How to Make a Rabbit Cage With Wire Cubes
While small in size, rabbits require a relatively large amount of space for both housing and exercise. The House Rabbit Society, a national nonprofit organization that rescues rabbits and educates people, recommends a cage that is at least 8-feet square. If floor space is at a premium, try accommodating your rabbit’s housing needs with multistory living. Storage cube grids -- 14-inch square, coated wire frames designed to build temporary or inexpensive storage -- can be used to create a customized rabbit condo.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 boxes of storage cube grids
- 1 package (~100) cable or zip ties
- 5 32-inch long and 1 1/8-inch diameter wooden dowels
- 2 27 3/4-inch wide by 13 3/4-inch long pieces of plywood
- Old blanket or towels
- 2 small spring clamps or 1 1/4-inch binder clips
- Litter box
Instructions
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1
Lay out the grids -- the 14-inch square wire frames -- to form two long walls that are three grids across by three grids high. Loosely secure the connecting corners of the grids with the zip ties. Do not pull the zip ties tight at this point.
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2
Lay out the grids to form two short walls that are two grids across by three grids high. Loosely secure the connecting corners of the grids with the zip ties. Again, do not pull the zip ties tight at this point.
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3
Use the zip ties to connect the four walls together at each square grid, forming a three-grid high by two-grid wide rectangle.
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4
Insert a dowel in the left corner of the short wall, just above the first cube layer. Run it along the length, exiting at the same point on the far wall. Insert a second dowel on the right side at the same height. Secure the dowels to the condo walls using loosely secured zip ties.
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5
Place one of the pieces of plywood on top of the two dowels. Cover the plywood with an old blanket or towel.
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6
Insert a dowel in the left corner of the short wall, just above the first cube layer. Run it along the length, exiting at the same point on the far wall. Insert a second dowel on the right side at the same height. Secure the dowels to the condo walls using loosely secured zip ties.
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7
Place the second piece of plywood on top of the higher set of dowels. Cover the plywood with an old blanket or towel.
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8
Lay out the grids to form a roof that is two grids across by three grids wide. Loosely secure the connecting corners of the grids with the zip ties. Again, do not pull the zip ties tight at this point.
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9
Place the roof on top of the rabbit condo. Use the zip ties to loosely connect the roof to the four walls at each square grid.
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10
Run the last dowel along the length of the cage, just under the roof at the center of the top middle grids. Secure loosely with zip ties.
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11
Tighten all zip ties and cut off the remaining ends.
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12
Create a door at the front of the cage by cutting off the zip ties on the left side and top of the center, bottom panel. The zip ties on the opposite side will form a hinge of sorts. Use two spring clamps or binder clips to secure the door when not in use.
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13
Place the condo on a linoleum floor for easy clean up. Add a litter box on the floor beneath the shelf.
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Tips & Warnings
There are many brands of storage cube grids and most can be purchased at national chain stores.
To protect your floors, place the cage on a piece of a plywood covered in linoleum or a plastic replacement dog crate tray as a cage floor.
If bedding on the shelves slides, secure with spring clips or binder clips.
Remove the front and one set of side ties from the roof to create a hinged lid. Secure with spring clamps or binder clips.
Add toys, treats and a hideaway to decorate your bunny's condo.
For more than one bunny or to provide extra space, increase the length and width of the cage, or add more levels.
Make certain to use only storage cube grids with 1-inch or 1.5-inch inner squares. Those with 3-inch inner squares can be dangerous as a rabbit may get its head caught in the opening.
When using zip ties or cable ties, always make certain the ratchet-end of the tie is facing away from the cage interior, as these can injure a rabbit's eye.
Never use a metal cage floor as they are too cold in the winter and may rust.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
