Rabbit housing — durable wire caging; hay/straw bedding; aquariums unsuitable
The text below is reproduced verbatim from the first-hand source (Merck Veterinary Manual).
> Rabbits can gnaw, and caging should be constructed of durable materials. Cages should be easily sanitized and allow easy cleaning. All-wire cages with a minimum of 12-gauge wire (16-gauge recommended for cage floor to support the weight of the rabbit) are preferred. Aquariums are not appropriate housing for rabbits (or other small mammals) because of inadequate air circulation. > Pens should have a nonslip floor and may be bedded with straw or shredded paper covered with straw or hay to increase absorbency. Shavings or sawdust are not the best, because the material forms dust, which can irritate the respiratory tract. > Indigestible fiber is important for stimulating GI motility, preventing behavioral problems (eg, fur chewing), providing dental wearing, and stimulating appetite and ingestion of cecotrophs. Up to 20% of crude fiber, with 12.5% of indigestible fiber, is generally recommended for pet rabbits.
Source: pdf-raw/exotic-toxicology/rabbit.txt (first-hand professional veterinary reference, tag-stripped).
Claims (verified C1 substrings of source_file)
Rabbits can gnaw, and caging should be constructed of durable materials. Cages should be easily sanitized and allow easy cleaning. All-wire cages with a minimum of 12-gauge wire (16-gauge recommended for cage floor to support the weight of the rabbit) are preferred. Aquariums are not appropriate housing for rabbits (or other small mammals) because of inadequate air circulation.Pens should have a nonslip floor and may be bedded with straw or shredded paper covered with straw or hay to increase absorbency. Shavings or sawdust are not the best, because the material forms dust, which can irritate the respiratory tract.Indigestible fiber is important for stimulating GI motility, preventing behavioral problems (eg, fur chewing), providing dental wearing, and stimulating appetite and ingestion of cecotrophs. Up to 20% of crude fiber, with 12.5% of indigestible fiber, is generally recommended for pet rabbits.