Tips and Tricks Create Rabbit Cage

Tips and Tricks Create Rabbit Cage
When you go to build your rabbit a cage, you don’t need to make it fancy. Bunnies don’t ask for a mansion; they just like a cozy corner where they can eat, sleep, and mark their scent. The most common home-built rabbit cage is made of galvanized wire. However, before you choose to build a rabbit cage, shop around the local rabbit suppliers to see their prices. If you intend to build a large number of holes, it’s probably more cost-effective to make your own. But if you just need one or two bunny cages, it may actually cost less to buy them.

Supplies you need to build an All-Wire Rabbit Cage

Finding the Right Rabbit Cage Wire

Chicken wire isn’t strong enough to house rabbits. Neither is hardware cloth. Cages should be built of 14 or 16-guage galvanized wire specifically made for rabbit or bird housing. You may have the option of galvanized-before-welding wire (GBW) or galvanized-after-welding wire (GAW). GBW wire is more common and works fine, but GAW or zinc-coated wire resists rust a little better. Rabbit wire should not be painted or plastic-coated, because bunnies chew on everything, which will expose the wire to rust and the bunny to potentially harmful substances in the paint or plastic.
The top and sides of a rabbit cage should be of 1×2” or 1×1” mesh, but the floor must be tighter than that to support bunnies’ feet. Rabbit floor wire is generally ½x1” mesh.

Where to Purchase Rabbit Supplies

Rabbit cage suppliers such as Klubertanz offer rabbit wire by the roll. You can purchase a 50’ or 100’ roll. Remember though that you will have to buy two or even three rolls of wire: one of 1×2” mesh for the cage sides and one of tighter mesh for the cage floor. If you just want to build a few cages, you can ask your local supplier to cut you a length of floor wire and sell that separately, so you don’t have to buy a whole roll. Most rabbit cages are 14 to 18” high, so wire rolls will usually come in those widths. However, remember that if you buy an 18” wide roll of wire, the depth or the length of your cages must always be 18” also. This is because you need to cut a roof for the cage, and a roll 18” wide will not cover a 24×24” cage. A rabbit supplier will also offer J-clips, C-rings, door springs, plastic door trim, and other accessories that your local hardware will probably not. Some suppliers will even sell you pre-made cage doors if you ask.

If you are making a double-hole rabbit cage, you must provide a solid divider between the two holes. Rabbits will bite or barber each other through a wire divider. Dividers should be sheet metal with crimped and smoothed edges, or PVC sheeting. You can purchase either pre-cut from a cage supplier.

Supplies List to build a Double-hole 36×18” Rabbit Cage with a sliding Drop Tray
• Roll of 18” wide galvanized 1×2” wire, at least 18 feet long.
• 36×18” piece of galvanized ½ x1” floor wire
• Door latches and plastic guard to go around door edges
• C-rings and/or J-clips with pliers
• Metal or plastic drop tray
• Wire cutters
• Plastic or metal cage divider

How to Build an All-wire Rabbit Cage

Once you have the materials gathered, all you need is a sunny day and a grassy lawn where you can lay them out and get to work. Instructions are given here for an 18×36” double-hole cage, but you can modify them for the cage you want to build.

1). From your roll of 1×2” wire, cut six pieces: two that are 18” long and four that are 36” long.
2). Using J-clips or C-rings, connect the two 18” long sections and one of the 36” sections, to create the back and sides of your rabbit cage.
3). Now take the section of floor wire and attach this to the cage, not at the very bottom, but four inches up from the bottom. This will allow a space for the drop tray. Make sure to set the floor in with the tighter ½” mesh facing up, as that will be easier on your rabbit’s feet. Then attach the front of the cage.
4). Punch holes in the edges of your metal or plastic divider and attach it with C-rings to the inside of the cage. Then put the top on the cage and attach the divider to the top of the cage.
5). You will have one 18×36” section of wire left. Attach this to the very bottom of the cage, to hold the drop tray.
6). Now you essentially have a wire box with a divider two floors, but you can’t get into it. Cut out the section of the front of the cage at the bottom that is preventing the drop tray from sliding in. Also, cut two openings in the front of the cage and cover the edges with plastic trim.
7). From the wire that you have left, cut two doors that are slightly larger than the openings you cut in the cage. Attach springs or latches to these and clip them to the cage.
Lastly, slide in the drop tray, add a feeder and water bottle, check for sharp wire edges, then introduce your bunny to his new home!