Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know people asks this all the time, but i must ask again. Why is it commercial cage manufacturers make cages SO small? Now i know that places like bass, that mainly sell to breeders make small cages, and this I understand. Breeders typically have a multitude of rabbits, usually in a shed or barn, and since they plan to sell them at a reasonably young age, it make sense.

However, what I don't understand is why pet stores, and pet catalog companies sell such small cages, or why cages are made that small at all. The other day I was at petsmart buying some stuff for my bunny and there was a young family there looking at cages.

The were very excited about getting their new bunny, and of course the store manager with them was excited about selling them all sorts of new bunny stuff. So the family is looking at this very small cage, and the cage is pink and white and cute.
The child with them says "I want this one!!"

So the parents are looking at it, and I stop them and ask "Are you planning to litter train your bunny? Are you getting it food dishes? A bunny bed? etc. .." And they of course say yes.

So I open up their cage and I put it one of the corner litter boxes in it from off of the shelf. Then I put in a couple of food crocks, a bunny bed, a water bottle, and 3 small to medium sized toys etc.. Stuff you would usually get.

Then i asked "What kind of rabbit are you getting?" and then i ask "So how big does one of those get?"

At that point the mother looks at the available space left in the cage, and realizes that there is barely room for a baby bunny, let alone an adult bunny. So they opted to get a bigger (although still pretty small IMHO) cage.

I have a mini rex. I built his cage myself. It is a neat idea cube cage. It is 42 inches long, 42 wide, and 56 inches tall.
It has four floors. The bottom floor is vinyl tiled, and the other floors are fleece covered. It has 2 water bottles, and two litter boxes. It was 4 wooden dowels supporting the top and 3 under each floor.

Including all building materials, litter boxes, bottles , etc that I used, I spent $45 making his cage.

The first cage that I bought for him in a pet store was 2 feet long and and little over 1 foot wide, and it cost me $50 plus tax. If someone in the pet store, had said to me "that cage is too small" I would have saved $50.

The point I am trying to make is, if I can pay retail prices, and make a large enough for more than one rabbit, for $45, then why is it manufacturers of cages can't do the same thing?

Why is it that I am still seeing cages that are about 1/4 of the size of my bunny's being sold for $200?

Does anyone else find this frustrating?

Yes I know what you mean!
I do not yet own a rabbit, but as with when i got my gecko, I do a lot of reading and research about my future pet. I also plan on making a Neat Ideas Cubes cage, probably 2 floors, a separate "square" section to put teh litter box and bed in so it doesnt take away from the basic square of play space.. but i see cages that are.. 1 1/2 feet wide and about 3 feet long.. for about 150 dollars... then add in the cost of all the internal stuff like litter box, food dishes, toys, bed, food..then the rabbit itself..
My leopard gecko, at 6 inches long, about 30 grams fully grown lives in a 29 gallon aquarium.. its 2 1/2 feet long 1 foot wide, 1 1/2 feet high... i could not imagine sticking a 4 or more pound rabbit in this space and expect it to be happy... I was unhappy having my gecko live in a 20 inch long 10 gallon, and got her this big cage.. the only reason i didnt get even bigger was because I didnt have the room on my dresser.. but to imagine people selling these cages to people to put RABBITS in makes me feel sick.. i would use their size maybe if it was just for them to sleep in, if they spent all their time roaming my house... but not to live in, like these people are planning... i just figure, i wouldnt want to have to spend my life living in my 10ft x 8 ft bedroom.... another of the reasons why i do not like pet stores!!

A gecko huh? I hear geckos are nice pets.
If you go with the neat idea cubes, I would check walgreens. The cubes are on clearance at the walgreens near me for $3.50 a box.

I think a smaller cage is also, ok if you have a rabbit that spends 90% of its time loose in a rabbit proofed house.
The scary thing is that do the people that design these cages - mostly geared toward impulse buyers - really think that most rabbits are allowed to do that?

When I am home, bunny is allowed to roam free - with supervision, but i still wanted his cage to be fun and comfortable for him. Especially when I have a lot of company, or am not home, or in the evenings because I don't let him roam free when I am sleeping.

The scary thing is that a lot of these small cages, are advertised as cages meant for multiple rabbits.

The smaller cages are good for travle, litter box training, etc..

But personally for $50 to $200, I want my bunny to be able to hop from one side to the other.

My hope is that if enough people start seeking other housing alternatives, that cage makers will respond by making larger, less costly homes for animals.

There are too few laws regulating the size of shelter you are to keep domesticated pets in. It's cheaper for companies to make smaller cages, less material, and market it for more animals. People don't realize that cage animals need more room, because unlike a cat or dog, they live in their cage. My rabbit's cage is actually a mite too small for him, but he mostly just sleeps in (or on) his house, or suns in front of it. When he gets restless, I take him out and he's allowed to run around. But If i wasn't here to take him out, his cage would be much to small for him to live in.

To be fair though, I saw a magazine article about guinea pig cages, and they wanted me to give my two guinea pigs eight square feet, and i didn't see the sense. In general, people just have to think about these things-- how much room everything will take up!

".. they wanted me to give my two guinea pigs eight square feet, and i didn't see the sense."

I have to admit.. I showed this to a few friends of mine and a couple family members, since I couldn't quite believe it.

That is one of the most horrible things I have ever heard a pet owner say about their animal's living space. Nice.

I agree most cages (for rabbits) sold now are much to small for a full grown rabbit.....I have a mini lop.....his cage really isnt all that big....But he gets out everynight for a long run in my bathroom (which he enjoys very much)......I find for a full grown (normal) rabbit the chin or ferret cages are much larger....But currently Dublins small cage works for him good ,as long as he gets out enough to exercise.

I think Dublin has a very nice cage.

It seems large enough for him to move around in AND he is released from the cage everyday in order to exercise. I think the problem is most people don't know that the bunny needs
exercise outside of his cage sometimes.

I think the other part of the problem with most cages, is as you mentioned, they aren't large enough for a full grown rabbit.

Pet stores generally sell very young rabbits, because they are small and cute and then sell a very small cage. Sometimes they negelect to tell the new owners that baby is going to grow.
Especially in the case of pet stores that sell young new zeland's.

There is a store near me that sells them very young, along with a small cage, and i have never heard them mention to an owner how big bunny was going to get.

Cagespace!When you raise lots of bunnies you have to have cages to keep them in until there old enough to leave the momma.Then if there pet quality there off to the petstore...Brood quality they are sold to breeders for breeding..Show quality is for show people..Alot of breeders I know just put them down because there not showable...Its a hard world for the show rabbit...
I will never harm a hare on a hare...And 18X24 is commonly used for dwarf sized bucks..does get larger cages..All my bunnies are in 2 by 2 all wire cages.
~Kara~

Considering rabbits can be litter box trained, I find keeping them in cages a little silly. My 12-year-old rabbit, BunBun, has full roam of where ever she wants to go.

Any cage is too small. Because, in the end, all are too small. Wire ones are particularly horrible.

Wire cages are wonderful...and easy to clean all I have in a rabbits cage is water bottle,feeder,a toy and a sitting board..

Wire cages are easy to clean, I guess. I just think more for the rabbit. They can cause pododermatitis (sore hocks), and can rust after sometime from the ammonia in the rabbit's urine, which is another problem.

Eh.. I just don't put my pets in anything I wouldn't mind being put it. A wire cage, with one toy, one food bowl, one water bottle, and a resting board seems a little boring to me. Don't you worry about your rabbits' need to get out and have free time for 4-5 hours a day? Or if they might be bored? A rabbit can't thrive and be happy cooped up in a cage.

And, I agree with the other person who replied to my comment -- a cage sometimes comes in handy. I have all the supplies necessary if, and when, I need to build a cage. And it would be a huge cage at that

I show rabbits...And I cant let show rabbits on the ground because they get worms...And worms and bunnies dont mix...I hold all 32 everyday though..I have toys in there cage but most dont even play.They just lounge around wanting grass...

~Kara~

You can bring the buns in the house for play time. Bunny proof a room or two and let them hop around. They really should have free time outside their cage where they can stretch their legs and run about.

I think having a cage has its advantages, just like owning a dog crate, or a cage for any animal.

My bunny loves to run free in the house, but sometimes it just isn't possible. If I am going to be away from the house for a long period of time, I feel more comfortable if he is caged and I know he can't get into something dangerous.

Also, he seems like enjoy having a space that is just his space.
For example, he hates getting his nails trimmed. After a trimming, he immediately returns to his cage and sulks and eventually, after being offered a very yummy treat, he wants out to play again. Other times I have company, like small kids, who aren't always rabbit friendly, and then he goes back to the cage.

I definitely think rabbits should have space to move, and I definitely think most commercial cages are too small for a bunny to spend a prolonged amount of time in, but I think having one is definitely a good idea.

I think the problem is that most people don't know that a rabbit needs more space than a 15 in by 24 inch cage. I think most pet stores fail to tell the owners that the bunny needs exercise.

I personally don't really like wire cages ethier......But then again I've only got one rabbit (right now).....So, he is all I have to clean up after.....As for the person who said rabbits should be free roaming....I would probley do that if I didnt have a 3 year old and a 9 month old that would hurt him.....He is safer in his cage and I think he likes to be in there for sleeping and eating.....He gets playtime almost everynight in my large bathroom w/ the babygate up.....He jumps and kicks and does a freaky bunny dance in there LOL.....stuff he doesnt have enough room for in his cage.....Dublin is more of a family member to be.....so he gets spoiled badddd lol....I even put a baby blanket down on the floor so, his little bunny feet dont get cold haha.