doe to get away from her kits as they get bigger and rambunctious but not weened

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

I can't do 36" cages. Just too hard to reach the back. I have 30s and that almost too far. How big is your NZ doe? Sounds like she might be on the small side. I've seen quite a few folks build them taller with shelves and it seems to work great.

@ranchoraccolto Год назад

Great down to earth videos, thanks

@TOMMYBITESHOMESTEAD 3 года назад

This was great, I’m researching a lot to start raising rabbits

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

Glad it was helpful! We've got videos covering most areas of rabbit care, but message us if you have questions you don't see a video for.

@bethanyschannel6342 6 лет назад

Humm i dont know i feel like i want mine to have more space then that 😕

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

beths animals - No rule saying you can't use larger pens. We give a recommendation based on minimum requirements. We have a large healthy, happy herd that thrives in the sizes mentioned. Thanks for watching!

@HalfAHandyman 4 года назад

Thank you for making this video

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

My pleasure!

@Follydogdog 2 года назад

Looks like the top of sugar loaf near Boulder out there

@SpragueRiverHomestead 2 года назад

It does in some places. Good eye

@pauliepaparazzo4484 4 года назад

Scribed and thumbed..Thank you for your time and providing all this good info.. I'm now thinking stackables for the fryers..

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Thanks for the sub!

@carlosgrillo1289 4 года назад

Great video.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Thanks!

@NoName-mb7iw 4 года назад

Nice videos etc, however I would not be happy having my rabbits in such cramped living spaces like the cages at the start.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

As we state, size recommendations are the minimum requirements. USDA regulations actually allow for even smaller spaces. You are always welcome to use larger cages. Our rabbits stay healthy, happy and active in the housing we provide. We do go to a larger cage when necessary (more rambunctious animals, mom's with litters, etc). Thanks for watching

@TOMMYBITESHOMESTEAD 3 года назад

New to your channel

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

Welcome! There's a ton of videos in our Rabbit playlist, but if you have any questions feel free to post a comment, message us on Facebook or Instagram, or send us an email!

@gennellethurman5790 4 года назад

Love your videos! So informational and makes me feel like I can do this! Could you please tell me what the rabbits would need for winter and summer as far as keeping them warm or cool?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Video coming soon, LOL. It's been on my list for awhile and I had just finally written it on the filming list for this next week. Should be out in around mid August.

@deniseswanson5525 4 года назад

Thank you for your informative videos. Could you please break down how you house the kits for growing out to butcher weight once weaned? For instance, how many per what size cage?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Hi there - that's a video idea I am working on. It should be out late August/early September.

@d.bartholomew50 5 лет назад

I use the 30x36 for all of my girls (Chins and NZ). I was wondering if it was too big and go to the 30x30. Now.... I'll stay where I am and leave the boys and grow outs in the 30x30 units.

@albertstrate6178 4 года назад

A 30 x 36 cage is the ideal size for chins and nz does. If you have a grow out pen to move the kits to when they are 7 or 8 weeks old would be great. I keep my fryers until 10 or 12 weeks. By then they would be pretty crowded if still with their mama.

@odonnellsaussiehomestead8257 3 года назад

Just wondering what breeds do u have. And how many of each eg trio . And total . Love watching u. When covids over love to visit one day.🥰👍

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

We'd love to have you visit sometime! Since we breed for show we have a pretty large herd. Right now we have: A buck/doe pair of English Lops Two trios of Satins 14 American does and 6 bucks 12 Thrianta does and 6 bucks 27 Harlequin does and 10 bucks

@tcanniff 2 года назад

I see your doors are on the outside. I worry about them pushing the wire. mine are made to be inside and pushed up. Do you have a preference?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 2 года назад

I actually have both. For the larger breeds I like the inswing doors as it's harder for them to open them, and they push back pushy/aggressive animals. For smaller breeds I like the outswing doors since the cages are smaller, which means I'm not fighting passed nest boxes or litters.

@davidfr924 5 лет назад

EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! I have been learning a LOT from them. Because of the size and weight of the New Zealand and California rabbits, and the square footage of the cage that you recommend, I have found a heavy duty welded "BIG DOG" cage (48"L x 29"W x 32"H) that I could line the bottom (plus 3" up the each side) with "HARDWARE CLOTH" (for the kit's feet), would this be a good way to go???

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

I wouldn't use hardware cloth unless it's absolutely all you can find. The wire has a thinner diameter so it wears out faster and is much harder on a rabbits feet that true cage wire. It's fine to use for baby saver on the sides. I would be concerned with the side wires on a dog crate being too open. Kits can hop pretty high at a young age and can make it out of the normal spacing on dog crates. Depending on where you are located you might be far and away better off to buy a standard rabbit cage. Rabbits don't need anything taller than 18" anyhow. Thanks for watching!

@davidfr924 5 лет назад

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly. I appreciate that. I shall try to do as you suggest. Keep up the good work. I learn a LOT from your videos!!! We are a young farm (2 years) and rabbits are also something new we wish to add. I hope that by following your counsel we will be successful. GOD Bless. David

@MotoMarta 4 года назад

Seem like an all metal construction (or metal and durable plastic?) would be best for sanitary reasons and to hold up to animal wear and tear but if going with a hutch, is there a type of wood that fairs better? Is pressure treated safe to use? What gauge of cage wire do you recommend for the bottoms? Is thicker always better as long as the spacing between the wire is good? I've been thinking of repurposing various items like old dog kennels, crates and pens, chrome/ss kitchen shelving units or those white coated wire closet shelves. In our climate we can get some very hot summer days and some fairly cold winters. Can you give some tips on striking a balance between ventilation and insulation without erecting a building around the cages? Wooden hutches with wall panels that can be traded out from solid to wire seem like a good option, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Also wondering if ammonia could become an issue in a winter hutch with solid walls, wire floors, and metal catch pens right under the wire (when temps fluctuate around the freezing mark). As a general rule, how do you arrange males vs females? Can they be cage neighbours or what would be the min distance at which to house a male from females? Does it make a difference if they can see each other, ie if you have two rows of cages with males being on one side? Does being close to the females make bucks be more restless, prone to not eating, or affect them (or the females) in any way? Is keeping rats out of rabbit cages an issue to consider? I know they can kill small birds, could they be an issue for baby rabbits? Thank you for making these vids and for sharing all your knowledge and experiences!!

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

That's a lot of questions to answer in a reply, but I think we can cover a lot of this in a near future video.

@MotoMarta 4 года назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead Sounds even better than a mere reply!

@TwoHams 5 лет назад

What is your opinion on the plastic coated welded mesh for a cage bottom? I've noticed rolls of it around and it's advertised to last longer from rust but haven't seen it mentioned in online for rabbits anywhere. I'm trying to figure out what kind of setup I want to build and seeing your cages has probably saved me a lot of money.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

It's junk. Rabbits will chew the plastic coating off VERY quickly. I'd go with a good quality cage wire from one of the cage companies. It will cost you a bit more up front, but will last much, much longer.

@amyrex3575 5 лет назад

Do you exercise your rabbits, and how does exercise affect the meat. I know you don't want fatty meat but can it become too tough?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

Rabbit meat doesn't get fatty like in other animals. Rabbit fat builds up internally and in older animals along the shoulders. The meat is extremely lean (leaner than chicken) and the animals are plenty active in their cages when given enough room. The muscles naturally toughen as the rabbits age, so you'll want to harvest before 12 weeks for it to be tender. Older animals require longer, lower cooking, and are perfect for the Crock-Pot or grinding for ground.

@amyrex3575 5 лет назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead you guys are a fantastic resource, thank you again!

@accessventures9194 4 года назад

You have just done and eyes opening thanks

@GypsyPaz 4 года назад

Theres a new law in California a couple years ago. I think it says 12 sqft room where they can hide, plus 32 sqft of run.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

No, that's not a state law. It was passed in one of the major cities and only affects those within city limits (drawing a blank as to where it was).

@paulherndon8306 5 лет назад

Is it bad idea to let them have ground contact

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

It depends entirely on where you are located. Certain areas have soil bourne diseases which rabbits are especially susceptible to. It also depends on the parasite and disease load of the local wild rabbit population. Because we have things like tularemia where we are, it's not worth the risk. Lots of breeders in other areas will utilize outdoor play pens to give their rabbits outside/ground time. You'll want to check around with other locals and/or your extension office to see if it's safe for your area.

@paulherndon8306 5 лет назад

Yes ma'am and thank u so much for the info.

@lindamyers1386 4 года назад

We are looking into tractors for our fryers. We have hot summers and I've heard it's easier to keep them cool in a tractors. We also have a large Bermuda grass lawn with tons of fresh grass all Summer. Our breeders will remain in their regular cages.

@danielgriffith8911 4 года назад

@@lindamyers1386 Gotta watch the breed. Some rabbits will stroke out at 85 degrees.

@dostagirl9551 5 лет назад

Been thinking about raising meat rabbits as I live in a rural/suburban area and they seem quieter and cleaner than chickens. Plus I like the idea of knowing where my meat comes from. I'll be honest though...I don't know if I can butcher them. I'm a softie when it comes to the cute and furry. However, I want to provide my rabbits with a good quality of life. I dislike the commercial farming operations for meats specifically because of the quality of living for these animals. Close enclosures, not being able to graze, etc... Is there not a better option to allow them more of a natural environment yet still keep them healthy and contained?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

I understand your concerns about cage raising them. Remember that rabbits have been domesticated for a very, very long time, and actually do best in wire cages and hutches. The natural instinct to graze and avoid poisonous plants has been bred out over generations. They also are not easily converted to all natural foods because they have developed a digestive system used to commercialized feeds. Grazing them also exposes them to parasites and illness that they no longer have any natural resistance too. There are people who have made strides in pasture raising them in chicken type tractors. Most people whom I have talked to report 50-75% losses in the first generation with losses decreasing every generation. Personally, that's not a risk I'm willing to take. We do our best to supplement with fresh greens (introduced slowly) during the growing season, dried greens with hay during the winter, plenty of chew toys and things to keep them busy, resting mats to relax on and cages large enough for them to move around and be comfortable. Lots of people also utilize playpen type pens to allow them outside time. Unfortunately we live in an area with a lot of wild rabbits and soil bourne diseases and it's not safe. Our rabbits are happy, healthy, and active. They are friendly and come to the front of the cages for ear rubs and pets at night. You have to do what you are comfortable with. There are many ways to raise rabbits and I'm sure you'll find the one that works best for you.

@PAPPY8389 4 года назад

Thankyou so much for your videos I love them !! May I please ask you if you have had any trouble with large breed meat rabbit kits feet falling through the 1/2”x1” flooring or if it’s no problems? Thankyou for sharing your wisdom it’s very much appreciated :)

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Thanks for the kind words 😊 We've only ever had issues with 3 kits, all runts and all in summer litters who came out of the nests early. In each case they got a leg through and somehow got their toes into the next space and got caught. But that's three in the last 8 years and of hundreds of litters. Generally it's not an issue. They'll stumble a bit in the first day or two when they come out, but in no time they are racing around without trouble.

@PAPPY8389 4 года назад

Thank you so much for sharing :) hoping you have the most beautiful and bountiful summer ever! Peace and love from northern BC :)

@deakzoltan5546 3 года назад

Such great channel and great content but the voice quality could inprove.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

Thanks. We do everything on a budget here, so improvements are made when we can. We've upgraded equipment since this video was made, and will be again in the next couple of months. Thanks for watching

@bayanicastillo9264 4 года назад

A blessed day I am a new and just now learning, anyone here can suggest to me which line of rabbit is good for breeding and where i can buy. Thank you and God bless us all.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

We have a video on the best breeds we recommend. Are any of them available near you?

@bobnewhart4318 5 лет назад

Great information. New sub to your channel

@Rockingtrabbitry 2 месяца назад

Where did you get your cages or did you buy them?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 2 месяца назад

I bought mine from Bass Equipment.

@Constitutionalapologist 4 года назад

Im building a hutch. It is 12 feet long by four feet deep. My question is: given the option of having six 2ft x 4ft cages or four 3ft x 4ft cages, which would you choose? They are meat rabbits. Thanks in advance.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

I would never go deeper than 30" on a cage, so skip the 3x4. While I appreciate the idea of extra room, it's extremely hard to get a hold of a rabbit at the very back of a 3' cage. Even our 30" cages can create problems when trying to get 8 week old juniors out for checks or to move them. At 2' deep you'll be able to reach everything far easier. Thanks for watching!

@dajojoboii_rsa9425 4 года назад

More more 🤘🏻

@odonnellsaussiehomestead8257 3 года назад

I have some stickers how do u supply hay? Didn't see that in your cages. 🥰👍

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

We have a video on making cheap $1 hay feeders. They're made out of plastic bins and ziptied to the doors. I don't put hay in the cages if I can help it, as it gets soiked too easily.

@odonnellsaussiehomestead8257 3 года назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead i agree thats why I asked because those small cages have very little room on the front

@odonnellsaussiehomestead8257 3 года назад

Could give me the link for that hay feeder for a buck no pun intended, lol 🥰

@SpragueRiverHomestead 3 года назад

. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mDB20CVKnEw.html

@michaels9926 6 лет назад

Great video! I would like to get some quality resting boards. Which would you suggest?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

Michael S - I'm working on an equipment video that will talk about resting boards and other equipment more indepth, but in the meantime I would recommend the heavy duty black boards from Bass Equipment. Shipping isn't bad and they usually send them out pretty quickly. You can find cheaper boards but usually they are made of recycled plastics and don't last very long because the rabbits will chew them. I had some white ones, though I can't recall where they came from. They were a hard plastic and the rabbits didn't chew them, but in winter they would get cold and the rabbits would crack them.

@skoalmen143 5 лет назад

Hello! What is the size shed of this rabbitry and how many cages within?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

We have two different rabbit buildings. One is 10x16 and holds our larger American and Champagne rabbits. It has 8 stacks of 3- 30x36 cages and a short stack of two 30x30 cages (26 holes total). The barn the Harlequins and Thriantas live in is 10x20 and has a total of 44 holes, 12 - 18x30, 7 - 24x24, 4 - 24x30 and 21 - 30x30. The buildings are 6' at the eaves to accommodate the triple stacks. There is a 30" wide area in each barn for feed cans, and in the Harlequin building three of the stacks are only two high with a pegboard rack on top to allow for nest box storage.

@SilverSpike777 4 года назад

I’m planning to use wire cages. Does it matter to the rabbits if the sidewalls are screened where they can see each other? Or I need to block their view from one another? Thanks!

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

I've always found that rabbits do better when they can see each other. Prey animals take their cues from others, so rabbits that can see other rabbits tend to be more relaxed as there are more sets of eyes, ears and noses that can be on the lookout for danger. There are plenty of folks who don't agree with that, so take it for what it's worth. 🤷 If you do house them to allow them to see each other, just make sure you don't put bucks side by side. It makes them more likely to spray and pace. Thanks for watching!

@SilverSpike777 4 года назад

Sprague River Homestead thank you for that tip. I will buy my first rabbits this week. This is all new to me so I will be watching all your videos. Maybe you can create a video to walk us through the process. Like how to start and what to buy or prepare. I don’t even know what to use to transport them from the seller to my house 😀

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

Welcome to rabbits! I can certainly make a video along those lines but doubt I could get to it in time to be of much help to you. To bring your rabbits home, cat carriers work just fine. Please don't use plastic totes or cardboard boxes. That never ends well. (Oh the stories I could tell)

@SuperSuperRaza 6 лет назад

Awesome.

@reneebrown5598 6 лет назад

I've got extra 18×18 tile that I am thinking of using as resting boards. I live on the gulf coast so it's rarely too cold but it can get hot. I've got ice packs that I can sit inside a short box and lay the tile on it so they can lay on the cold tile. I've built them so the rabbits can't chew on the box ( or minimally) and not get to the freezer blocks. Is there any reason that you can think of to not use the tile. It is sealed ceramic role

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

Renee Brown - tile works great! We used it when we lived in Mississippi and have used them occasionally here when the weather is really hot. They are easy to clean and sanitize too which is nice.

@terrim.602 5 лет назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead are you talking about ceramic tiles? I live in hot summers, cold winters. I could use tile in the summer and wood or hard plastic board in winter

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

@@terrim.602 yes, ceramic tile. You don't want to use wood as it's a bacterial nightmare and Impossible to sanitize. In winter you can use cut pieces of plastic lattice if you don't want to buy resting boards.

@allthingsmaloney5634 4 года назад

the only thing keeping me from jumping the gun is the smell from ammonia/their pee. I had a pet rabbit as a kid but it smelled SO STRONGLY. I know they will be outdoors so that helps. Any other suggestions to help this? I agree with your rest board in the middle method. That makes sense, and ofcourse a full wire floor as you suggest. Anything else? How often do you clean out the droppings trays?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 4 года назад

If you are using trays you can add in sawdust, pine pellet bedding or pines shavings to keep the odor down. You can also use peat moss which helps neutralize, or PDZ stall freshener. How often you clean depends on how big the rabbit is to the tray/cage size and time of year. Spring and fall most of my individuals only need cleaned every 7-10 days. During the winter I do it more often of use fresheners to keep the odor down. In summer I dump as often as I can to keep flies down, usually every 3-5 days. I use fine pine shavings in my pans.

@allthingsmaloney5634 3 года назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead I just rewatched this video and realized I commented last year on it. We have rabbits this year and have had 3 litters already :) Outdoor rabbits are THE BEST compared to indoors! I do tractors, hutches and cages just to see what I liked best. I love it! The babies are also adorable

@amyrex3575 5 лет назад

Can you keep females together?

@SpragueRiverHomestead 5 лет назад

Up to 4-5 months you can usually (not always) house littermate does together. As adults, does are actually far more territorial even than males and should have their own space. Occasionally does can live together and will raise young together, but that is more the exception than the rule. I don't keep does together and would never recommend it.

@amyrex3575 5 лет назад

@@SpragueRiverHomestead thank you for the info! Glad I asked 😅

@kevywilliams3304 Год назад

Bahah 4 square feet 😂 that’s huge

@accessventures9194 4 года назад

I have grasscuter cone rat for sell

@lauren3266 6 лет назад

A hamster needs 420 square feet and your saying a large rabbit needs 4 square feet?You keep your rabbits in very small cages on wire and don’t give them access to hay 24/7

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

Betta. Fins - so you think a hamster needs a one bedroom apartment? The recommended minimums are 1sq ft per 2# of body weight in rabbits. As for hay, it is a complete misnomer that they require hay at all. Half of pellet feed is made up of hay alread (either Alfalfa or Timothy). Rabbits don't require a fiber count of higher than 20 percent of their daily feed intake. Our feed blend is 20 percent fiber. They get supplemental hay if they are having a bad molt to help keep the gut loose and avoid impaction, but it is not necessary. Thanks for watching

@lauren3266 6 лет назад

I don’t think it’s a big enough space for a rabbit it can only hop one or twice in a tiny circle.The wire is also not very good for the rabbits and can make there hocks sore I also don’t see it being comfortable to live on.Hay is also important to keep there open root teeth short and it gives them some thing to do when bored.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

Betta. Fins - actually hay does very little to keep teeth short. As someone who has rescued rabbits that have been on an all hay diet I can assure you that hay is too soft to keep teeth worn down appropriately Giving rabbits hay just so they won't be bored is very unhealthy and often causes obesity. We provide all of our rabbits with chewable toys to help with teeth and prevent boredom without causing weight issues. As for hopping around and wire being uncomfortable, it sounds like you are forcing human opinion onto the rabbits. My rabbits are healthy, happy, and do not have sore hocks. They also do just fine hopping around and playing, Domestic rabbits have been bred/developed for thicker footpads than wild rabbits, and solid floors actually cause more hock issues and disease problems than wire.

@lauren3266 6 лет назад

Thick hays like oat hay are great for keeping teeth down.I would see a cage that small more like a carrier than a permanent cage.

@SpragueRiverHomestead 6 лет назад

Betta. Fins - you are welcome to your opinion. Thanks for watching