Setups |
Housing setup options and tips for your disabled rabbit.
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Disabled Rabbits and Housing Setups
The setup you choose for your disabled rabbit plays a large role in their overall comfort and health and so must be considered and chosen carefully. Here are some important things to consider when you are deciding what sort of housing setup to use for your disabled rabbit:
No matter the special considerations, here are a few general things to keep in mind when housing any disabled rabbit:
- What are your rabbit's needs?
- What are your rabbit's limitations?
- Can your rabbit move around on his or her own?
- Can your rabbit access food and water on his or her own?
- Does your rabbit have control of his or her bladder?
- Does your rabbit need to be confined for safety or can he or she be allowed more space to move?
No matter the special considerations, here are a few general things to keep in mind when housing any disabled rabbit:
- You will need and want to have constant and convenient access to your rabbit
- You will need to create a space that is free of obstacles and meets your rabbit's specific needs
- You will need to make sure your rabbit (and their setup) is very much integrated into your family's daily life
Types of Setups
There are a number of different setup options out there for owners of disabled rabbits to use. Keep the questions above in mind and use some trial and error with the ideas below:
Exercise Pen Setup
An exercise pen is the ideal setup for most rabbits. This setup allows for the most freedom of movement and is overall the least constricting housing setup. Many rabbits that have difficulties with cage aggression do well in exercise pens as they more closely resemble natural openness and do not have the "closed-in" feeling of a cage. This also helps your rabbit to feel more involved in your daily life and goings-on. We find that most disabled rabbits generally do well in pens, unless of course they have a condition that requires constricted movement or space. Pens can be made smaller or can be expanded to accommodate a rabbit's needs and can be adjusted to fit your room's space requirements. We recommend a pen of 24 inches tall. If your rabbit can hop out or is housed with a mate who can, a taller pen may be necessary. Try to get the shortest pen possible as this allows for convenient access to your rabbit, which is very important when he or she is disabled. Many pens also come with doors to increase accessibility.
Recommendation: Precision Pet Exercise Pen
We recommend and use Precision Pet Exercise Pens for our disabled rabbit. We prefer these pens because they contain removable bars between the panels that allow you the freedom to adjust/remove/add panels according to your rabbit's needs and space requirements or limitations. Many other pens contain irremovable clips that force the panels to remain together and we find that these pens are less convenient for disabled rabbit owners. These pens also come in a variety of heights, including a shorter 24" option. Overall, well made, convenient exercise pens.
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Crib Setup
A crib setup is actually a very convenient and accessible setup that is perfect for many disabled rabbits. This setup allows for a similar feeling of openness that an exercise pen provides while also providing the extra benefit of being higher up for easier access. With a crib, a rabbit can be housed off the floor, which may be important in colder conditions as disabled bunnies often need extra help keeping warm. Wheels also enable the setup to be movable both for convenience as well as to enable a disabled rabbit to be more able to join in their family's daily life as it moves from room to room. While probably more expensive than other housing setup options, they also come with built-in supportive bedding that can be adjusted well for a disabled rabbit's needs and provide an overall cozy and comfortable setup for a disabled rabbit.
Recommendation: Graco Pack 'n Play
The Graco Pack 'n Play is a great crib option for a disabled rabbit. It does not have the bars that traditional cribs do, which we find to be beneficial as some disabled rabbits can get their legs caught in them. A rabbit in this setup are very accessible, the area is soft and supportive and bedding can be added and exchanged easily. This crib in particular is also transportable. It has wheels to make it movable and can fold for easy setup elsewhere. Overall, we think this can be a great setup option for a disabled rabbit.
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Recommendation: Graco Pack 'n Play Totblock Playard
The Graco Pack 'n Play Totblock Playard is another great crib option for a disabled rabbit. Like it's 'parent' design above, it doesn't have bars but rather a soft mesh wall that makes it safe for a disabled rabbit. The bedding inside is soft and supportive whilst still allowing for gentle movement. It can also be wiped and washed easily. The crib is lightweight and portable- just fold it up and move it to where the action is so your disabled rabbit can stay involved. The bright colors makes it a fun, perfect design for a precious disabled rabbit.
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Crate Setup
While perhaps not as optimal as an exercise pen, a large or medium-sized dog crate can provide adequate housing for a disabled rabbit, and may work better than a pen for those rabbits that need their space restricted to some degree. Crates have the benefit of being taller than typical cages and have a more open feeling as there is no deep tub on the bottom, but rather a thin tray. They are accessible from two sides with large doors, which is much more convenient than the small access door found on most cages. Crates are easy to set up, easy to move, fold flat for storage or travel, and can be customized inside very similarly to an exercise pen. Bedding often fits inside easily and overall, these cages can make a good smaller home for a disabled rabbit.
Cage Setup
A cage is typically the least desirable housing setup for a rabbit. However, in the case of a disabled rabbit, cages may become necessary- especially at the beginning of an injury or condition. If a rabbit has suffered a major back injury, for instance, they typically need to be very limited in movement to allow the back to heal. So, a cage can often facilitate healing and provide safe housing for disabled rabbits with tentative injuries or conditions where precaution must be exercised. Cages have the benefit of there being many supplies accessible and designed to be used with them. Dishes, toys, hay racks, bedding- many are designed to fit these setups, so there is some convenience there. Cages are also very movable, which enables a rabbit to be moved so that they are integrated in the family's daily life and activities.
Recommendation: Super Pet Home for Rabbits
In cases when a cage may be needed, we recommend the Super Pet Home for Rabbits. It is a rather large cage (as cages go) and has a very deep tub that can withstand some layers of bedding while still giving your rabbit the sides of the tub for support. It is up on a movable stand, so can be moved from room to room easily. It being higher up, and the fact that it has a large top door, makes it very easy to access your rabbit whenever necessary. If your rabbit is healing from an injury or requires a restricted space, this is a great cage option.
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Bed Setup
We have heard of a few situations in which a disabled rabbit was, rather than being housed, kept propped on various dog beds throughout a person's house. This primarily occurred in cases where the rabbit had no or very limited movement, such as with a paralyzed rabbit or a rabbit with multiple amputated limbs. This setup will require careful attention to bedding but, if it fits the rabbit's particular needs and lifestyle, then it offers a comfortable and flexible living setup.
Bonnie's Setup
We house our disabled rabbit in an exercise pen setup. We have chosen this setup because we know that she likes the openness and overall space it provides her with. As she does not have control of her bladder and requires special bedding, an exercise pen allows that bedding to lay flat (to facilitate safe movement) and cover the entirety of her space (to prevent messes). It also allows easy attachment of side supports, food and water dishes, and toys. The pen is 24 inches tall, which allows us easy and convenient access to her at all times. The lack of a 'ceiling' allows us to pick her up to check her easily- something that would be much more difficult if she was housed in a crate or cage. An exercise pen also allows us the space to sit with her inside her pen. For our needs and requirements, this setup works well.