'Bout to put in my first equipment order...

[HoneyTree]

The time is drawing near that my bunnies will be ready for me to bring them home! I've been waiting on a breeding pair of Silver Foxes for a few months now, and I've put together a list of equipment that I think will best suit my needs. Will y'all take a look and tell me what you think? I plan on hanging the cages from the roof beams of our outdoor garage, but I'm not 100% sure that will work, so I'm going to be getting pans, too, for a back-up in case I need to move them in. The rabbits are mostly going to be for meat and fur (for personal use, not to sell). I was thinking of going with Bass for my order.

(2) 18" high, 36 x 24" all-wire cages (why do people order swing-out doors? what's the advantage of that? I ask because I have never reached in trying to pick up a rabbit. Do you have to add a little hanging wire to secure a swing-in door while you try and get the rabbit?)

(2) 1 1/2 inch metal pans

(2) 5 1/2 inch PRO-B Feeders

(2) 32 oz. water bottles

I'm planning on getting the hay and wood chips from the feed store here, and of course, the feed.

Would you get a next box right off? Would I be able to get away with just the two cages for a breeding pair or would I need a third once the litter arrived?

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[margali]

One comment about cage size. I would mock up a cage out of cardboard with the correct depth and door dimensions. Make sure you can reach to the back of the cage with it at the height your going to hang it at.

I have a 24"x24" with a small door that I got used. It was a pain trying to get my rabbit out of the back corner because the door was too small. I wouldn't have been able to reach the back on a 36" deep cage. A lot of people use 24" deep x 36" wide cages and I'm pretty sure you can order it that way from Bass.

 

[HoneyTree]

Margali, thanks so much! I didn't even think to ask about where the door was in relation to the sides! I heard also, too, to make sure the door was wide enough to accommodate a nest box. About how wide is that?

 

[margali]

The medium size on Bass's webpage is 18"l x 10"w x 9"h. Hopefully someone else will chime in. I had a male Netherland Dwarf so no experience with nest boxes.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Get a backup bottle or two, or go to say, a Salvation Army store and get some used ceramic crock type dishes-- sometimes, having extras of water and food dishes comes in REAL handy.

 

[Miss M]

You may also want to consider a different company for your cages. I ordered mine from Bass, because it was the pretty much the only one I'd heard of at the time. If I had it to do over again, I would order from Woody's Wabbits. Reasons:

1. The prices are only very slightly higher.
2. The floors on Bass cages are 16 gauge (the rest is 14 gauge, what's up with that?!?), while Woody's uses 14 gauge.
3. The J-clips from Bass stink. After only a year, I had a rabbit get loose when several clips rusted and broke. I don't know how Woody's are, but they can't be worse. I hear Klubertanz's clips are exceptional.
4. The shipping is quite reasonable, considering what you are ordering. You do have to give your payment info and then get a shipping quote, but it works out alright.

I'll probably be replacing our Bass cage floors with Klubertanz 14 gauge floors soon, along with the J-clips. The Bass floors are not only harder on the rabbits' feet, but they bow badly. I don't know... I may just get floor supports for now, and replacement clips, and wait on the floors. I wish I had gotten heftier floors to begin with.

On nest boxes -- if you can afford to get them now, I'd do it. Shipping will probably be less if you order them with everything else than it would be if you made a separate order, and you'll have them from the start. But if you need to, you can get by with a cardboard box as a nest box. It's just single-use.

 

[Bramble Hedge]

I would get as much as you could afford right off the bat (re: nest boxes etc.)as when you get your buns home and start playing around with them before you know it you need the nest box lol.

 

[Random Rabbit]

One thing i would suggest... If You can... get the plastic Duratrays. The metal ones will rust over time... and chemicals to clean them will accelerate that process. The plastic ones will clean up Beautifully time after time.

Heavier guage bottom wire is best. Much easier on the rabbit's feet.

Nest boxes made from wood offer a bit more insulation for the kits. Also... a heavy cardboard box will work well. We've used those for the Hotots. Then just disposed of them after.

Without the hanger thingy... swing up and in doors are a Pain !! I get either my sleeve or my arm caught every time on the cages w/o the hanger ! grrrrr. And Yes !! make certain the nest would fit thru the door. We've needed to cut walls bigger And cut nestboxes down... pain when one is trying to 'get 'er Done' !

I would also suggest an extra cage... You will probably need it when the youngsters are growing. ( ask us how we know This ??)

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Ok, just my thoughts....swing in doors take up space inside the cage when open. Normal swing out doors are better in my opinion, and the larger the better. I have 30 x 36 and I made the doors 12 x 12 and off to one side....geez what a pain! I cannot reach the far back corner! I am about to cut them larger now. I had some 30 x 30 and 24 x 30 cages made with 14 x 16 doors and they are awesome!!!! so much easier.

 

[Miss M]

Shay made nestboxes for us out of thick plywood and floor wire. The wire is recessed so I can put cardboard under the box as an insulator in the winter. Unfortunately, the does pull the cardboard out to munch on every time. Oh, well... I don't really have trouble with them getting cold, anyway.

 

[Fid]

I'd have to agree about the Bass bottoms, they're a little flimsy. I'll replace mine eventually.