Making cages for rabbits with your own hands. How to build comfortable rabbit cages

Breeding rabbits, if properly organized, can bring good dividends.

Animal cages must be made of high quality materials. The normal functioning of the animal depends on compliance with these requirements.

The main advantage of rabbits is their simplicity. They have a fairly high resistance to various diseases... A properly built dwelling creates a comfortable existence for the animal.

Nursery design

The correct blueprints for rabbit cages will help you build a good home for the whole family.

The animal nursery consists of:

• frame;
• ceiling slab;
• side walls;
• central door;
• feeders.

How to make DIY rabbit cages?

If the finished nursery will be located outdoors, then the height of the support should be 110 cm. Tall rabbit dwellings help protect animals from various predators.

Side walls are made of dense plywood or fine mesh. It is recommended to use a fine mesh or thin slats for feeding rabbits.

The presence of holes allows you to get rid of food debris, thereby preventing their rapid spoilage.

The roof for the cages should be made of durable waterproof material. Suitable for this: slate, roofing felt; polycarbonate.

Materials for the production of a home should not contain sharp edges and chips.

Varieties of cells

Nursery designs have some differences.

Mainly:

• cells with a mother liquor;
• a nursery based on the technology of I. N. Mikhailov and N. I. Zolotukhin;
• dwelling with an open-air cage for walking animals.

The first version of the cell is tall building with two separate sections. One of them serves for feeding, and the other for the nest.

They are separated between a thick plywood sheet. For the normal movement of the animal, the presence of a manhole is provided.

An exit for animals is made in the side wall. The entire perimeter of the cell is fenced off with a net. This helps prevent escaping the nursery grounds.

The sizes of the cages for rabbits are calculated based on their number.

Note!

For intensive reproduction of animals, the technique of combining neighboring nurseries is used. To do this, a corridor is made along the back of the cage with additional doors for moving the male.

Industrial cell structures using Mikhailov's technology

They are miniature farms. There is a nest for young rabbits, a place for feeding adult animals, additional ventilation. An additional compartment for waste disposal is made along the lower border.

How to make a rabbit cage like this? To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the design drawings. Shown here in detail exact dimensions walls and ceiling.

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique are multi-storey departments that can accommodate several families. The layout of the rabbit cage provides for additional compartments for feeding and unhindered cleaning of waste.

The main advantage of this method is to create conditions as close as possible to natural ones. Little rabbits acquire immunity to various viral diseases... The female independently arranges a warm nest from her fluff and dry straw.

Stages of creating a cell

Making a simple animal cage is easy enough.

Note!

To do this, you must follow a strict sequence of actions:

• the frame of the future cell is assembled from the bars. The thickness should be 10 cm in diameter;
• a blank wall is installed in the back of the nursery;
• the sides of the cage are upholstered with mesh.

For this it is necessary to use small fractions.

• Experienced experts recommend upholstering the side walls with fine slats. This will protect the animal from overheating in summer time and freezing in winter;
• The bottom of the nursery is made of a durable plywood sheet;
• Outside the cage, feeders and additional doors are installed. This allows litter and debris to be easily removed from the animal.

The photo of the rabbit cage shows a step-by-step instruction that will facilitate the process of building a nursery.

Diy photo of cages for rabbits

Those who have decided to start breeding rabbits must have a question of making a convenient cage for rodents. Dwellings for eared ones can be designed in different ways, and made both in the factory and with your own hands. Let's dwell on the last option.

What materials can be made

When planning the construction of rabbit cages, the first thing to think about is choosing the right building materials... In principle, for the construction of a simple structure capable of protecting animals from adverse external factors, any means at hand will do.

In the construction of rabbit farms, wood and metal, galvanized profiles, plastic elements, bricks, clay and even industrial pallets are used. Despite the fact that almost any materials are suitable for use, their choice should be approached with full responsibility.

Wood

Even a novice rabbit breeder can handle making a wooden cage.

Wood is widely used in the construction of a rabbit cage. Any structural elements can be made from it. It is from a wooden bar that the frame of the future cage is usually made. The floor made of wooden planks is also popular with rabbit breeders.

The main advantages of the material are environmental friendliness and ease of processing.... Wooden elements can be easily shaped into almost any shape. Do not lose sight of the excellent thermal insulation properties of wood: in winter it will be warm in a wooden rabbitry, and not too hot in summer.

Of the shortcomings, it is worth highlighting the rapid destruction. Rabbits love to chew on everything, so wooden elements interior decoration cells are quickly destroyed by rodents. In addition, due to its porous structure, wood absorbs all odors and liquids, so it is not recommended to lay a solid wood floor in a cage.

Important! Insects and moisture also contribute to the rapid destruction of wood, therefore, all wooden structural elements must be processed protective compounds... When choosing such a composition, make sure that it is safe for animals.

Metal

Metal is much stronger than wood, but working with it requires a different level of skill

Metal in comparison with wood is a more durable material for construction... Rabbits cannot gnaw through metal elements, they are easy to wash and are not afraid of insects. True, metal processing requires special skills from the master, as well as the ability to handle special tools.

The frame of the future cage is made of metal pipes. The metal is also used for interior decoration of wooden cages to prevent gnawing. natural material... And here is the roof and external walls It is not recommended to make metal cages, since in the sun they can get very hot, and in the cold they can freeze through, which is fraught with a threat to the health of eared residents.

Galvanized profile

The galvanized profile is used in combination with other materials. Unlike all-metal elements, strengthening or finishing the cage with a profile does not make the structure heavier, which is especially important for portable mobile rabbit cages.

Plastic elements

Plastic is lightweight and durable, but can release toxic substances in heat

Plastic pipes can be an alternative to wooden beams and metal pipes... The durable and lightweight material allows for versatile cages to be used in all conditions.

Animal safety is important when working with plastic. Internal structural elements that can get "on the teeth" of rabbits should not be made of plastic. The animal can injure the mouth or esophagus with shrapnel, as well as poison the synthetic substances that make up the material.

Important! Some plastics release toxic substances when exposed to intense heat (such as in the heat).

Bricks and clay

Bricks and clay are used to build rabbit cages mainly in hot regions.... The bases for the houses are laid out with bricks, and the seams are coated with clay. Such a cage protects animals well from overheating, since the brick has excellent thermal insulation properties.

Net

The walls of rabbit cages are made solid, in the form of a lattice from slats, or made of mesh. The most convenient is the option with a grid, which should have cells of the middle or small size and be strong enough.

Slate

The most practical material for making a rabbit cage roof is slate. It will perfectly perform a protective function, while not overheating in the sun and not being afraid of moisture.

Materials at hand

Rabbits are not the most whimsical animals to care for. As temporary housing or in conditions of critical economy, houses made from scrap materials are suitable. Inventive rabbit breeders adapt old barrels and containers for the maintenance of rodents, or assemble multi-storey structures from industrial pallets.

Each material has special properties, which can be both a plus and a minus. The choice should be guided by the advice of experienced rabbit breeders, individual conditions (climate, animal breed, etc.) and instructions for popular drawings, if you plan to use them.

A typical do-it-yourself rabbit cage

Choosing a cage for rabbits, you can opt for a cage Zolotukhin or Mikhailov

There are many options for rabbit cages, which differ in the number of tiers and sections, size and availability of "amenities" in the form of feeders and drinkers. On the Internet, it is easy to find author's drawings like designs by Zolotukhin or Mikhailov.

If we talk about a typical cage for adult rabbits, then optimal parameters there will be such sizes:

• Length - 120-150 cm;
• Width - 60–80 cm;
• Height - 60 cm.

For the rational consumption of material and for ease of maintenance, it is recommended to build paired cells. In this case, the length will increase to 3 m.

It is not worth saving space and making cells smaller. Animals should have enough free space, otherwise they become inactive, get sick and stop bearing offspring.

In appearance, a typical cell resembles a block consisting of two sections, each of which can contain one adult... Most often, wood and plywood are used in construction for the frame and interior decoration, metal mesh with small cells for walls and partitions, as well as slate for the roof.

The floor of the cage is rarely solid. Usually it is collected from narrow slats or a net is used, as this makes it easier to care for the rodents. Rabbits generate a lot of waste that goes through a mesh or slatted floor into a specially installed tray. If flooring solid, you will have to clean it too often.

To make a typical cage, you will need the following materials:

• Wooden bar - 10 pieces measuring 300x3x5 cm;
• Plywood sheets - 2 pieces measuring 150x150x0.1 cm;
• Metal mesh - 3 m with a mesh size not larger than 15 mm;
• Self-tapping screws - about 2 kg. You will need sizes 3 and 7 cm;
• Fittings - door hinges and the heck;
• Perhaps wooden floor slats as an alternative to metal mesh.

Tools for the job:

• Hand saw or grinder;
• Metal scissors or wire cutters;
• Screwdriver or hammer with nails (instead of self-tapping screws);
• Roulette, pencil, level.

Drawing

Drawing of a typical cage for rabbits

The drawing shows all the main structural elements and the dimensions in cm.

Manufacturing instruction

1. Construction should begin with the manufacture of the frame. Collect it from a wooden bar, which is sawn according to size and fastened to screws or nails. If possible, it is recommended to deepen the legs of the frame into the ground for greater stability of the structure.
2. The floor of the future cage is collected from slats, between which gaps of 0.5–1 cm are left, or a metal mesh is placed. The closed nesting compartments on the sides of the cage can be made solid by placing plywood.
3. The back and side walls of the cage and the feeder are also made of plywood.
4. Having made the doors using a metal mesh and the remains of wood, you should fix them with fittings.
5. At the end of the work, the cage is covered with a roof. Depending on the external conditions put a double roof (plywood and slate on top) or simply cover it with slate.

Video: A typical do-it-yourself rabbit cage

In addition to the covered part, in the cage for decorative rabbits must be open

The more spacious the dwelling for a decorative rabbit is, the better. The comfort of the animal is also provided by the structure two-story structures or open-air cages. Decorative rabbits, as a rule, are kept indoors, therefore, the requirements for thermal insulation and protection from external factors are much lower for the design of the dwelling.

The floor covering in a decorative rabbit cage should be solid and soft. The surface of the legs of decorative rodents is prone to inflammation and deformation, since it does not have soft pads. Ideal option is a wooden floor covered with soft absorbent material (sawdust, special wood filler, soft straw, absorbent napkins, etc.).

Required tools and materials

Making a cage for keeping decorative rabbits involves the use of the following materials:

• Sheets of plywood, chipboard or wooden boards: it is better to take with a margin, focusing on the size of the cage (90x60x45 cm);
• Sheet metal (tin can be used): 90x60 cm;
• Wooden slats;
• Metal mesh: 60x45 cm minimum;
• Self-tapping screws or nails;
• Door fittings.

Tools for the job:

• Saw, hacksaw or jigsaw;
• Screwdriver or hammer;
• Nippers or scissors for metal;

Drawing

Drawing of a multi-tiered cage for decorative rabbits

Dimensions in the drawing are in centimeters. The size and design of the cage are optimal for keeping one adult in a heated room.

Manufacturing instruction

1. The construction of a cage for a decorative rabbit begins from the floor. From chipboard or wooden board the base is cut out with a size of 90x60 cm.
2. A metal shield of similar dimensions is placed on a wooden base.
3. Then, from wood or chipboard, panels are prepared for walls with dimensions: 45x60 cm.
4. The frame is assembled with nails or self-tapping screws.
5. The door is made from wooden slats and metal mesh. Optimal size for the door - 30x30 cm.
6. The second tier is made of the same material as the walls and is installed inside the cage.
7. The staircase is made of slats, keeping a width of at least 15 cm, and it is installed close to the second tier, carefully fixing it.

It is quite simple to make a cage for keeping decorative rabbits. Even novice rabbit breeders who have no experience in construction and design can cope with the task. Stain the cell surface paints and varnishes not worth it, as rodents can be poisoned toxic substances gnawing through structural elements.

Video: do-it-yourself two-story rabbit cage

Design features

All rabbit cages are designed according to the general principles however, different types of shelters have their own characteristics. The nuances of the designs depend mainly on the breeds and individuals that the breeder plans to keep. In any productive farm, several groups of rabbits are kept at the same time. of different ages or even rocks.

Depending on whether the rabbit cage will be outdoors or indoors, you should choose suitable materials for construction and planning the dimensions of the structure. Cages can have from 1 to 3 tiers and an unlimited number of sections in length.

For rabbits of different ages (newborns, young animals, adults), special conditions are required, and accordingly, the cages for them will be different. For example, pregnant females with newborn rabbits are kept in special uterine cells with nests.

The size of the cages should be planned so that the animals have ample space and space. Obviously, the cages for giant rabbits and dwarf individuals will be very different from each other.

Depending on the size of the rabbits

The size of the cage is directly related to the size of the future residents.

Optimal sizes for a spacious cage, which contain a pair of adult rabbits of standard sizes:

• Length - 120-170 cm;
• Width - 60–80 cm;
• Height - 50-60 cm.

Dwarf and decorative (up to 4–5 kg) rabbits will have more modest conditions:

• Length - 70–90 cm;
• Width - 35–55 cm;
• Height - 30-50 cm.

The giant rabbits will need much more space:

• Length - 85-100 cm;
• Width - 70-80 cm;
• Height - 60-80 cm.

Multi-tiered cages

Productive rabbit breeding involves the simultaneous maintenance of a large number rodents of different sex and age. To the aid of rabbit breeders come multi-tiered structures for keeping animals. The cages are installed in both two and three tiers. Rabbit cages in several levels are permanent structures, which, nevertheless, are quite simple to build on your own.

Popular among the owners of rabbit farms are multi-tiered cages according to Zolotukhin's drawings. They have several advantages:

• Roominess;
• The ability to keep in one place all representatives of rabbit families (females, young animals and males);
• It is convenient to look after animals;
• Zolotukhin's cells are quite mobile - they can be moved from place to place.

Depending on the destination

If a rabbit with rabbits live in a cage, then they definitely need to arrange a secluded place

Depending on the purpose, rabbit cages are divided into several types, each of which has its own design features:

• Standard cage for permanent housing. It is easy to find a drawing of such a cage on the Internet and build a home for rodents on your own. Pay attention to the size of the cage, which should not be too small, and the safety of materials;
• The breeding cage should be much more spacious, since there will be several individuals in it at the same time;
• A special type of house for a rabbit with rabbits or a pregnant female is called a queen cell. Privacy and warmth are the two main components of the comfort of a pregnant rabbit and her newborn bunnies. As a rule, the mother cell has solid walls, a kind of house that imitates a cramped mink and devices for feeding the mother;
• The calf cage meets the standard requirements but is often equipped with an additional walking enclosure. The ability to exercise a little has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of immature cubs. The walking area is made of metal mesh and often gives the animals access to fresh grass.

Depending on the climate and season

The optimum temperature around for the normal well-being of rabbits is 14-16 degrees. Maintaining a normal climate in houses and protecting animals from rain and wind are the main requirements for the design of rabbit cages.

In large rabbit farms, the content of rodents in winter and summer provides for different kinds cells. Winter ones are insulated with OSB or other fiber, sometimes they carry out water heating.

In regions with temperate climate without sudden temperature changes, you can keep rabbits all year round in the same portable structures, which at the onset of the first cold weather are transferred to a closed room. V summer period such cells are again moved to the open air.

Choosing a location for installation

You can place rabbit cages both indoors and outdoors. Outdoor maintenance is recommended only for regions with warm climates or in the case of the construction of well-insulated heated structures.

Rabbits do not tolerate well high humidity, therefore, in the open air, you should choose a place remote from water bodies, preferably on a hill. Direct sunlight can also harm the health of rodents, so future breeders need to provide a special shed or hedge.

When placing cages with rabbits indoors, the open part of the structure should be turned towards the windows. This will increase the daylight hours for the animals and give them more warmth. Daylight hours are generally very important for breeding, especially for young individuals. Therefore, in autumn-winter period you will need to install additional lamps for additional illumination and heating of cells.

Do not forget about general hygiene in the premises where animals are kept. Rabbits generate a lot of waste that needs to be removed in a timely manner. It is recommended to thoroughly wash the entire structure and the room itself at least once a year. This will prevent bacteria and viruses from growing.

Arrangement

Rabbit Cage Feeder Options

In addition to the walls, floor and ceiling, the rabbits' permanent housing provides for the supply of fresh water and feed. Now you can buy ready-made drinkers and feeders in stores or through specialized sites. However, you can make your own simple feeders and drinkers.

Some rabbit cage blueprints have built-in structures, and some have feeding attachments that need to be installed separately.

The floor covering for decorative domestic rabbits must be soft to prevent the development of pododermatitis in the animal. The best options are considered sawdust or absorbent textile napkins.

How to train your rabbit to crate

If the cage is comfortable, the rabbit will quickly get used to it.

V natural environment rabbits live in burrows. It is very difficult to provide them with the proper privacy when keeping animals productively. If the rabbit cage is not designed correctly, it has internal sharp corners, small space or in a noisy environment, the animals will experience stress that adversely affects their health and reproductive function.

To accustom a rabbit to a new home is quite simple: you just need to provide him with the maximum comfortable conditions for life.

Rabbit breeding is popular and profitable business v countryside... Animals are kept in special cages that you can make yourself. Using the information and advice from this article, any breeder, even the most inexperienced breeder, will be able to design the right cage that is ideal for his rabbits.

Rabbits grow quickly and give birth, besides, their meat and skin are very appreciated consumers.

If we add to this unpretentiousness animals, it becomes clear: their breeding in household maybe enough profitable business.

But you can't put lop-eared pets on the street - they will scatter, you will have to tinker houses.

And to create rabbits optimal conditions for development, cages must be comfortable and adaptable to different situations.

Cell types

There is several types of rabbit cages. They differ in design and purpose.

Currently, the industry produces cells of all types, many options can be made with your own hands from improvised means.

1. One-piece cage- an ordinary box with doors, in which one rabbit is placed, or a large compartment where young animals are placed for walking.
2. Two-piece cages separated by a V-shaped mesh feeder, they can hold two adult rabbits and open the hatch between the compartments when mating is necessary.
3. Three-section cages intended for three adults: in the middle lives the male, along the edges of the female, between the cells a system of closing doors. It is necessary to let the rabbit go to the rabbit - they opened it, they enjoyed life - they closed it, while the animals are always together.
4. V cages like the state farm Klenov - Chegodaev contain two adults. This is a variant of a two-section cage for outdoor rabbits. Length - 240 cm, width - 65. The walls of the maternity ward and the rear part of the nursery are 45 cm high, the front - 65 cm. To clean the cage and put the feeders and drinkers in it, the roof of the nursery rises.
5. Cells designed by Mikhailov's minifarm equipped with automatic feeders and drinkers, as well as a semi-automatic waste collection system. Removing such cells is required no more than once a week. But their design is too complex for home creation. It's easier to buy a ready-made version.
6. Zolotukhin cells project Is an opportunity to save space, ease of cleaning and a very convenient option for animals. Unlike most models with gratings inconvenient for the movement of animals, it has a slightly sloped wooden floor, and the grate is located only at the rear wall. The cage is washed with water and all waste drains through the grate. To save space, Zolotukhin suggested placing the cages one above the other in several tiers, while the feeders and drinkers are located on the same door common to the vertical. The back wall is slightly sloped to prevent waste from dripping onto the rabbits from the lower tiers during harvesting.
7. V Maklyak-6 system it is proposed to make two-section cages, place floors according to the Zolotukhin method, but between departments so that waste does not get to rabbits from lower floors, pyramidal bends are used, which taper to the mesh of the lower box. The floors are inserted into special grooves and, if necessary, dismantling can be easily removed. Double-leaf doors are located on the front wall; feeders and drinkers are attached to them.

Review of the McLak-6 minifarm for rabbits see in the video:

Not always needed for rabbits solid dwellings:

• If rabbits are kept in room, then it is not necessary to make the walls of wood, because the cage is already protected from bad weather conditions, you can make it entirely from wire;
• Decorative rabbits in the house can be kept in a convenient rodent cage purchased from a pet store, as long as it is spacious enough. Ferplast cells have proven themselves well;
• California rabbits are smaller, for them you can choose a cage of 0.5 m².

• supports for walls made of wood or metal;
• side walls made of plywood, wood or mesh (the latter option is only suitable if the cells are kept indoors);
• front wall (mesh or slats) with a door;
• canopy or roof, which will protect rabbits from unpleasant weather phenomena, with a small slope;
• and feeders.

Note! According to veterinary standards, an area is required per rabbit 0.72 m², but for giant breeds this may not be enough and large rooms should be envisaged.

Materials and tools

To make a rabbit cage for you will need the following tools:

• hammer;
• scissors for metal;
• screwdrivers or screwdriver;
• Bulgarian;
• square, roulette and level;
• saw or jigsaw;
• pen or pencil for marking;

Can use materials remaining after repair and construction work, or purchase new ones. You will need:

• corner, profile or a wooden bar - for the frame;
• galvanized or sheet iron, slate - for walls;
• roofing elements: sheets of slate, or iron, tiles. In an economical way, you can cover the cage with linoleum;
• net with cells 15 mm for floor and front wall;
• mesh with cells 35-40 mm for the feeder;
• sheets galvanized sheet for the manufacture of an external feeder;
• self-tapping screws;
• loops.

Drawing up a drawing

Before you start cutting materials, it is worth working on dimensional drawing.

In the picture, it is necessary to provide for the places where the sections, feeders, drinkers and doors will be installed.

Square, necessary for one rabbit with a litter, - 1.2 x 0.65 m. Optimal height the front wall is not less than 0.75 m, the back wall is not less than 0.5 m.

Costs take into account following:

• Street rabbit cages should lift up 0.8 meters above the ground. This will be a reliable barrier for rats and snakes and will make cleaning the cage easier;
• To use the space rationally, it is better to put the cells in several tiers;
• Rabbits don't like drafts, therefore, outdoor cages must be made with blank back and side walls;
• In cages where rabbits with rabbits will be kept, it is necessary to provide nest in the side part - a separate small darkened completely closed room, which will replace a burrow, the size of 0.65 x 0.55 m, with closing tight doors. In street cages on winter time it is necessary insulate;
• The nest must have hole in the light part, raised above the floor by 0.1 m, this will not allow the rabbits to fall out;
• Outdoor it is better to make the door covering the light compartment mesh and attach a feeder and drinker to it;
• Can be equipped walking area, making a door behind the light compartment leading to the fenced area of ​​the yard.

Assembly order

When all necessary for making the cage is available, you can to proceed to the assembly of the structure:

• First of all, we do the front and back frames, after which we combine them together, fixing the ceiling and floor lintels;
• Before fixing the frames, you need to use a level and square to make sure that all corners;
• Then we install the frames for doors and feeders;
• The next step is styling gender, which is attached to the frame with self-tapping screws;
• Installing the rear and side walls;
• We strengthen the external wooden walls metal sheet or mesh;
• We collect the nest compartment from wood and install it in the cage;
• Install the roof tier;
• First, the cells of the lower tier, then the second and third;
• When all the main compartments are assembled, you need to attach the doors, feeders and drinkers.

Important! Regardless of whether you use new material or used material for the cage, make sure it is free of nicks and other hazards to rabbits.

Basic rules for caring for rabbits

To keep your pets healthy and happy, it is necessary follow the following rules:

• Rabbit cages should be sufficient spacious, otherwise, the animals will begin to fatten, which can lead to a decrease in offspring and even a complete refusal to mate;
• Rabbits more willingly mate if the female is transferred to the rabbit, and not vice versa;
• It is best to mate in such a way that the rabbits are not born during periods extreme temperatures (too cold or hot);
• Rabbits pretty smart animals do not like iron and plastic. If they start gnaw a cage, so they have something lacks: feed, wood for grinding teeth or mineral salts. Please note that this listing is missing in the cells.

The cage is needed periodically disinfect. Be sure to carry out processing in the following cases:

• front transplant rabbits;
• front okrolami;
• upon occurrence diseases.

For disinfection, special veterinary drugs:

• Virosan(100 ml);
• Creolin phenol-free coal;
• PVP iodine spray;
• Ecocide C(Ecocid S);
• Bleaching powder in the form of a 10% solution;
• Ash liquor(1/3 of the wood ash is added to the water and boiled for 20-30 minutes).

Before disinfection rabbits removed from the cage. All surfaces are carefully cleared with water and a scraper, then processed disinfectant.

Attention! When working with disinfectants precautions must be taken. After finishing the treatment, the room must be ventilated, wash your hands with soap and water.

Another way is disinfection with blowtorch. In this case, fire is treated wooden surfaces until they turn brown. Under influence high temperatures kill all microbes. Removable metal, plastic and ceramic parts are best boil.

For a step-by-step construction of a rabbit cage with dimensions, see the following video:

Rabbits are not only valuable fur, but also ... care. In order for your pets to grow up beautiful and large, you need to provide them with a good "apartment". DIY rabbit cages is a laborious, but interesting process, which you can master thanks to our recommendations. You don't have to look for specialists and buy ready-made buildings. With the help of the proposed master class, you will make cells of the size that is right for you.

What tools and materials need to be prepared

When you start building rabbit houses, get everything you need to get started. This will allow you not to be distracted and finish your work in more short time.

From the tools you will need:

• hacksaw
• plane
• hammer
• pliers
• screwdriver
• corner

In addition, you must have at least minimal skills in working with this inventory.

The choice of material directly depends on the design you choose. But in any case, you will need:

• plywood sheets
• bars
• slate
• galvanized mesh
• nails
• screws

The section of the net depends on the age of the rabbits that will live in the "house", but it is better to choose no more than 16 * 48. It is suitable for both adult animals and for the construction of "nurseries".

Important stages of construction

First of all, you need to make a drawing and decide on the dimensions. By the standards of a large breed rabbit, a cage is one and a half meters long, 0.7 meters wide and at least 0.5 meters high. If you are raising medium-sized animals, you can change the parameters of the cage downward.

Any structure consists of a bottom or floor, walls, a roof and whatever you plan to do inside the cage. These can be nesting departments and a mother plant. The walls can be wood or mesh. The bottom is necessarily made either from a fine mesh or from laths located at a distance from each other. Take a close look at the creation of the roof. For street cages, tiles or slate are preferred, as they will protect against sun rays and rain.

All troughs and waterers with pallets should be retractable and have a lid for dosed feeding. For street cages, it is imperative to make protection against dogs, cats and rodents. The most in a simple way installation of the structure on beams with a length of 0.7-0.8 meters is considered.

Cage with nests

A do-it-yourself rabbit cage is often made with nests. To create such a housing, you need to follow these steps:

• We collect the frame from the beams. As a result of this work, you should get a box with a front wall 50-60 cm high, and a rear one 20 cm less. It is better to place the cage above the ground on 70 cm long bars.

• We sheathe the frame with plywood or boards. If you plan to make nests, then the floor is also made of solid wood. In the aft compartment we pull the mesh, we separate both sections with a partition. You need to make a hole in it with a diameter of 0.2 meters. It is located 15 centimeters from the bottom edge. To prevent rabbits from nibbling the tree, you can sheathe the edges of the manhole with iron.

• We create the roof. For convenience, rabbit breeders make it on sheds so that it is possible to open the box.

• Doors are made different. In the nest section, the door should be solid, but in the aft section, a mesh is used to create the door.

• If you want the rabbits to have room to walk, you can organize the walk as an additional frame and net structure. Sometimes the owners make it so that the animal has the opportunity to eat pasture.

Wire cage

Placement of solid mesh cages is easy: you can install them both in the barn and outside. They are easy to process and take up little space. Similar designs are used by those who are engaged in breeding and selling animals.

To create a cage, you need a mesh with different mesh diameters. For the walls and top, a mesh with cells of 2.5 * 5 centimeters is suitable. For the floor, you need to take a mesh with a smaller diameter - 3.5 * 2.5 centimeters. Such sizes will exclude the accumulation of manure, and favorable conditions will be provided for the rabbits.

Keeping rabbits in the house

Home cages are different from the buildings described above. Here are the basic guidelines to follow when creating home cages:

• We cut out two side walls with a height and width of 07-0.8 m.
• The back wall should be 1 meter wide and no more than 0.55 meters high.
• We fix the back wall to the side ones. You need to do this so that there is a gap of 10-15 centimeters from the floor to the edge.
• To make the box strong, you need to fix a meter long rail between the side panels.
• We fix the mesh in the form of a floor and a front wall. Add a few more rails if necessary.
• The rail must be fixed in the upper level, on which the box lid will rest.
• Also make a lid from a mesh on a frame with awnings, due to the fact that the box will stand at home and you will not need to protect it from the sun's rays.
• Since the floor will be mesh: do not forget to make a pallet that can fit normally under the cage in height.

Keeping cells clean

So that the rabbits do not get sick, but grow up healthy and large, you need to know how to care for the cages. Any care starts with cleaning. You need to rake out the pallet daily. To prevent droppings from entering the drinker and feeder, it is imperative to make a lid. If there is a flooring made of slats, it will be superfluous to clean inside the cage - it is not always that manure is independently removed through the slots between the slats.

The moisture in the cells is of great importance. If this is one cage from the net, then the moisture does not threaten the rabbits. The situation is more complicated with structures consisting of several tiers.

At high humidity rabbits develop a disease such as coccidiosis, which in most cases leads to the death of the animal.

To prevent infection, the owner must disinfect the cell 3 times a month. To do this, the pet needs to be transplanted into another cage, remove the flooring, food and pour out the water. With the help of a propane lamp, all surfaces of the "house" are burned. Special attention paid to the mesh floor, as well as the bars on which the entire structure is attached - in these places all pathogens accumulate. Regular treatment will prevent infestation of rabbits.

In the outer cells, the beams on which the structure is installed and the roofing material suffer. If necessary, the latter will need to be changed so that the rabbits do not get wet from the rains and do not fall on them sunlight... Therefore, think in advance what material will be appropriate and will be able to serve long time.

To create a cage with our own hands, we indicated its dimensions for a large breed rabbit. But, as practice shows, all these numbers are conditional. For the male, you can make a small cage so that he can move in it. But don't make it very small. The lack of movement negatively affects the animal, and you will no longer get any offspring from such a rabbit.

When planning to breed rabbits, remember that it is not always possible to keep the young in the same bunker with the mother. If their size has not yet reached slaughter, and the time for separation of the mother and rabbits has come, it is necessary to plant the young in a separate rabbitry. In this case, you can hardly manage with one cell.

In the presence of several females, which are kept separately, it is not necessary to make separate rabbitries for young offspring. Collect one free aviary, designed for a large rabbit, according to our master class. There will be enough space for young animals to fatten up to the right weight.

This could be a cage for keeping adult rabbits.

These two-tier cells will help you save space. Based on this scheme, you can make 3 and even 4-tiered "houses" for eared pets.

If you have any experience with building rabbit cages, share it in the comments. Any advice and guidance would be helpful to other breeders.

Subsistence farming has always been beneficial. You can keep chickens, pigs, and goats, but rabbits have always enjoyed particular popularity, since they are unpretentious and do not require special food. But they definitely need special cages for rabbits, it is not customary to keep these animals in the barn.

Cell sizes

Before building rabbit cages, you need to find a blueprint that you will be working on. On the Internet, you can find a ready-made one or draw a drawing yourself. To do this, you need to know the size of the cages for rabbits. Novice breeders should know that one cage is not enough for them to breed these animals. We need several houses for rabbits, at least three.

For adult rabbits

Two adult rabbits will fit in a two-section house. Its minimum dimensions: length - 140 cm (preferably 210-240 cm), width - 60-70 cm, height - 50-70 cm. Between the two compartments there is a feeder for grass and hay. A rabbit house can be made on two floors, which will help save space.

House of two sections for adult rabbits

Cage for young animals

In cages for rabbits, namely for young animals, rabbits are kept in groups. Making a cage is simple: the minimum size of a dwelling for young animals: 200-300 cm per 100 cm, height - 35-60 cm. One young animal must have at least 0.12 square meters area. Sometimes separate cages are not made for young animals, but kept in ordinary cages, for adults, calculating the number of individuals according to the area they need.

House for a rabbit with a litter

A house for rabbits with children, for breeding, consists of a stern and a mother part, which are separated by a partition. There is a hole in it. It should be located just above the floor (10-15 cm) so that the rabbits cannot get out of the nest. Rabbit houses (mother house) have dimensions of 0.4 by 0.4 m and a height of 20 cm. It is placed in the mother compartment just before the roundabout. Here is a rough drawing of a cage with a mother liquor.

Drawing of a cell with a mother liquor

For giant rabbits

The size of the cage also depends on the size of the giant rabbits. If you purchased giants, they will be cramped in standard enclosures, you need large houses. For breeding giant rabbits, you need a dwelling 0.75 m wide, 0.55 m high, and 1.7 m long. This is the minimum, it would be good to make it larger.

Cage making rules

If you decide to build your own cages for rabbits with your own hands, you need to know some rules so that after a few months you do not have to make a new one.

• Rabbits are rodents, so for those who want to keep their cages for rabbits, it is better to protect all parts of the wood frame that are located inside the cage by covering them with metal. It will only take a few hours, but the cage for rabbits will then last 10 years longer.
• An antiseptic should not be used. Pets can be poisoned.
• The roof must not be damaged by moisture. For her, it is better to use slate. If your rabbits will live outdoors, don't make a metal roof. Under the influence of the sun, it heats up, and the animals will be uncomfortable in this stuffy space.
• For the frame of rabbit houses, a bar (50x50 mm) is used. Can also be made of metal. For sheathing, a Rabitz mesh is suitable, the cells of which are 25x25 mm. The mesh is needed for the facade, for the sidewalls of houses and doors. Back part always make deaf, tk. drafts are harmful to them.
• In order to build a floor, take a grid with cells of 25x25 mm or 10x25. Because of this, the feces do not accumulate inside the cage, but are collected in a special bunker or roll down an incline to the ground. You will not see a solid floor in a rabbitry.

When building a rabbit cage, some rules must be followed.

Rabbits have very caustic urine, which is absorbed into the solid floor and causes the wood to rot. If not a mesh, then the floor can be covered with bars, between which there are gaps of 0.5 - 1 cm. Experienced rabbit breeders advise to lay a small sheet of plywood on the floor. Then the rabbits will not have pododermatitis. But it must be constantly removed and washed, dried.

How to build a rabbit cage

If you want to build correctly with your own hands, then it will help you step-by-step instruction... This is the simplest cage that can only be kept indoors. According to this instruction, it is possible to make cages for rabbits and for the street, but use OSB.

The drawing can be made by yourself, focusing on the size of the cage for rabbits: size 1.5 by 0.7 m and height 0.7 m.But it is advisable to make paired cages for rabbits, which saves material, therefore the frame is taken as a basis: 3 m by 0.7 m, with a height of 1.2 m in front, and 1 m in the back. It is not difficult to make a drawing of such a cage.

How to make a do-it-yourself rabbit cage? Here's a step-by-step guide. Prepare all the necessary materials:

• plywood, 2 sheets (* 1.5 by 1.5 m), 10 mm thick;
• bars, 10 pieces: length 3 m, 30 * 50 mm;
• metal mesh with cells 15 mm, 3 m;
• self-tapping screws 30 and 70 mm, 2 kg;
• tools for work.

Frame fabrication. On solid smooth surface we assemble a frame measuring 3 m by 0.7 m and a height of 1.2 in front and 1 m behind the structure. The frame should be on legs.

We attach the mesh to the floor of the future cage, it may not reach the edges of the cage, because there will be a queen cell. The floor of the mother liquor is solid.

We make the back wall: cut it to size and attach it to self-tapping screws over the entire area. Fasten plywood sheets along the edges of the cage, where there is no mesh - these are future mother cells.

Start working on queen cells. To do this, attach a bar located vertically, and screw a wall to it, make a hole in it according to the rules. Bars are attached to the walls of the mother liquor, and the lid of the mother liquor is fixed on them.

Rabbit cage: making queen cells

Making a feeder: You need to make a feeding device. In the middle of the cage we attach a vertical bar, two feeders 7 cm high and 30 cm wide are attached to it. Two bars are attached above the feeder at a distance of 20 cm, these are guides. From plywood, you need to make a frame for the feed, a special device, the top of which fits between the guides, and the bottom sits directly into the feeder.

Rabbit cage: making a feeder

Rabbit cage: trough mounted on a frame

Next to the main feeder, a hay feeder is installed, which is made of steel wire.

Rabbit cage: hay feeder

We sheathe the free space with plywood, install a roof with an overlap of 5 cm in front and 10 cm on each side and back. There should be a hole in the middle, into which the feed will be laid. It is better to install a cover on top so that rodents do not fall into it. It remains only to set the doors 30 by 50 cm. To make them you need a net. The cage is ready.

If you do not like this scheme for making a cage for rabbits with your own hands, there is a detailed video instruction. There is a step by step explanation. True, the drawing will have to be done independently.