Cages & Housing Ideas

Food & Hay

Litter

Dishes

 

 

How do you handle a big bale of hay once you have it? Get some tips here.

 

 

 

 


Rabbit Outfitters

Local and Online Supply ideas

The House Rabbits Society provides the links below as a resouce for supplies for your rabbits. We do not specifically promote any of them.

Cages

Cages To Go

Kelly Heiser
6330 Marysville Ave
Rio Linda, Ca (916) 991-9164
chinstogo@aol.com
Kelly makes custom cages to your designs and needs. He has been making cages primarily for chinchillas but makes them for rabbits too. Great prices.

Petco, Petsmart

Most of the bigger "pet department stores" in the Sacramento area sell rabbit cages. These are of varying quality and price (most of the cages at Petsmart are under $100, but you may need to assemble some of the bigger ones at home). Please note that many pet stores sell plastic cages, which we do not recommend, even for dwarf bunnies. These cages have parts and pieces that could potentially break off and injure your rabbit's mouth if chewed. They're also less durable and harder to clean.

Feed Stores

Sometimes local feed stores carry good-sized cages that fit the bill. Locally, try Western Feed and Pet Supply. However, feed supply stores often specialize in outdoor hutches, and their supply of indoor cages might be limited. So call ahead of time and see what they have in stock.

Classified Ads

If you're not in a hurry and you have the time and patience to wait for a good deal, look for cage listings in the Sacramento Bee or (even more often!) in the Pennysaver. Secondhand cages are sold in a variety of conditions, so be sure you check out what you're buying before you commit to taking it. But if you find one that's in good shape, you can probably get it for the fraction of the cost of a new one.

House Rabbit Society

The HRS Sacramento chapter has a number of cages that have been donated for our use. Although we keep some of them for adoption days and other events, we usually have several on hand that are available for a small donation to the HRS. Call our hotline number to see what we have in our garages.

If you are in the Oakland area, the Lucky Goldfish Pet Store at 801 Broadway has a wide range of cages available. Call them at (510) 836-3039.

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DIY

People are inventive at developing their own housing solutions with only a few types of materials. One of the favorites is to tie together the 12x12 inch wire panels sold in office supply stores to assemble shelving crates. Get some ideas here with:

Neat Idea Cubes

Princess Blackie's Condo

Charky & Ash's Condo Ideas

KW Cages

This company is tried-and-true for good cages. They offer single-story and two-story cages, stacking cages, and cages with shelves for the rabbit to jump onto. Depending on the model and size, prices range from $30 to about $160, plus shipping. A catalog of their "rabbit wares" is available by calling 1-800-447-CAGE, or you can see pictures on their Web site at www.kwcages.com. Caution: they also provide commercial rabbitry and ARBA supplies.

Leith Petwerks

makes beautiful single, double, and triple level bunny condos ranging in price from $100-$250. They are at www.leithpetwerks.com online, or contact them at (812) 355-3307 for more information.

Walker's Quality Cages

Walker's Quality Cages and Feed Supply, at (303) 424-0305. They're located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, but they make cages to your specifications and they do ship.

West Coast Pet Supply

Large variety of cages & supplies at www.rabbit-cages.com

 

Cats and Rabbits and More

Lots of Cottontail Cottages, toys, and grass mats from a store in Southern California supporting rabbit and cat adoptions in San Diego.

 

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Food & Hay

Most local pet supply stores carry small bags of timothy hay. To buy larger volumes of timothy or oat hay, check out:

Bradshaw Feed and Pet Supplies
7285 Bradshaw Road
Sacramento, 369-8225

Western Feed and Supply
East Sacramento 452-4741
Carmichael, 485-1311

Singing Springs Feed Store
Pilot Hill (about 20 minutes south of Auburn on Hwy 49)
530-885-2077 Closed on Tuesdays. They don't carry timothy hay year round, so call first.

Higby's Country Feed
8470 Currey Rd.
Dixon, CA (707) 678-9007

Lee's Feed and Western Store
4110 Mother Lode Dr.
Shingle Springs, CA
(530) 677-4891

Baker Brothers Ranch
15703 North Jack Tone
Lodi, CA (209)369-4848

Oxbow Hay Company
1-800-249-0366
Oxbow is available mail order only. It's more expensive because of the shipping costs, but definitely worth it. Their Bunny Basics/T (Timothy hay pellets) are available from many local stores.
www.oxbowanimalhealth.com

American Pet Diner
1-800-656-2691
APD has low fat, high fiber pellets, high quality hay, & cube treats. Shipping charges & delivery times are less than Oxbow because of proximity in the Western U.S.
www.americanpetdiner.com

Herbiseed
Grow your own rabbit specialty grass & forage. Buy seeds from Herbiseed. A bit pricy, but if you let it go to seed, you will have a self-sustaining live rabbit food source.

Small Pet Select
Email: service@smallpetselect.com
260 Naneum Road Ellensburg, WA 98926
Phone: 509.899.3908

Small Pets Select has high qualtiy food and hay for rabbits, chinchillas, and Guinea Pigs. They have a lot of great nutritional information to keep your rabbit healthy.

Sherwood Forest

Sherwood Forest has full line of baby and adult rabbit food with carefully balanced vitamins & minerals. Sherwood Forest food has fans across the country.

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Litter

Paper products are the safest in terms of consistency and lack of additives or foreign substances. Be sure not to use cat litter which is dusty and clumping, which are both detrimental to your rabbits' inner workings.

Alternative Litter and Bedding Products

Litter Boxes

Any plastic box will do for a rabbit. You can get specialty covered cat litter boxes or simply buy low plastic storage boxes from Target. Be sure your rabbit can hop in & out easily. Be sure one end is high enough to contain the urine stream. If your rabbit has mobility problems, cut down one or two sides to permit ease of access.

Wood Stove Pellets

Wood stove pellets are inexpensive, non-toxic, odor-absorbing, and easy to find-unless they're out of season. From early spring until fall, they can be scarce. During the winter months, wood stove pellets can be located in almost all home supply warehouses (like Home Depot, OSH), and even in some Raley's supermarkets.

Quality control for stove pellets is not high because they are meant to be burned & are made from a waste product (sawdust). Therefore, be careful when opening a new bag or getting a new batch. Return any that has a strong sap or turpentine smell. These aromatics can damage your rabbit's liver over time. Change the litterbox daily to prevent any mold growth.

If you are looking for wood stove pellets out of season, here are some locations with which we have had success in past seasons.

Quoted prices varied from $4 to $6 for a 40-lb. bag depending on the time of year. Be sure to call ahead to find out current pricing and availability. Both Custom Fireside Shops and Muchetto's carry wood stove pellets year-round!

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Stall Pellets

Stall pellets are used for bedding & litter in horse stalls. They are the same composition as wood stove pellets & are available year round when stove pellets are unavailable. They are carried by feed stores that stock items for horses. They are slightly more expensive than stove pellets & come in smaller bags. Be sure to check the ingredients to ensure there are no additives.

Dishes, Crocks, and Water Bottles

These are all availble from pet stores or online stores. Be sure your active rabbit cannot tip or overturn the dishes. There are many dishes & bowls that are secured to cages with screw or clamps. These can sometimes be found in the Bird section of the pet store.

Water Bottles should be changed & inspected daily to be sure the valve mechanism is not stuck. Rabbits typically drink more from crocks and dishes. If you are concerned your rabbit isn't drinking enough, switch to a dish instead of a bottle.

Last updated October 22, 2013