How to make a rabbit one. Optimal cage sizes for rabbits: drawings. House for a female rabbit with offspring
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Even in our global and technocratic society, where everything can be purchased in a store, subsistence farming remains relevant to this day. The most profitable and low-cost method of domestic animal husbandry is rabbit breeding. But, like any living creature, a rabbit must have its own comfortable place to live. These animals are kept in special cages located in the barn. Every novice rabbit breeder should know how to make a rabbit cage.
Such a process will not seem laborious if all the conditions for rabbit breeding premises are met. One of the main requirements is compliance with the scale of such buildings. Therefore, you first need to determine the size of the cages for rabbits. Even with a small number of animals, one cage for all will not be enough. You need to plan at least three pieces. First you need to prepare drawings of cages for rabbits.
Required space for 1 head
Detailed drawing indicating even the smallest details designs will provide you with reliable construction.
There are many known design methods for how to build a rabbitry. Some provide comfort to animals, others are convenient for the owner due to financial costs. Each rabbit breeder chooses himself best option, based on your capabilities. But, nevertheless, more often they make cages for rabbits with their own hands. According to reviews, simple rabbit mesh cages are popular. Such material can be found in any construction supermarket, or you can rummage through your old stocks. Let's look at the process of creating a cage for rabbits from a mesh with your own hands.
Mesh rabbitry
There are many varieties of such cages; the following structures have proven themselves best:
- a cage without a supporting structure with supporting supports;
- frame cells.
Homemade galvanized checkered weaving with strong wire will serve as the basis for the production of such structures. For the tops and side sections of the cells, a mesh with links of 25x50 mm will be sufficient. Bottom part involves the use of small cells to prevent the paws of furry animals from slipping. Once you have determined the dimensions, construction can begin.
In our case, the cage will be an externally mesh structure surrounded by a base with legs.
Step-by-step production
The construction of such a structure consists of several stages. Before you make a rabbit cage with your own hands, you need to cut out certain parts of the sides based on the size.
A template made in advance will help create the front and back parts of the same size, which are carefully cut out from the mesh roll fabric. Then the side parts are cut, completely matching their perimeter.
- The constructed rectangle is covered with a roof, and a fine-mesh mesh will serve as the base of the floor.
- Initially, fastening elements form the walls.
- Next, the base of the cage is installed. At the same time, the mesh weaves of the front part of the very first cell are removed. A tray for animal waste will be located here.
- Having outlined the doorway, we form a slot. There may be several of them.
- The doors are also made using mesh and secured with fasteners.
- A mesh ceiling is laid on top of the resulting box.
- The frame is made separately using wooden blocks. If the drawings with dimensions are drawn out accurately and exceed the cage itself, our structure will easily fit into its supporting base.
Step-by-step photo instructions
The main work is done, now you need to attach ready-made designs to the wall with metal parts and place stops to prevent the cage from swaying when the animals move. The sides and back are covered with plywood sheets, which are cut relative to the dimensions of the frame, and not the size of the mesh formations. Now all that remains is to fill the holding area with the accessories necessary for the life of rabbits: feeders, drinking bowls, a tray, and you can populate the rabbitry with animals. This is the most common way to build a rabbit cage using the mesh method.
Mikhailova's rabbitry
The production of cages for rabbits must be thoughtful and serve as a guarantee that the animals will actively develop and gain weight. A popular scheme for such development belongs to I. N. Mikhailov, a famous rabbit breeder. Mikhailov's rabbit cages have accessible and understandable instructions for the stages of construction yourself at home.
Mikhailov's cage is manufactured according to already developed drawing projects.
The essence of his technique is to divide the cell into three parts: top, bottom and support section, each of which has its own functional affiliation. So, the upper part has one or two tiers, the lower base contains a tray for collecting feces, as well as a compartment where they are stored and stored until removal. The stand frame also serves as a fixing base. And the compartments of the Mikhailov cage for rabbits, intended for drinking and food, move out slightly.
Thanks to this scheme of housing, Mikhailov’s rabbitry requires minimal care– about an hour a week, and the animals are kept outside all year round.
The housings are mainly made of metal, and wood is used for insulation. There are simplified versions of similar premises for rabbits, differing in appearance, therefore, let us highlight the main features of the cell size ratio according to the Mikhailovsky method:
- the total area of one section accommodating a pair of animals ranges from 1.4 square meters. m.;
- the height of the cage is 2.1 m, width 2.4 m;
- each section of the cage is constructed with a width of 0.6 m and a height of 0.7 m;
- The queen cells are 0.4 m long and 0.35 m wide; the cone for collecting waste products can have any size.
The base in the form of legs on a frame stand reaches a height of 1.4 m. It is necessary to secure the supporting structure with fixing elements. This ensures the necessary stability of even the most simplified design.
Rabbit farm Zolotukhina
One of the most popular cages today are cages for rabbits by N. I. Zolotukhin, a man who put forward a number of necessary transformations that bring the conditions for keeping animals at home closer to natural features their life activities. This is how Zolotukhin’s cell, economical and quite simple to create, appeared.
This design saves space and does not require daily cleaning, making it easier for rabbit breeders to maintain.
Let us highlight the main features of N. Zolotukhin’s design option:
- The floor is made using flat slate or a sheet of plywood. The mesh is attached only to the floor of the rear covering. There is no tray provided at all. The developer states that rabbits almost always urinate from the back of the cage. This is where most of the feces are collected. The rest of the feces are scattered by the rabbits on the floor.
- The building has complex design, including six compartments located on floors. Each higher floor is shifted relative to the floor next to it, becoming equal to the width of the grid in the floor. And the front side, connecting the floors, represents a kind of slope.
- The queen cell is completely absent. In cold weather, there is additionally a special shelter for the mother rabbit and baby rabbits.
Cleaning is carried out using a goose fan as a sweeping device.
Cage for rabbits in 2 tiers
Usage multi-storey structures for rabbits at home and to this day is the most compact and convenient option rabbit breeding. There is nothing easier than building rabbit cages with your own hands in 2 tiers.
Assembly diagram
Developed by experienced owners special instructions, the manual of which contains the following provisions:
- wooden blocks are connected to form four rectangular bases;
- using a mesh with small cells, they make the floor, then install the side walls;
- since the first floor contains trays for feces, the floor is made pitched for ease of removal;
- Trays for domestic rabbits are prepared using timber. The second floor under its base must have a solid plywood sheet to prevent contamination from entering the first floor;
- the ceiling is done at the last moment using waterproof materials.
To support two floors, a reliable frame is designed. In order to correctly carry out such a cage design for rabbits, the drawings must always be kept at hand. Two-tier cages for rabbits have a structure layout in the shape of the letter “U”, represented by standard blocks attached to each other with self-tapping screws.
With these simple techniques you can make cages for rabbits with your own hands, which in terms of reliability and comfort will not be inferior to factory designs.
Many livestock farms and private entrepreneurs are increasingly paying attention to rabbit breeding. Breeding these furry animals is quite a profitable business. So to speak, practically waste-free, since rabbit droppings are highly valued in agriculture as fertilizer.
Types of cages for rabbits
The single-section version of the cage is a spacious enclosure with doors, equipped with drinkers and feeders. The room is designed for one individual or, if the section is large, for walking young animals. A single-section rabbit cage is convenient for breeding animals in small quantities for your own needs.
Did you know? Rabbits are considered silent, but these animals often use various sounds to explain their condition. A contented, peaceful rabbit makes purring sounds, pleasure can be indicated by short clicks, aggression can be signaled by growling or grunting, fear can be indicated by chattering teeth, and if the furry one screams, it means he is in pain.
The cages, consisting of two sections, are separated by a V-shaped mesh feeder. In such a rabbit house you can keep a couple of animals by opening the flap between the sections when mating is planned.
The cages, consisting of three sections, allow you to keep three individuals (a male and two females); between the sections there are opening flaps. If necessary, one of the females can be allowed in to the male living in the central section. After communication& - divide again.
Cage type state farm "Klenovo - Chegodaevo"
The design of these cages is 240 cm long and 65 cm wide. The material for making the floor in such cages is wood, in a solid sheet or in a slatted manner. Feeders and drinkers are located inside the cages on the floor. There are insert boxes that are used as queen cells with removable feeders and bowls for babies.
Important! Little rabbits are gradually accustomed to adult food. The kids are grated carrots, steamed grain and given fine soft hay.
The convenient design of a two-tier mini-farm was developed and implemented by I. N. Mikhailov. There are two floors of cages on the frame-stand. The roof is made of translucent materials.
The installation of feeders and drinking bowls makes it possible to provide animals with food and water for a week. This arrangement of two-tier cages for rabbits is convenient for those who cannot devote time to animals every day. 
Cells designed by Zolotukhin
Zolotukhin’s design is a three-tier enclosure, two sections per tier. Upper tiers shifted by grid width ground floor obliquely, a kind of protrusion of the floor made of plywood or flat sheet slate.
A stationary queen cell is not provided: For a female with offspring, a portable hole is inserted for the winter. IN summer period the female with the rabbits is located in the hay, but is separated by a partition from the other animals.
The feeder in the form of a tray is inserted into the door frame, which allows you to pour food without opening the door.
Does it make sense to purchase an industrial cage?
For large-scale rabbit breeding, factory-produced rabbit cages will save time on self-production cells. Such cells have many advantages: clear design, equipment comfortable drinking bowls and feeders, trays for feces, nests for individual individuals.
The factory nets provide convenient queen cells for females with offspring. Drawings of rabbit cages are constantly being improved, designs are supplemented with innovative ideas, more convenient and rational designs are being invented for both the cages themselves and various devices for animal life.
The lack of factory cages in the frequent defects in the production of any parts of the house, the discrepancy between the size of the cage and its future location.
On the other hand, when making a cage for domestic rabbits yourself, the size of the cages is proportional to the space of their further location. Depending on the number of animals, the type of cage and the placement of partitions, drinkers, and feeders are selected.
It is possible to choose a material that is more convenient for you when making both the entire cage and the tray, feeders and other things.
Making your own cage
Before making housing for animals, you need to decide on the size of the premises: for adult males, females and cubs, for each individual rabbit the footage necessary for normal development and maximum comfort is determined.
Professionals advise calculating the area of a flock for rabbits so that there is at least 0.12 square meters per adult. It is advisable to immediately provide for all the nuances: partitions, location of drinkers and feeders, location of pallets.
Three-tier cages for rabbits will be optimal for a large number of animals; the project drawings will easily fit both a nursery for young animals and separate sections for males and females.
The advantage of such sheds is significant space savings and the ability to install the structure on the street or in a utility room.
Interesting!Newborn rabbits are naked and blind, and already on the twentieth day of life they can feed on their own.
Choosing a location for cells
It doesn’t matter what design you have in mind: small cages for rabbits or three-tier sheds, the main thing is right choice places.
The best place for an aviary would be a slightly shaded area, for example, in a garden among trees. In this case, the animals will be protected from drafts and overheating.
Professional rabbit breeders advise keeping furry pets in outdoor conditions: the animals develop immunity to diseases, the quality of the coat improves, as well as the reproductive function and endurance of the offspring.
A good option is near the wall of a large utility room with a protruding visor that will create additional protection from precipitation and direct rays of the sun. When kept outdoors, take care to insulate the cages in winter.
Two-story cages for rabbits can also be located indoors. In this case, carefully consider the removal of waste products: animals should not suffocate from the smell of their own feces.
Size and drawing
The dimensions of the proposed premises depend on the breed of animals and their number (take into account the offspring). The average premises have the following dimensions:
- length– 120-150 cm;
- width– 60-80 cm;
- wall height– 35-50 cm.
When developing a drawing, take into account houses for females with offspring and rooms for young animals, think about the location of feeders and drinkers, convenience for you when cleaning cages, partitions that open for mating.
Think about how to insulate an outdoor space for animals. You might like the idea of adding a mesh aviary to the main house.
Required tools and materials
For the construction of cells it is better to use for the main parts of the room natural materials: wooden blocks, boards and slats, plywood sheets.
For the roof of the houses, it is advisable to use a slate base rather than metal. Metal sheets heat up quickly, as well as freeze in winter.
For individual parts you will need: galvanized mesh, door hinges, hooks and latches for doors. Tools and small parts:
- metal scissors;
- screws and screwdriver;
- nails and hammer;
- pliers;
- grinder, saw;
- tape measure, pencil and level.
In most cases, farmers make cages for rabbits with their own hands in both 2 and 3 tiers. Similar designs are made as permanent structures for a sufficiently large livestock. Such multi-storey structures can be created in a few days. However, the main thing is to accurately take into account all dimensions and minimum requirements area per animal.
Multi-tiered or according to your own drawings, compared to smaller products, have quite a lot of tangible advantages:
- First of all, they are very spacious, so you can keep a large number of livestock in such cages at once.
- In multi-tiered cages, you can take into account space for all members of the family: males, female rabbits with offspring, young animals, “problem” individuals that do not gain weight.
- Despite their size, cages of 2 and 3 tiers can be moved from place to place.
Of course, it is more difficult to make multi-tiered cages, but the result will be useful: all the livestock will live in one house, the animals will be conveniently fed and watered, because for a large cage you can immediately think through common system water supply, which will reduce labor costs for keeping rabbits.
Cages in 2 tiers: step-by-step instructions
To build a cage you need timber, plywood and tools. These are made from plywood, and as a load-bearing structures metal profiles are used or wooden beams. Accordingly, you will need available materials:
- sheets of plywood (or boards from pallets);
- fastening elements (nails, screws);
- screwdriver, screwdrivers;
- mesh and hinges for the door;
- timber or metal profile.
According to the parameters, you can take a standard 2-tier cage with 4 identical compartments on each floor:
- each compartment is 50 cm in length (total 200 cm);
- width 100 cm (i.e. distance from back wall to the door);
- compartment height 50 cm (from floor to ceiling).
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- A frame from a profile or timber is mounted in accordance with the drawing.
- Floors (ceilings) are installed - sheets of plywood with holes made in it.
- Doors are installed and equipped inner space in a cage (flooring, feeders, drinking bowls).
Cages that are placed indoors are not insulated from below. A detailed description of the stages is given using the example of creating a 3-tier cage, since the technology is not fundamentally different. It should be taken into account that multi-tier cages can be either outdoor or located in a rabbitry. For street structures the floor needs to be further strengthened to protect it from frost.
As practice shows, if winters in the region are quite frosty, then the lower tier should be additionally insulated by making the floor from a double layer of plywood, as well as reinforcing the bedding from straw or sawdust. Moreover, it is better to take these measures for those that are supposed to be placed indoors.
Cages in 3 tiers: step-by-step instructions
Such designs are successfully used by farmers who plan to increase the number of rabbits. The advantage of a 3-tier rabbit cage is its spaciousness. On each floor you can keep a small herd, and you can also divide the tier into 2-3 compartments with a partition and keep the young animals separate from the adults.
Three-tier cages can be of any design. Calculation of parameters
Before proceeding with installation, it is important to correctly draw up drawings with dimensions. For example, if we assume that there will be a total of 9 adult rabbits (3 per tier), then The parameters of compartment 1 should be as follows:
- length from 70 cm;
- width from 60 cm;
- height from 60 cm.
It turns out that you need to retreat from the wall of the rabbitry at least a meter, and calculate the height as 3-60 = 180 cm plus the height of the supports and the thickness of the floors with pallets for waste collection (i.e., the height of the rabbitry must be at least 220 cm). The length of such a design will be 210 cm. It is from these dimensions that you need to proceed.
When drawing up your specific project, you need to proceed from real possibilities premises. It is important not to forget that the cage should not be placed close to the ceiling and walls, because in this case it will cool down more in winter. If you take 6 identical sections on each tier (floor) as a basis, you can use the drawing below.
Materials and tools
Mesh is one of the main materials for constructing cells. All-season structures are made from ordinary wood. A metal profile or wooden beams serve as load-bearing supports. Accordingly, you will need the following materials:
- sheet plywood or OSB boards with a thickness of no more than 5-6 mm;
- wooden beams or metal profiles for the manufacture of load-bearing supports;
- fastening elements - nails, self-tapping screws, screws, metal angles, construction staples;
- floor mesh (or grate);
- mesh for doors and fasteners for mounting the door - handles, hinges, latch and latches for closing;
- moisture-proof and non-dense material for the roof of the cage - linoleum flooring, flat slate or polycarbonate;
- desti sheets for covering internal wooden surfaces, which rabbits can chew.
To build a cage you need the most common tools. Among the tools you need to use typical devices that can be found in any household:
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- construction stapler;
- saw;
- construction tape and level.
Attention! Wooden sheets plywood should not be treated with varnish or stain, since artificial chemical smells may have a bad effect on rabbits. The only protective measure is the use of tin sheets.
Manufacturing technology
Metal too suitable material for making cells. The sequence of actions depends on what material was chosen for the support - a metal profile or a wooden beam. In the first case step-by-step instruction like this:
- The profile is cut according to the dimensions according to the drawing.
- Markings are made on the profile for future holes. Here it is important to measure everything very accurately, the permissible error is about 2 mm.
- Next, using self-tapping screws and a screwdriver, the entire structure is assembled into a single whole.
- Next, the back wall and floor are made. If the thickness of plywood for the wall should be 5-6 mm, then for the floor surface you should take plywood of at least 8 mm.
- Roofing material is mounted on top.
- On the 1st tier, using a screwdriver, screwdriver or drill, you need to make 15-20 holes for urine drainage.
- Next, side ceilings and sides 5-6 cm high are installed, which will prevent straw and sawdust from spilling out from the floor.
- Using mesh, hinges and profiles, a mesh door and a queen cell door are made.
- Finally, the final stages are interior design cells. A drinking bowl and feeder are placed, straw and sawdust are spread.
If you use wooden beams as load-bearing beams, the technology for making a cage with your own hands will not fundamentally change. Only the frame is initially assembled from timber fragments measured and sawn in accordance with the drawing. Fastening is done with self-tapping screws.
Unacceptable errors
Ease of cleaning and keeping rabbits are the main requirements for cages. Before starting construction, you should pay attention to some common mistakes that should not be made - otherwise the structure will become fragile or the animal will be uncomfortable in it:
- First of all, you shouldn’t skimp on space. No more than 5 adult animals should be accommodated per 1 m2. The above dimensions of length, width and height are considered optimal, since they were derived based on many years of experience of rabbit breeders.
- Particular attention should be paid to the floor, since this is what will have to be cleaned most often. Both extremes are bad - both a monolithic floor made of solid plywood and a mesh floor. The monolith is difficult to clean, and in the cold season, straw and manure quickly cake and freeze. Mesh flooring is dangerous for rabbits because they get their paws or even fingers or claws into the cells and can easily be injured. And one more risk - in winter, in an unheated barn, rabbits can even freeze to the metal mesh. Therefore the most good option- This wood plywood with holes. It retains heat and removes waste quite well.
- You should immediately pay attention to the door in the front wall. If you skimp on material and make it too small, it will be difficult to remove both the bedding and the rabbits when cleaning the cage.
- Make walls and floors from metal sheets unacceptable: the metal gets very hot in the summer, and rabbits in such rooms will be stuffy. In winter it cools down just as quickly - it will have the opposite effect.
- When will they start installation work, the project must be prepared down to the details – i.e. All internal divisions of tiers need to be thought out in advance. The compartment with the rabbit and offspring must be well isolated, because the animal gets scared and becomes aggressive if it is disturbed by its neighbors. All this is fraught with the fact that the rabbit may long time be stressed, crush the young and even eat them.
- The premises for males should be extremely spacious - if they move little, this will have a bad effect on their productivity.
- In one compartment you can keep no more than 3-4 females along with their offspring.
Attention! It is better to make a 2- or 3-tier cage with a small margin. At a minimum, at least one cell should be left empty. If any compartment is damaged, animals can be temporarily moved there. In addition, it is often necessary to place those individuals that cannot gain normal weight in separate room. They are fed there separately using a pipette.
Thus, large cages for rabbits are an opportunity to solve several problems at once and provide the animals with a large room where the entire population can easily fit.
In the video, the master talks about how to make cages for rabbits with your own hands:
Building cages for rabbits with your own hands is a feasible task for any rabbit breeder. It can be easily solved if you have step-by-step instructions detailing all the stages, including choosing a design, drawing up a drawing, preparing materials, installing and landscaping the houses.
Beginning rabbit breeders need to know that pets can be kept in two ways: indoors and outdoors. Not only the structure of the rabbits, but also the rules for caring for them depend on the chosen farming method.
There are no rabbit breeders consensus about what conditions of detention are most favorable for animals. In your choice, you can focus on the point of view of Professor V.N. Mikhailova. He was a strong proponent of keeping rabbits outdoors.
This method has many advantages:
- No dampness.
- Sufficient amount of sunlight.
- Lack of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia vapors.
The listed problems can also be solved with internal maintenance: install lamps and a powerful hood. But this will entail an increase in costs and, as a result, a decrease in business profitability.
Design Features
Simple cages are boxes, one side of which is lined with metal mesh. It’s not difficult to make such houses, but the animals will be uncomfortable in them. The owner can expect difficulties in caring for their pets.
The basis of the cage is a frame, which can be made of wooden blocks or metal rods ( optimal choice- reinforcement with a cross-section of 6-8 mm). The next problem that needs to be solved is what the frame will be made of. This important choice, on which the durability of the structure and the ease of its maintenance depend.
Criteria for selecting material for cell construction:
Double cages with mesh aviary
You can make a double cage for rabbits from a mesh with your own hands from available materials:
- metal mesh;
- reinforcement bars;
- sheets of plywood;
- planed or unplaned boards;
- slate.
The floor of this structure should be mesh, which will prevent it from rotting. Both adults and young animals can be placed in such cages. Double design consists of two parts:
- cages (length 200 cm, width 65 cm, height 75 cm);
- enclosure (length 200 cm, width 100 cm, height 60 cm).
When kept outdoors, the structure should be raised 70 cm above the ground level. This is the most convenient height for caring for pets. A hole must be made from the cage into the enclosure through which the animals will go out for a walk. It is recommended to make drinking bowls and feeders from galvanized steel. Cages with enclosures cannot be placed on top of each other.
To build one structure of the specified dimensions, the following amount of materials will be required:
- reinforcement with a cross section of 8 mm - 22 kg;
- metal mesh for an enclosure with a mesh size of 25x25 mm or 16x48 mm (all walls, floor, ceiling) - 9.5 m2;
- lumber for the cage - 0.25 m3.
Two-tier shed
A two-tier shed is a structure of two cages installed above each other at a distance of 50-60 cm, the lower of which is raised above the floor level by 70-80 cm. Shed maintenance is beneficial in terms of saving space and servicing pets. Two-tier cages for rabbits industrial type have the following dimensions:
- width - 200 cm;
- depth - 100 cm;
- height - 60 cm.
Based on the given parameters, it is easy to make a drawing and calculate the required amount of materials for constructing a two-tier cage. You will need wooden blocks, slate sheets, metal mesh, plywood or OSB. Important Features sheda:
- all cells in it are the same size;
- the upper one has a roof made of slate or other material suitable for this purpose.
It is necessary to consider in detail how to make cells.
Three-tier cage in a minimal area
Shed in 3 tiers - optimal solution For minimum area. These designs eliminate several problems at once:
- competently organize the farm, minimizing the time for its maintenance;
- provide pets with comfortable conditions;
- use space efficiently.
- When designing a multi-tier structure, you need to take into account the dimensions of the area recommended by experts for keeping one rabbit:
- for non-tribal - 0.17-0.23 m3;
- for breeding - 0.1 m3.
All cages must be equipped with retractable trays, preferably a manure channel. Between the houses of the same tier, a manger is installed, in which grass or hay is placed. Feeders are hopper type, made of galvanized steel sheets. The sheds must contain devices for lighting and heating: lamps and air heaters.
Winter cages
Design street cells for winter maintenance it should provide for the possibility of insulation. Mesh windows must be closed with folding caps. The house in the cage should have a hole not with a folding door, but with a door that fits into the grooves. This will prevent animals from running out into the enclosure without permission. If all insulation elements are removable, the constructed structure is called all-season.
Rabbits tolerate frosts well down to -45 degrees. The most important thing when keeping outdoors in winter is to reliably protect animal houses from drafts and lay a thick layer of hay on the floor.
Materials and tools
Making a rabbit cage with your own hands involves choosing the right materials. First of all, you need to decide what the floor will be made of. This is the most important place in the rabbitry, because it houses the animal and its waste products. Experts consider 2 flooring options to be the best:
from wooden slats with a cross section of 25x30 mm, laid at a distance of 15-20 mm from each other;
made of galvanized metal mesh with a mesh size of 18x18 mm.
Cleaning a metal floor is much easier. It is not subject to rotting, does not absorb animal urine and, unlike wood, does not emit an unpleasant odor.
You can build a house for pets from scrap materials. Suitable for this purpose finished goods: mezzanines, wide and deep drawers from chests of drawers and sofas. In order to build a cage, you will need tools for working with wood and metal:
- screwdriver or drill;
- wood hacksaw;
- metal scissors or grinder with a metal disc;
- screwdrivers;
- pliers;
- roulette;
- construction bubble level;
- hammer.
Materials you will need:
- OSB sheets with a thickness of 6 mm;
- metal mesh (for the floor - with a mesh of 18x18 mm, for walls and enclosure - 25x25 mm);
- flat slate for roofing;
- galvanized steel for the installation of feeders and drinkers;
- wooden blocks with a cross section of 30x30 mm for mounting the frame.
Cell sizes
When planning your farm, it is important to make drawings of each structure. These diagrams and calculations will be required if there is a need to increase the number of shad and increase the number of shad in cages. When performing calculations, take into account the recommended space for a rabbit (indicated above). The size of the cages should be such as to avoid crowding of animals and provide them with free access to feeders and drinkers.
Rabbit sheds, regardless of their location (indoors or outdoors), must have a manure channel that can be easily washed with water pressure from a hose. With proper management, it is necessary to provide a container for Wastewater or their discharge into an autonomous sewage system.
For young animals
For young animals, single or double cages with enclosures are most convenient. If it is not possible to allocate a place for walking, the pets will not move much. Such conditions are optimal for fattening rabbits. Houses are often made for young animals from plywood boxes with dimensions:
- length - 60 cm;
- width - 50 cm;
- height - 35-40 cm.
The nest is made plug-in. A folding door is installed in one wall, consisting of wooden frame, upholstered with metal mesh. The manger is also made from mesh, but with a wider mesh: 35x35 mm. The house is installed at a height of 70 cm from the floor on legs or trestles.
Cage for adult rabbits
- length - 240 cm;
- width - 65 cm;
- rear wall height - 45-50 cm;
- the height of the front wall is 60-65 cm.
The floor has a slight slope from the back to the front wall of the house.
Nest for a female rabbit with offspring
A cage for breeding rabbits consists of two parts - a queen cell and a feeding compartment - connected by a manhole. The nest for small rabbits is located in the queen cell. This is also a place for a rabbit. Dimensions of the queen cell:
- depth - 65 cm;
- length (facade) - 40 cm;
- height - 40-50 cm.
Dimensions of the hole: width 17 cm, height 17-22 cm. This hole should be raised above the floor level of the queen cell by 10-15 cm. Young rabbits will not be able to climb over a partition of such a height and will always be within the nest.
For large rabbits
Giant rabbits require larger cages and enclosures. Optimal sizes:
- length - 90-95 cm;
- width - 60-65 cm;
- height - 60-65 cm.
How to make a rabbit cage with your own hands
Do-it-yourself rabbit cage, step-by-step construction instructions take everything into account important points, is intended for outdoor keeping of non-breeding adult animals. There is no aviary. Drinkers and feeders are not built-in, but are installed directly into the interior of the animal house.
The instructions tell you how to properly make a cage measuring 240x65x60 cm. It provides the following:
Step 1. Making the legs. Since the cage will be raised 70 cm above ground level, 2 bars with a cross-section of 30x30 mm and a length of 130 cm and 2 bars with a cross-section of 30x30 mm and a length of 120 mm are prepared. The difference in length is due to the difference in height of the front (50 cm) and rear (60 cm) walls of the house.
Step 2. Making the top and bottom trim. Prepare 4 bars 240 cm long and 4 bars 65 cm long.
Step 3. Assembling the frame. The bars are connected to each other using nails, screws, and metal corners.
Step 4. Making the walls. From OSB or moisture-resistant plywood, 2 sheets for the side walls are cut out, 65 cm wide, the height of one side is 60 cm, the second is 50 cm. The sheet for the back wall is prepared 240 cm long and 60 cm wide.
Step 5. Cover the frame on three sides with OSB sheets.
Step 6. Make a floor from metal mesh. The length of the canvas is 240 cm, width is 65 cm.
Step 7. Install the slate roof. It must be removable.
Step 8. Sheathe the front wall with a metal mesh.
The feeder and drinker are installed in the cage, removing the roof. In a similar way, the bedding is replaced and the house is cleaned. If you follow the suggested instructions, you can quickly make high-quality cages for your pets.
Rabbits are wonderful pets. However, before you bring your rabbit home, you will need to provide him with a cozy hutch that will meet his unique needs. Learn how to prepare a cage so that it becomes a comfortable and safe home for your pet. In addition, you should remember that the cage should have enough space for the rabbit to stretch, play and lie down for a night's sleep.
Steps
Part 1
Selecting a cage and accessories- While solid-sided rabbit hutches may be preferable, they are heavy and bulky and therefore not suitable for use within the walls of a home.
- Traditional rabbit hutches are made from wood and have a door made from fine mesh For birdcages so that the rabbit can look out through it. Wood remains to this day excellent choice, as it has good thermal insulation properties, protecting the rabbit from wind, rain, snow and cold in winter, as well as providing the animal with shade in the hot summer.
- A classic metal cage is good for temporary housing of a rabbit, for example, if the rabbit spends most of its time free in the hall, but you cannot rule out the possibility that it will chew on wires. When placing your rabbit in such a cage, be sure to provide him with shelter or a box in which he can hide if he wants to feel safe or just sleep.
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Choose the right size cage for your rabbit. Rabbits vary greatly in size from miniature lop rabbits weighing 1.3 kg to huge Flemish giant rabbits weighing up to 10 kg. The cage floor area and height will depend on the breed of rabbit you choose. When purchasing a cage, always consider the adult weight and size of the rabbit.
Make sure the cage has a solid floor. Many rabbits suffer from pododermatitis, which develops as painful pressure sores on their hind legs caused by sitting on hard floors or wet bedding. Cage floors in the form of a metal mesh are completely unacceptable and inconvenient for rabbits.
Choose a cage with metal mesh walls. A cage with lattice walls and a roof will provide the rabbit with good ventilation In addition, it will be quite easy to clean. However, make sure that the bottom of the cage is not made of metal mesh either. Your rabbit should not be forced to sit or stand on a metal grid for extended periods of time.
Make sure the bottom of the cage is protected from urine leakage. The bottom or tray must be high and solid. This is because rabbits may squirt urine when they urinate.
- In addition, this way less straw will spill out of the cage.
- If the cage does not have high protective sides and you want to construct them yourself, use a material such as cardboard that will not harm the rabbit even if it chews on it. You will need to refresh it often, but your rabbit won't get sick from the cardboard.
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Choose a litter box for your rabbit. Buying a litter box and training your rabbit to use it is very important when keeping this animal at home. The corner litter box fits very conveniently into the corner of a rabbit's cage or pen.
- Your rabbit may not start using the litter box right away, so be patient. You will need to train your rabbit to use the litter box. Eventually, he will always go to the toilet in it.
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Buy food bowls and a water bottle. Use heavy, flat-bottomed bowls that are difficult to tip over. Provide a manger for hay, but place it as low as possible as rabbits do not like to lift their heads up.
Part 2
Choosing a location for the cage-
Place the cage in a well-ventilated area that is neither too hot nor too cold. Do not place it in a dusty or dirty room, such as an attic or basement, as the dust can erode your rabbit's delicate lungs.
- The rabbit also needs natural light. Make sure that sunlight does not flood it, but falls on the rabbit in an absent-minded manner.
- Be aware that rabbits don't like loud noises or sudden movements, so don't place him near a tumble dryer or similar noisy areas to avoid putting him under unnecessary stress.
- A spare bedroom is a good place for your rabbit, as long as you remember to communicate with him regularly.
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Make sure your rabbit will be protected from predators. Also make sure that other pets such as cats and dogs do not disturb the rabbit. Rabbits are naturally prey to predators and find the close presence of predators very disturbing.
- If you have dogs, try to raise the crate off the floor. Rabbits can become very frightened if dogs sniff them at floor level.
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Choose a room where you can let your rabbit run around. Rabbits should not be kept locked in a cage all the time. You need to let the rabbit out of the cage so that he receives physical activity. The easiest way is to place your rabbit's cage in a room where you don't mind letting him run around and explore.
- Make sure that there are no wires lying around in this room, no sharp objects, small toys or other objects that could harm the rabbit.
Part 3
Arrangement of the cage-
Line the cage with bedding. The rabbit needs thick layer bedding to protect his paws from bedsores. The larger the rabbit, the thicker the bedding layer should be.
- Typically straw, sawdust or hay is used as bedding. It is best to take straw, as it is elastic and soft, and in winter it retains heat. Straw can also be safely chewed on by a rabbit.
- A regular-sized rabbit requires a layer of bedding 12.5–15 cm thick, and larger rabbits require an even thicker layer.
- Even if your rabbit is litter box trained, we do not recommend lining the cage. carpeted, as it can cause intestinal blockage if the rabbit decides to chew it.
- Spot-clean the cage daily by scooping up urine-stained bedding and feces and then adding fresh straw. Ideally, the cage should be completely cleaned once a week.
- Rabbits can chew blankets or fabric, so for shelter it is better to put them inside a box or house especially a large number of densely packed straw.
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Line the litter box with a layer of newspaper, add non-toxic litter, and top it with hay. Change the hay daily and clean the litter box weekly.
- Do not use on rabbit cat litter, especially clumping ones, as they can be lethal to a rabbit.
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Provide your rabbit with food. Grass is an ideal food for rabbits, and hay is an excellent substitute. If possible, feed your rabbit exclusively hay to keep its teeth in tip-top condition and prevent your rabbit from becoming overweight.
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Provide your rabbit with water. A rabbit can easily knock over or stain a water bowl with excrement, so it is preferable to use water bowls. Change the water daily to keep it fresh. Also, wash your water bottle daily and never use one that is overgrown with green algae.
- If you have more than one rabbit, hang water bottles at two opposite ends of the cage.
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Choose a rabbit cage. Cells classic type are better suited for temporary housing of rabbits, as they do not give the rabbits the opportunity to hide. A rabbit exposed to view from all sides will become stressed very quickly. However, in this case, you can always provide the rabbit with a house or a hiding box so that he can retire if necessary.