Bunnies are curious animals who benefit from being able to stretch their legs, especially those who live in captivity. Adding levels to your bunny cage can be a great way to increase his activity level and give him plenty of room to explore -- but be careful when you are adding levels; your bunny could be injured if the platforms are not secure.
Step 1
Use your tape measure to measure your bunny's condo. Your bunny cage needs to be large enough that your bunny will be able to move around comfortably on each level; the shelves should fit snugly inside the cage.
Step 2
Purchase a shelving kit that contains ramps and shelves. Make sure the kit is specially designed to work in your rabbit's condo. Ramps and shelves should be made of flat, sturdy material that does not have holes in it. Rabbits can be hurt if their claws get caught in the openings of wire flooring; avoid wire. Measure the shelves and ramps to make sure they are the right width to fit inside your cage.
Step 3
Place the shelves inside the cage. Most shelves work best when they are kept entirely on one wall of the cage or the other, with the ramp leading up to the shelf. Shelves do best when placed in corners where they can easily be secured and the bunny has minimal risk of falling off the edge. Make sure to set the shelves up high enough in the cage so your bunny can still stretch upward in the cage without hitting his head on the bottom of the shelf. Each shelf should make a new level. Each new level should have a ramp.
Step 4
Secure your new shelves into the bunny cage using shelving brackets. The brackets that come with your shelving kit should fasten into the sides of the cage securely. The shelves need to sit on top of the brackets so they do not tilt or wobble when.
Step 5
Fasten the ramps to your shelves using the fasteners or hinges that were included in your shelving kit. Most ramps will bolt or screw onto the shelves in order to securely fasten the shelves to the ramps. Make sure to carefully follow the directions that were included in your shelving kit so that your ramps will be completely secure when your bunny walks up and down them as he travels between levels.
References
Warnings
- Unstable shelving can cause your bunny to be seriously injured or even killed if it collapses or the bunny gets caught between shelves.
Photo Credits
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Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
