We have two condos, and the rabbits in each get different surface treatments. Priscilla, who is excellent with her litter box, has inexpensive, washable cotton rugs from IKEA on her three topmost shelves. The bottom shelf, where her litter box is located, has several layers of newspaper on top of the tiles. This is so, when the condo is cleaned out, we can simply wad up the paper, folding in the spilled hay and any “bunny berries” that missed the litter box.

Littlewood and Ryan

The condo that Ryan and Littlewood share has all of the tiles covered with newspaper. This is because those two lop-eared rabbits are less accurate with their litter boxes and if we used rugs they would need to be laundered at least two or three times a week.

Inside all of the litter boxes we put down a layer of wood pellets. Sometimes we use horse stall pellets, and sometimes we use the pine pellets made for burning in fireplaces. On top of that layer goes a layer of timothy hay. We buy a bale from a feed store every month or two, breaking it down into flakes, each of which goes into a plastic garbage bag, to keep the car trunk from turning into a barn.

We also put a water bowl into each condo. Because none of our bunnies has incisor teeth, they are not as good at picking up things as most rabbits, so we don’t give them balls, pine cones, rattles, toilet paper rolls stuffed with hay, or other typical rabbit toys. We also have to cut their salad into smaller size bites when they have their breakfasts and suppers.

Rob used the basic rabbit condo plans on my video as his starting point and then designed and built an expanded, luxury condo that is four panels wide (56-inches). The picture on the left is Rob’s first condo for Lara. (You can click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo.)

But, after they added Harrel to the family, Rob used his computer designing skills to dream up an even bigger, fancier rabbit residence.  You can see more of Rob’s pictures and plans on a 6-page booklet he created, “Conceptual Living for the Modern House Rabbit.” Rob has very kindly given us permission to make copies of his booklet available at no charge. Click here to download the booklet.

If you find this information valuable, please consider helping VRRA by downloading the new ebook, “Little Mutt.” Your $7 donation will be shared by VRRA and AMREF. Click here for more about the “Little Mutt” book.

He used wood from an old queen sized futon base that was about to be thrown away. Coincidentally, the queen size wood slats were pretty much the perfect size to fit four of the square metal grids along.

Because Lara is a small rabbit, they made her condo two grids wide by four long and two high. They always have the option of adding another layer if necessary. (They are thinking about finding a companion rabbit to bond with Lara.)

The base is built from a box frame re-enforced in the corners with the right angled metal brackets you can pick up at the Home Depot for pretty cheap. There are two ply bases, one about half the thickness of the plywood that I used, providing a solid base to put the trolley wheels on so it’s easy to move, and the other about a quarter the thickness. These are screwed together with some wood screws, drilled and screwed through to stop the wood splitting.

Then they have a layer of thick gym quality rubber tiles over the top for easy clean and water proofing, soft for rabbit feet, always cool but warm if you put your hand on them for a reasonable time. They are made from recycled car tires apparently. Rob figures they’ll be sturdy enough to resist digging. He is also thinking about using slate tiles for a nice cool surface during the summer months.

The platforms are supported in exactly the same way I did but using the thinner plywood. He used a broken Ikea shoe rack. They retail for about $6, and are untreated and therefore perfect for chewing. He drilled then screwed through the plywood, through the carpet (off-cuts from Home Depot about 6 dollars, rubber backed) and into the wood.

The bedroom, a cardboard box courtesy of a delivery to his work, perfect with no printed labeling on it at all, along with a faux sheepskin rug and an old towel for comfort padding.

In total, Rob says they spent about $160 – $180, and it was the best fun he’s had in ages. The time it took was two solid days, plus a couple of extra evenings. The most expensive component was the rubber floor matting.

Thanks for sharing your pictures and rabbit condo building tips, Rob. We hope Lara (and possibly her companion to-be) will enjoy her posh new home.

Click on the thumbnails to see the photos at full size.

Salad Lady and Tall Guy shot video footage while they were making the condo, and Tall Guy edited it into a video, which he also narrated. All his videos are now on the “Video” page.

Besides giving more details that didn’t fit into the video, this website also has other important information, such as how to support Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy (VRRA), the kind people who rescued me and cared for me until I was adopted.

Hopefully, Salad Lady will write an article about bunny bonding, because every rabbit should have at least one other rabbit in their life. But bonding rabbits is a tricky business. Fortunately, Salad Lady and her friends have learned a lot about bonding, so I hope they will share those ideas on this website.

As well, I want to include links to other sources for information about how to care for house rabbits besides their shelter. We’re very different from dogs and cats, you know. Some of us may look cuddly and adorable, but we’re not stuffed toys. We have unique care requirements, and too many of my fellow lagomorphs aren’t as lucky as Red and me.

So, although this may be called the “Build a Rabbit Condo” web site, most likely it will grow to include other information about making sure you have happy, healthy bunnies in your house.