📅 Sunday, 21 June 2026 · No. 90

They Eat Every Flooring: My Enclosure Notes

🏠 Home Setup · ✎ 4 min · by Azmi in Meknes

Azmi's note My personal log from Meknes, not vet advice. Just what I did and saw tonight.

Building my own enclosure taught me one law: rabbits eat flooring no matter the material. Wood, mat, tile edge, all taste-tested. Little douchebags, lovingly said. This post is the build log: materials trialed with verdicts, the nail-flag incident, and night-chewing management. Personal DIY log, not construction or care advice, for housing safety questions I check with experienced keepers or my vet. Two-by-two metres to start, supervised free-roam, destruction tapering with age. The enclosure survives. Mostly.

After construction comes bunstruction: materials on trial

Seagrass mats: edible, replaceable, approved, the sacrificial flooring, replaced quarterly, chewed happily (see the tunnel project’s chew philosophy)
Nails checked weekly, long fronts curl and hurt, trim log kept; the flag incident below is why
Night chewing peak: extra hay before bed helps, 21:00 hay pile distracts from skirting boards nightly (verified across a month)

The nail flag and night shift

Someone spotted long front nails in the photos and was right to flag it. Trimmed, logged, toes safe. Many eyes beat two, the comment that improved the diary: weekly nail checks became non-negotiable that day, trim demo watched (vet tech, professional), front-curl watch added to the grooming routine. Trimmed same evening, photo updated, flag retired with thanks. Night chewing peak management: extra hay at 21:00 (the decoy pile), willow sticks staged (the legal alternative), bitter-apple nothing (never used, redirection only in this house). Two-by-two metres holding; free-roam expanding with age and trust; destruction tapering as predicted (year-one chaos vs year-two calm, the curve holds). The enclosure survives, mostly. The rabbits approve, entirely.

enclosure corner showing chewed seagrass mat flooring — Exhibit B: the flooring.

Enclosure v2 upgrades log

Upgrade history: v1 wooden frame (chewed to sculpture within months, retired with honors), v1.5 mat overlay (edible, accepted losses), v2 seagrass standard (current, sacrificial by design). Corners reinforced twice (chew-through incidents, both logged). Latches upgraded after the great escape-attempt (documented elsewhere, determined rabbit, improved hardware). Night-chewing data: peak 22:00-23:00 (decoy hay pile intercepts 8 of 10 nights), full-moon correlation claimed by household (unproven, beloved theory). Two-by-two metres holding; free-roam hours expanding (trust earned daily). Supervised free-roam now exceeds pen time 3 to 1, the enclosure serves as base, not boundary. Destruction tapering with age: year-one chaos versus year-two calm (curve holding, knock wood logged).

Maintenance calendar

Weekly: nail checks (front-curl watch since the flag), mat inspection (replace at 50% chew), latch test. Monthly: full clean-out (vinegar wipe per litter protocol, rinse, sun-dry), photo survey (wear tracking), hay-rack rehang (chewed ropes replaced). Quarterly: barrier audit (floor edges, corner joints), upgrade review (what’s failing, what’s next). The flag incident’s legacy: many eyes beat two, photo comments now scanned for welfare notes weekly (community-powered care). Trimmed, logged, toes safe, the incident’s three-word resolution, permanent policy. Little builders, lovingly destructive. The enclosure survives; the diary documents; the toes stay safe.

Builder’s retrospective, one year on: law learned (rabbits eat flooring, first principle), materials settled (seagrass sacrificial, wood structural, tile avoided), nails watched (flag system working), nights hayed (decoy doctrine holding). Costs tallied: mats quarterly, willow monthly, cardboard free (castle district self-funding via boxes). Savings: vet bills avoided through vigilance (priceless, logged gratefully). The enclosure stands 2×2, upgraded twice, chewed constantly, loved entirely. Little builders, lovingly destructive, permanently housed. Mostly surviving; fully thriving.

Enclosure forecast: free-roam majority by next season (trust curve climbing), pen as beloved base (not boundary), upgrades as needed (chew-driven development). Maintenance holds; nails watched; nights hayed. Builders experienced; destroyers enthusiastic; diary comprehensive. Two metres holding; love overflowing. Mostly surviving; entirely home.

Builder’s supply depot: seagrass mats stacked (quarterly burn rate), willow bundles hanging (monthly), cardboard flattened (infinite, free), bitter nothing (never stocked, redirection only). Depot economics: mats cost, willow costs, cardboard saves, love funds all. Trim station: clippers sharp, styptic ready (unused, vigilant), log open. Night hay depot: pile placed 21:00 sharp (decoy doctrine, holding). Two metres of enclosure, infinite metres of trust. Supply steady; destruction joyful; home complete.

Enclosure standing; upgrades logged; toes safe. Two metres holding against joyful destruction; free-roam expanding with trust. Mats sacrificial; willow flowing; cardboard infinite. Builders proud; destroyers delighted. Home, mostly intact.

Surviving mostly; thriving entirely; toes safe always.

Night-shift report: chewing peak 22:00 sharp, decoy hay deployed 21:55, interception rate holding at 8 of 10. Skirting boards survive another month; seagrass takes the hits instead (sacrificial design validated). Sleep quality: undisturbed (chewing sounds are white noise now). Morning inspection: hay pile demolished, willow gnawed, enclosure intact. Night doctrine works; days stay quiet; toes stay trimmed.

Flooring scorecard, final

Material	Edibility	Lifespan	Verdict
Seagrass mat	High	Quarterly	Standard issue
Wood frame	Medium	Sculptural	Structural, monitored
Tile edge	Low (licked)	Permanent	Approved finish
Cardboard	Total	Weekly	Free, infinite, beloved

Scorecard published annually, revised by teeth. Night-chewing calendar: decoy hay 21:55 sharp (interception holding), willow staged weekends (premium distraction), skirting check Sundays (zero breaches this quarter). The enclosure at two years: holding, loved, gnawed artistically. Flooring verdicts final till teeth say otherwise. Build, chew, log, repeat.

Build log closed for the season: materials rated, nails watched, nights hayed, toes safe. The 2×2 metres hold against joyful destruction; free-roam grows with trust. Little builders, lovingly destructive, permanently housed. Mostly surviving; entirely home.

🐰

Written by Azmi

I track my rabbits' diet, weight and naps to see what works. Photos are mine, mess included. Say hi on the contact page.

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