Ask most people about pets and you will probably hear a response that talks about dogs or cats. In more rare circumstances a pet owner will be a fancier of guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils or even more exotic animals such as snakes, spiders or lizards. But there is a growing trend toward smaller mammals, including ferrets, rats and especially rabbits.
Rabbits are unusual in our society because they are one of the few animals that are viewed as food by some people and as pets by others. The number of homes that have indoor rabbits has been increasing at such a pace that there now exists a House Rabbit Society which rescues abandoned and abused rabbits and distributes useful information on keeping rabbits safely and in a healthy manner within a home situation. In Canada, rabbits have been kept as pets for more than 35 years, but people in other countries are quickly learning that rabbits make great pets. They are trainable and they are quiet, which is a big plus for someone living in an apartment.
One feature about a rabbit that interferes with them enjoying free run within a home is their propensity for chewing. Although rabbits can be successfully trained to use a litter box, it is more difficult for them to be convinced not to chew such things as furniture legs and electrical wires. This is why many owners of house rabbits seek an indoor hutch or rabbit cage in which their long-eared pets may be kept when they cannot be supervised. Mom and dad's younger daughter had a pet rabbit, called “Amy,” in the early 1980's. She was very affectionate, but you had to watch her very carefully when she was loose because she loved to chew electrical wires. Extension cords and lamp cords were her favourites. If you took your eyes off her for a second, she would snip an electrical cord with her razor sharp teeth. Fearing for her safety, all electrical cords in the room in which she was free to run were removed. An indoor hutch was made for her so that when there was no one there to supervise her, she had a safe place to live.
According to the House Rabbit Society, a rabbit's housing should provide several things. Rabbits need to be able to fully stretch out in all directions. They require at least two levels, so they may jump up and down for exercise. They need a supply of food, especially hay, as well as water. And, of course, a litter box is needed.
A recent trend in building indoor rabbit hutches is to make a "bunny condo" out of modular storage cubes. Many hardware and home furnishing stores sell 14-inch wire cubes for making modular storage units. These cubes can be used to construct a multilevel rabbit house that provides sufficient space for all the requirements that are specified by the House Rabbit Society.
Building a rabbit condo that is three cubes wide, three cubes high and two cubes deep will create a space measuring more than 28 cubic feet in capacity. This is far more spacious than the average dog carrier that many people use for housing their indoor rabbits.
When building a rabbit condo, several other considerations should be kept in mind. The bare wire floor should never be used by itself, but should be covered with a material such as plywood. For ease in cleaning, covering the floor part of each cube with vinyl tiles, linoleum or rubber mat material is recommended. However, it should not be too slippery a surface, as rabbit feet were designed for hopping on natural earth and grass, not on smooth artificial surfaces.
Numerous plans for rabbit condos are now available across the Internet and most of them would provide all the safety, security and living space a house rabbit needs. Still, they cannot be locked away all the time. Even a rabbit in a fancy condo needs to get out into the house for some good exercise including running and jumping for a few hours every day.
Until next time,
Teia
No comments:
Post a Comment