Even though we are in the business of selling rabbit cages and
hutches, we understand that for many people the cost of buying a
rabbit hutch is just not in their budget. However, building a hutch
yourself is not all that difficult and materials required for
building it are not too costly. If you have some basic carpentry
skills, you can easily complete it over a weekend.
If you design your own rabbit hutch, make sure you follow some basic
layout rules such as allocating plenty of floor space for your bunny
to move around. Another important thing that may impact your design
is that, even though they are pet rabbits, rabbits feel more
comfortable in a den and not a cage. You should try to design the
hutch in such a manner that your rabbit will think of it as their
den.
Many commercial rabbit hutches contain wire floors. This is
typically an attempt at an easy way to keep the floor of the hutch
clean because it allows dirt, any rubbish and the rabbit’s waste to
fall through. However, wire floors are way too rough for some breeds
of rabbit’s feet/paws and you may need to keep a layer of padding,
such as fresh straw or hay, covering the floor. A general rule is:
Hay is for eating and Straw is for bedding. If you are building your
own hutch you may opt for a vinyl floor covering on a plywood base.
The plywood base creates a very strong bottom and the vinyl is
relatively easy to clean. The vinyl is also very inexpensive and
fairly simple to replace when it gets worn or otherwise needs
replacing.
Wire mesh is often used for the front of the rabbit hutch. This is
perfectly fine and it allows for air flow to reduce odor formation.
Avoiding the use of plastics altogether may be good option, because
your rabbit may chew through the plastic over a period of time.
Two story rabbit hutches are becoming more popular than in the past
but traditional one story hutches are typically much easier to
build. If you want to build a second floor, then you need to use
materials that are strong enough to give the support for the
additional floor. Metal brackets can be used for extra strength on
the sides and in the corners. Ramps can be made using plywood or plank
lumber.
If you are building your hutch for the outdoors, bear in mind the
temperature fluctuations during the different seasons and design the
hutch accordingly. If it is exposed to direct sunlight, remember the
changing positions of the sun through the year. If you want to keep
your rabbit hutch indoors, then rubber or plastic feet placed on the
bottom of the legs will reduce the wear on floor and carpet.
If you have lot of space in the hutch (for the size of your rabbit),
setting up a small maze will pave the way for your bunny to go
exploring but still remain safe and secure. Even if you build your
own rabbit hutch, don’t forget, you will still need to buy some
things for your rabbit. Items like toys, a litter box and some
bowls. |
