*Under construction.*
The most common argument against wire cages is that they are somehow 'cruel'. Some people go as far as to compare them to a jail. The honest truth is that that is entirely incorrect. Wire cages are not cruel in any sense of the word. They do not cause pain, injury, or even the mildest discomfort to the animal. They are specifically designed with the animal's best interest in mind in terms of health, cleanliness, sanitation, ventilation, and comfort. If this weren't the case, then why would every single top show breeder use wire cages for their nationally competitive show rabbits? The top rabbits are often worth thousands of dollars apiece. Why would we put them in cages that are detrimental to their health? If you consider the time, effort, money, and years that it takes to produce a top show animal, it would be idiotic to house them in an inhumane cage. Also take into consideration that rabbits are judged hugely on their condition in shows. Why would a breeder put thousands and thousands of dollars a year into producing top show rabbits only to ruin their condition so they place dead last at shows? Exactly.
I think a huge reason why many people are so against wire cages is that we humans are a very empathetic species to a fault. We want the best for our fur kids. We want to make them happy and content, and where a lot of well-meaning but misinformed people go wrong is that they give the rabbit what WE want, not what the rabbit wants. Many people find it difficult to understand that what is beneficial to humans is not necessarily beneficial to rabbits. Let me give you an example. Let's say it's your friend Johnny's birthday. Johnny loves model trains but doesn't like reading. You don't like model trains, but you like reading instead. Do you give Johnny a book for his birthday, which is what you would want, or do you give him a model train, which is what he would want? Part of being a good and moral person is understanding that the needs and preferences of others are often different from our own. As responsible rabbit owners, we need to cater to our rabbits' needs as a species. Just because we humans wouldn't want to live in a wire cage does not mean your rabbit doesn't want to.
Let's settle one other thing really quick. Wire cages are not rabbit jail. Rabbits are not humans. They don't have a concept of jail. If they don't have any way of conceiving what a jail is, then being in a cage doesn't elicit a feeling of impoundment. Now, some people like to have free-range rabbits that run all around their house. Good for them, it isn't easy but it can be done. I would personally never risk it, given that rabbits are prey animals and can easily startle and injure or kill themselves, and they can escape, chew and destroy things, and poison or electrocute themselves. It also makes them much less willing to be handled and lessens their attachment to their owner.
Many new owners are initially concerned that the cages are too small for their rabbits. The truth is, rabbits that are allowed to run around wild are much less friendly and affectionate than rabbits that are housed in cages. Having aloof, feral rabbits might be okay with some owners, and that's totally fine! It isn't what I choose for my rabbits, or the ones I sell to others. I prefer a rabbit that is friendly, sweet, and easy to handle, which is what I provide to others. My rabbits are sold with the understanding that their new owners will continue with the hard work I have put into producing friendly, complacent animals. Part of that is housing them in proper cages, not allowing them to run wild. If you keep your rabbit in a wire cage, most breeds are perfectly content without exercise outside of their cage. My rabbits far prefer snuggles to playtime outside of their cage. If they are allowed to run around like crazy, they will lose their sense of attachment to their humans and will, to some extent, un-domesticate themselves. Now, some breeds (English Spot, Tan, Rhinelander, Checkered Giant, etc.) are known as 'running breeds', and do tend to have more energy than the other breeds. Those rabbits should be offered time to exercise in a properly confined indoor area (ideally a running table), but I don't advise letting them run wild, or they will become literal nightmares. I have a very sweet English Spot doe who is allowed time on a running table every day, and believe me when I say she would become, quite literally, the devil, if allowed free range.
Another factor that can put some people off is that they aren't as pretty as the cutesy, trendy cages you see pictures of on the internet. Again, the rabbit doesn't give two hoots how pretty their cage is. The kindest thing for the rabbit is what provides them with the best quality living environment, which is unfortunately not most artsy, brightly colored, Pinterest-worthy C&C rabbit condo.
Now let's discuss the many benefits of using wire-floored cages. We'll start by establishing that properly made wire flooring is not painful or uncomfortable for rabbits in any way. What many people don't realize is that rabbits have fur on their feet. These fur pads are thick and densely packed, which means that wire doesn't touch their skin. This means that the wire does not poke them, rub on them, or otherwise irritate their feet.
Not only this, but rabbits do tend to show a preference for wire flooring over flat flooring. A series of studies were done in which a large test group of mixed breed, mixed age rabbits were given the option of flat flooring or wire flooring. The rabbits showed a significant preference for spending time on the wire flooring. If the wire was painful or uncomfortable for the rabbits, they would not have shown preference for wire flooring over solid.
Another consideration is hygiene. I, for one, want my rabbits to be as immaculate and healthy as possible at all times. Wire cages are always cleaner than flat bottomed cages, without exception. Rabbits in wire floored cages spend zero time sitting in their own waste. No matter how diligent you are about cleaning a flat bottomed cage, the rabbit will spend some amount of time sitting in its own feces and urine. Flat bottomed cages lead to urine stains, hutch burn, and sore hocks. Yes, sore hocks. Sore hocks occur when rabbits are sitting and marinating in their own waste. That might be acceptable for some owners, but that type of husbandry doesn't fly in my rabbitry. I keep my rabbits as clean and tidy as I possibly can, in the best interests of their health and longevity. Not only is this in the best interest of the rabbits, but it is also essential to keep your show rabbits spotless. You haven't even SEEN clean and tidy until you've seen top show rabbits. Why on Earth would we keep our top rabbits (again, the best of which are often worth upwards of $1000 apiece) in subpar cages? We want the best for our animals, and that includes high quality wire-floored cages.
*Note: The rex breeds do sometimes have less fur on their pads than other breeds, so owners are often advised to add a resting mat in their cage to offer their rabbits the option of getting off the wire if they so wish.
Another factor to consider is sanitation. Wire cages are much easier to keep clean and sanitary than flat bottomed cages. Many breeders blow-torch their cages periodically to kill germs. I sanitize my cages every 3 months with a bleach solution, which is easy and effective in killing anything that could affect my rabbits. Viruses, pathogens, and other microorganisms, such as Pasteurella, Bordatella, nematodes, VD, coccidia, RHD2, and myxomatosis, can all be killed using these methods. It is much harder to properly sanitize most types of flat-bottomed cages than it is to sanitize a hardy, well-built wire cage.
Additionally, wire cages allow proper ventilation, which aids in the prevention of infectious disease. Good air circulation is critical to lower the risk of your rabbits catching such diseases. Ammonia easily builds up in flat bottomed cages, which lowers the immunity of your rabbit and makes them more susceptible to illness. Ventilation is also important to help prevent heatstroke, which is one of the top two or three most common causes of death in rabbits. A wire cage allows proper air flow, without which the rabbit is forced to sit in a stuffy, overheated environment and risk heatstroke and death. Not worth it, in my opinion.
Wire cages are also specifically designed to prevent injury. Most high quality wire cages are built with 14 gauge galvanized wire, with floor slots being 1/2 x 1 inch. These dimensions are designed with the rabbit's safety in mind, so as to prevent broken toes or toenails, which are stressful and exceedingly painful for a rabbit. A good third to half of pet rabbits I have met (living in flat bottomed cages) have at least one broken or missing toe or toenail. Meanwhile, all of my rabbits live in wire floored cages, and I have zero rabbits with broken toes or toenails. Another critical thing to keep in mind is that wire cages offer traction, which is absolutely critical with rabbits. Slipping and sliding around is a nightmarish experience for a rabbit. The loss of footing panics them, and they feel as if they cannot escape. That is an unspeakably cruel thing for a prey animal to suffer. Slippery cages are a potential nightmare for a rabbit. Some rabbits tolerate it. But some don't. With those slippery bottomed cages, you run a risk of a broken neck, spine, or leg from your rabbit scrambling in sheer terror. If you have never seen a rabbit with a broken spine, I don't recommend it. Even if your rabbit escapes the aforementioned injuries, the muscles in their hind end will sprain from trying to keep their footing, and over time you run the risk of splay legs, especially with very small or large breeds, overweight animals, or kits under 8 weeks old. Again, not worth the risk, in my opinion.
Another factor is the convenience. Wire cages are easy to clean. All you have to do is slide the tray out from underneath, spot-clean it a couple of times per week, and dump/refill the litter once per week. There's little to no odor if you use a good litter, and it beats having to scrub out a flat-bottomed cage twice per day. Some rabbits hate having the inside of their cage cleaned, and will strike, growl, or bite. Wire cages prevent that problem because you won't be sticking your cleaning supplies inside the rabbit's living quarters. Wire cages are also light and easy to carry. Many come with wheels so you can move them around readily. They are highly durable and rarely break. In general, they make life easier.
When considering factors such as durability, safety, injury prevention, ventilation, sanitation, traction, convenience, disease prevention, and preference of the rabbit, wire cages will always come out on top. This is why I use and will continue to use wire cages for my rabbits. Like all of you, I ALWAYS have the best interests of my rabbits in mind, and that, my friends, is why I chose to write this article. :)
The most common argument against wire cages is that they are somehow 'cruel'. Some people go as far as to compare them to a jail. The honest truth is that that is entirely incorrect. Wire cages are not cruel in any sense of the word. They do not cause pain, injury, or even the mildest discomfort to the animal. They are specifically designed with the animal's best interest in mind in terms of health, cleanliness, sanitation, ventilation, and comfort. If this weren't the case, then why would every single top show breeder use wire cages for their nationally competitive show rabbits? The top rabbits are often worth thousands of dollars apiece. Why would we put them in cages that are detrimental to their health? If you consider the time, effort, money, and years that it takes to produce a top show animal, it would be idiotic to house them in an inhumane cage. Also take into consideration that rabbits are judged hugely on their condition in shows. Why would a breeder put thousands and thousands of dollars a year into producing top show rabbits only to ruin their condition so they place dead last at shows? Exactly.
I think a huge reason why many people are so against wire cages is that we humans are a very empathetic species to a fault. We want the best for our fur kids. We want to make them happy and content, and where a lot of well-meaning but misinformed people go wrong is that they give the rabbit what WE want, not what the rabbit wants. Many people find it difficult to understand that what is beneficial to humans is not necessarily beneficial to rabbits. Let me give you an example. Let's say it's your friend Johnny's birthday. Johnny loves model trains but doesn't like reading. You don't like model trains, but you like reading instead. Do you give Johnny a book for his birthday, which is what you would want, or do you give him a model train, which is what he would want? Part of being a good and moral person is understanding that the needs and preferences of others are often different from our own. As responsible rabbit owners, we need to cater to our rabbits' needs as a species. Just because we humans wouldn't want to live in a wire cage does not mean your rabbit doesn't want to.
Let's settle one other thing really quick. Wire cages are not rabbit jail. Rabbits are not humans. They don't have a concept of jail. If they don't have any way of conceiving what a jail is, then being in a cage doesn't elicit a feeling of impoundment. Now, some people like to have free-range rabbits that run all around their house. Good for them, it isn't easy but it can be done. I would personally never risk it, given that rabbits are prey animals and can easily startle and injure or kill themselves, and they can escape, chew and destroy things, and poison or electrocute themselves. It also makes them much less willing to be handled and lessens their attachment to their owner.
Many new owners are initially concerned that the cages are too small for their rabbits. The truth is, rabbits that are allowed to run around wild are much less friendly and affectionate than rabbits that are housed in cages. Having aloof, feral rabbits might be okay with some owners, and that's totally fine! It isn't what I choose for my rabbits, or the ones I sell to others. I prefer a rabbit that is friendly, sweet, and easy to handle, which is what I provide to others. My rabbits are sold with the understanding that their new owners will continue with the hard work I have put into producing friendly, complacent animals. Part of that is housing them in proper cages, not allowing them to run wild. If you keep your rabbit in a wire cage, most breeds are perfectly content without exercise outside of their cage. My rabbits far prefer snuggles to playtime outside of their cage. If they are allowed to run around like crazy, they will lose their sense of attachment to their humans and will, to some extent, un-domesticate themselves. Now, some breeds (English Spot, Tan, Rhinelander, Checkered Giant, etc.) are known as 'running breeds', and do tend to have more energy than the other breeds. Those rabbits should be offered time to exercise in a properly confined indoor area (ideally a running table), but I don't advise letting them run wild, or they will become literal nightmares. I have a very sweet English Spot doe who is allowed time on a running table every day, and believe me when I say she would become, quite literally, the devil, if allowed free range.
Another factor that can put some people off is that they aren't as pretty as the cutesy, trendy cages you see pictures of on the internet. Again, the rabbit doesn't give two hoots how pretty their cage is. The kindest thing for the rabbit is what provides them with the best quality living environment, which is unfortunately not most artsy, brightly colored, Pinterest-worthy C&C rabbit condo.
Now let's discuss the many benefits of using wire-floored cages. We'll start by establishing that properly made wire flooring is not painful or uncomfortable for rabbits in any way. What many people don't realize is that rabbits have fur on their feet. These fur pads are thick and densely packed, which means that wire doesn't touch their skin. This means that the wire does not poke them, rub on them, or otherwise irritate their feet.
Not only this, but rabbits do tend to show a preference for wire flooring over flat flooring. A series of studies were done in which a large test group of mixed breed, mixed age rabbits were given the option of flat flooring or wire flooring. The rabbits showed a significant preference for spending time on the wire flooring. If the wire was painful or uncomfortable for the rabbits, they would not have shown preference for wire flooring over solid.
Another consideration is hygiene. I, for one, want my rabbits to be as immaculate and healthy as possible at all times. Wire cages are always cleaner than flat bottomed cages, without exception. Rabbits in wire floored cages spend zero time sitting in their own waste. No matter how diligent you are about cleaning a flat bottomed cage, the rabbit will spend some amount of time sitting in its own feces and urine. Flat bottomed cages lead to urine stains, hutch burn, and sore hocks. Yes, sore hocks. Sore hocks occur when rabbits are sitting and marinating in their own waste. That might be acceptable for some owners, but that type of husbandry doesn't fly in my rabbitry. I keep my rabbits as clean and tidy as I possibly can, in the best interests of their health and longevity. Not only is this in the best interest of the rabbits, but it is also essential to keep your show rabbits spotless. You haven't even SEEN clean and tidy until you've seen top show rabbits. Why on Earth would we keep our top rabbits (again, the best of which are often worth upwards of $1000 apiece) in subpar cages? We want the best for our animals, and that includes high quality wire-floored cages.
*Note: The rex breeds do sometimes have less fur on their pads than other breeds, so owners are often advised to add a resting mat in their cage to offer their rabbits the option of getting off the wire if they so wish.
Another factor to consider is sanitation. Wire cages are much easier to keep clean and sanitary than flat bottomed cages. Many breeders blow-torch their cages periodically to kill germs. I sanitize my cages every 3 months with a bleach solution, which is easy and effective in killing anything that could affect my rabbits. Viruses, pathogens, and other microorganisms, such as Pasteurella, Bordatella, nematodes, VD, coccidia, RHD2, and myxomatosis, can all be killed using these methods. It is much harder to properly sanitize most types of flat-bottomed cages than it is to sanitize a hardy, well-built wire cage.
Additionally, wire cages allow proper ventilation, which aids in the prevention of infectious disease. Good air circulation is critical to lower the risk of your rabbits catching such diseases. Ammonia easily builds up in flat bottomed cages, which lowers the immunity of your rabbit and makes them more susceptible to illness. Ventilation is also important to help prevent heatstroke, which is one of the top two or three most common causes of death in rabbits. A wire cage allows proper air flow, without which the rabbit is forced to sit in a stuffy, overheated environment and risk heatstroke and death. Not worth it, in my opinion.
Wire cages are also specifically designed to prevent injury. Most high quality wire cages are built with 14 gauge galvanized wire, with floor slots being 1/2 x 1 inch. These dimensions are designed with the rabbit's safety in mind, so as to prevent broken toes or toenails, which are stressful and exceedingly painful for a rabbit. A good third to half of pet rabbits I have met (living in flat bottomed cages) have at least one broken or missing toe or toenail. Meanwhile, all of my rabbits live in wire floored cages, and I have zero rabbits with broken toes or toenails. Another critical thing to keep in mind is that wire cages offer traction, which is absolutely critical with rabbits. Slipping and sliding around is a nightmarish experience for a rabbit. The loss of footing panics them, and they feel as if they cannot escape. That is an unspeakably cruel thing for a prey animal to suffer. Slippery cages are a potential nightmare for a rabbit. Some rabbits tolerate it. But some don't. With those slippery bottomed cages, you run a risk of a broken neck, spine, or leg from your rabbit scrambling in sheer terror. If you have never seen a rabbit with a broken spine, I don't recommend it. Even if your rabbit escapes the aforementioned injuries, the muscles in their hind end will sprain from trying to keep their footing, and over time you run the risk of splay legs, especially with very small or large breeds, overweight animals, or kits under 8 weeks old. Again, not worth the risk, in my opinion.
Another factor is the convenience. Wire cages are easy to clean. All you have to do is slide the tray out from underneath, spot-clean it a couple of times per week, and dump/refill the litter once per week. There's little to no odor if you use a good litter, and it beats having to scrub out a flat-bottomed cage twice per day. Some rabbits hate having the inside of their cage cleaned, and will strike, growl, or bite. Wire cages prevent that problem because you won't be sticking your cleaning supplies inside the rabbit's living quarters. Wire cages are also light and easy to carry. Many come with wheels so you can move them around readily. They are highly durable and rarely break. In general, they make life easier.
When considering factors such as durability, safety, injury prevention, ventilation, sanitation, traction, convenience, disease prevention, and preference of the rabbit, wire cages will always come out on top. This is why I use and will continue to use wire cages for my rabbits. Like all of you, I ALWAYS have the best interests of my rabbits in mind, and that, my friends, is why I chose to write this article. :)