Stacking "dog crate" bunny homes.

[Toady]

With two new rabbits arriving in just over 2 weeks I'm re-arranging the 'bunny' room to accommodate them, the room itself is small, only 7 square metres (apparently 78sq feet). All my rabbits live in dog crates and for the past year my spayed sister pair have had their crate on a 4 foot long and 3 foot wide wooden stand above the other crate as you can see by the picture below.

However with the new additions and another similar stand it's going to be a really tight fit getting around the room and I'm thinking that maybe instead of having these stands that stacking one crate directly on top of the other might be an easier way to go, maybe using some big cable ties or something like that to attach the two together.

Has anyone done this or something similar and had any issues? I'm worried that if I do this that if the bunny/s at the top get startled by something that the movement might shake the bottom crate and cause some instability, especially since the single bunnies in the new crates won't have that 2nd level to keep the sides or fronts from collapsing.

Any suggestions?

 

[Miss M]

I really have no idea. But I hope you can figure something out that will work well!

 

[3mina]

If you tie them together there won't be a collapsing issue. Use at least two attachments per side
I'd use wire rather than zip ties though, zip ties get eaten.

 

[squidpop]

I have dog crates stacked like yours - but right on top of each other. They haven't collapsed yet- and I didn't do anything to stabilize - but maybe I should.

 

[Toady]

Thank you Miss M, 3mina and Squidpop. I've decided because of the extra weight of the timber for the current "pairs" 2nd level to leave them with the stand (but cutting the legs down a bit so it's not as high) but with the new crates I'll be stacking them as they'll only have a single bunny in each and it's not like the rabbits going in there are massive and heavy (an English Angora and a Satin)

 

[Secuono]

Use wire to secure them in place and they will get used to any noise and movement.

 

[skysthelimit]

You just gave me an idea to use my metal dogs crates that won't hold dogs anymore.

Just as a side note- mos of my cages are held together by zip ties, it was supposed to be temporary--2 years ago.

 

[Dood]

I wouldn't worry about collapsing, just try and line up the walls/sides of the cage and re-inforce the top of the bottom cage with added wire rings around the edges

You could always use a clip and anchor the top cage to the wall if your worried about tipping.

 

[ladysown]

having done this in the past...I"ll recommend you get some 1/4 inch plywood and use that in-between the dog kennels. They should simply sit for you, without the need to secure them, mine did.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

I have a dog crate being used for a rabbit pen. I used zip ties and my rabbit hasn't bothered them at all. It may depend on the rabbit.

 

[DogCatMom]

Living (as I do) in a seismically active zone, I recommend attaching the stack of crates one to the other by whichever secure means you select (covered/coated wire?). If at all possible, attach (bolt?) the combined structure to a structural beam in the wall, too, to help prevent Squashed Rabbit in case of a seismic event.

Most of our bookcases are bolted to the wall. We haven't experienced a major quake on the local, large Hayward Fault, which hasn't moved in a big way since 1868. The Loma Prieta quake of October 1989 was on the San Andreas Fault; its effective strength in the East Bay was approx. 5.6. DH *finally* got the message about bolting bookcases, and did it in this house when we moved here.

Given NZ's recent seismic travails, I suggest securing the cages to one another and then to the wall.

Best wishes.

 

[HowlsOfAngels]

If you want to use zip ties, but are nervous about the rabbit chewing them you can use these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bend ... er_reviews

 

[Toady]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I've found that my current 4 don't worry about zip ties if they're on the outside of the crate as they haven't chewed off their hay holders (yet) but I'm told that one of the two new bunnies is a bit of a horror but the crate is nearly 2ft high so it'll take a lot of stretching for her to get them.

Dogcatmom, I'm actually in Australia and where I am we've had the odd 3 pointer tremor, the type you never know about until they tell you on the news or mistake for a large truck driving past. But I'll keep bolting them to the wall if the top bunny decides she wants to go on a rampage.

 

[DogCatMom]

Dogcatmom, I'm actually in Australia and where I am we've had the odd 3 pointer tremor, the type you never know about until they tell you on the news or mistake for a large truck driving past. But I'll keep bolting them to the wall if the top bunny decides she wants to go on a rampage.

Oops! my mistake! Somehow my brain translated "NSW" (I actually know that that's New South Wales) into "NZ" and, as most people know, the Kiwis were really rocked by a pair of major quakes in the past couple of years.

 

[willie]

hose clamps are better b/c they cannot chew them I use them on my outside rabbit pens. I raised my hutches up using electrical conduit and hose clamps. It works fine b/c I dont need to bend over. I have used the hose clamps to keep the dog crates from collapsing. It works great, if u need to see pictures let me know.

 

[Toady]

Well I've finished moving things around and have 'put up' one of the new crates to see how I can move around the room and make sure I can do things like open the windows and get to the blinds. I've also given myself more room by putting the hay bales (in bags) into the wardrobe along with the small bin that has their feed in it. Although the vinyl flooring has moved a bit I don't think that the bunnies will really care as they'll be chewing holes in it in no time at all.

You can see the space between the two which gives me plenty of room to move myself as well as the vacuum cleaner once a week.