Rabbit NIC Condos
We would all love to be able to allow our four-footed companions to run free in the house all the time, but for many of us this is just not a realistic option. Trying to find a cage or condo that meets both the needs of the rabbit and the budget of the human often seems like an impossible task. Lynne Skerlec of Princess Blackie's Web Page and NIC Condo Website found a solution that allows you to meet both of these needs with a minimum of time and know-how and a great deal of flexibility. While shopping in her local office supply store, she spotted a product called Neat Idea Cubes. Originally intended as storage cubes, Neat Idea Cubes (NIC) are 14" square wire panels that can be attached together with cable ties to make roomy, multi-level bunny homes. These panels are now available under several brand names. Be careful to choose enameled, not plastic-coated, panels as many rabbits find the plastic coating very tasty.
We have used the NIC concept to create everything from a 14"x28"x28", 3-level temporary home for a Netherland Dwarf foster bunny (cost: about $15) to a 42" cubed, 3-level, bunny palace for a bonded pair (cost: about $120). Even if you only have one bunny, the NIC concept allows you to change your bunny's home if you need (or want) to do so. As shown by MCRS adopters, the Rupperts, the only real limits are your budget and your imagination.
The basic shopping list for a NIC condo is fairly short. Assuming that you use NIC panels for a floor, you need NIC panels, cable ties, flooring, door latches, and scissors or wire cutters (to trim the cable tie ends). You can use plywood as a floor, at which point you will also need a drill and you may choose to add wheels to the base. If you are going to create a larger condo with shelves you will also need to add some kind of support for the shelf. This can be a length of dowel or 2x2 lumber.
Things to consider when planning your NIC condo:
- Does your bunny think "up"? Some bunnies need to be taught to jump onto shelves. For these bunnies, you may need to plan ramps instead of just shelves.
- How much floor space can you devote to your bunny's condo?
- How tall are the humans who will need to be able to get the bunny out of the condo? It can be a real challenge to get a bunny out of the back corner of the top shelf of the condo if the shelf is about 5' off the floor and you are only 5' 4".
- Where will you place the doors on each level? I can almost guarantee that if you don't put a door on every level, the doorless level will become your bunny's favorite hangout and you will never be able to get her out in an emergency. From a structural standpoint, you do not want your doors to line up one above the other. I usually try to alternate sides of the condo.
- Will you need to put a litter box on every level?
- What will you use for flooring? The flooring needs to be solid enough that your bunny will not put her foot through the floor, and it either needs to be durable enough that you will not need to replace it or cheap enough that you can afford to. We use vinyl-flooring remnants and then cover portions of the floor with sea grass mats. We have also used indoor/outdoor carpeting on the main floor level. There are actually some nice, neutral versions of this carpeting on the market that are fairly reasonably priced.
- How many shelves will you build into the condo and where will you put them? You want to be sure that your bunny cannot jump or fall from the top shelf to the floor.
Once you have decided how you want the NIC condo to look and have purchased the supplies, you can start building. Unless you are building a small (28") condo you will probably want two people involved in the building process. It is possible to build the condo by yourself, but it is much easier if you have a second set of hands to help steady some of the parts.
The following directions are for a 28"w x 28"d x 42"h condo with 2 shelves. I assume that the bunny resident knows about shelves and does not need ramps. This condo has NIC panels covered with vinyl-flooring as a base. I tend to build the condos in units: i.e., assemble the floor, walls, shelves, and roof separately and then put the units together to make a condo.
Materials:
- 36 – 38 NIC panels
- Cable ties (we buy 1000 at a time)
- 2 28" square pieces of flooring (if you do L shaped shelves you will need 3 28" squares)
- Door latches (lobster claw style works well
- Optional: If have a medium or larger sized bunny (over 5 pounds) you may want to get 2 30" lengths of 1-1/2" dowel or 2 x 2 to use as supports under the shelves.
Instructions:
- Assemble the units as listed below:
- 2 panels square – build 2 – roof and floor
- 1 panel by 8 panels – build 3 – walls
- 1 panel by 2 panels – build 2 – shelves; or 3 panels in an L shape – build 2 – shelves
- Cut flooring to cover one 2 x 2 unit and both 1 x 2 units. Lay the units on the pieces of flooring and cut slits near the edge so that you can attach cable ties through the slits and around one of the wires on the panel.
- Attach flooring to the 1 x 2 units and one 2 x 2 unit – you now have a floor and two shelves.
- Being careful to leave the door unattached, attach one 1 x 8 unit to the floor.
- On the side opposite the door, attach one shelf to the wall. If using supports, slide one support under the shelf one or two squares back from the edge.
- Again, being careful to leave the doors unattached, attach one 1 x 8 unit to the wall unit below. The door should open onto the shelf. (Can you tell yet that I've had to go back and cut the doors open a few times?)
- Attach the second shelf opposite the first shelf. If using supports, slide one support under the shelf one or two squares back from the edge.
- Now, you can either leave a door opening in the wall on the third level or have the third level wall be solid and have the door be in the roof. Attach the last 1 x 8 unit to the 2nd level wall leaving a door opening if you choose.
- Attach the roof to the 3rd level wall being sure to leave the door unattached.
- Attach door clasps.
- Add water bottles, litter boxes, toys, and bunnies.
For further information, please download our printable instruction sheet that includes full-color pictures and step-by-step instructions for building a basic NIC condo.
