Help with DIY Bunny Hutch/cage. Size? W/Pics

[sosewmama]

I have been wanting to make our Mini Rex a new enclosure, since is is too small. He is let out often, but I know he hates his current residence. As do I. It's a pain to clean, and I am sure it's not so fun. I have this neat cabinet in my basement that has no use. To me, it looks plenty big enough to create him a new home with multiple levels. But I am not sure. I know that a lot of the NIC cages are really high, and this isn't.

The dimensions.
33 in Wide
21 in Deep
30 in Height


I wanted to build a NIC cage, but it's not in the budget to buy the supplies. This would be the cheaper option. I may still just go ahead with it because it would be better. The piece needs a bit of work and cleaning first.

His Birthday is this weekend. I know it won't be finished on the exact day. But It will be for the day we took him home. I think.
:dutch

 

[whiskylollipop]

It would be a serious DIY job involving lots of wood cutting and sanding. Off the top of my head, you'll want to put in:

- Windows on all levels so he gets light in, and you can see him
- Grids for the windows
- Holes for ramps
- Ramps
- Possible some sort of grippy mat for the floors? Polished wood is very slippery for bunny feet.

If he's a big chewer, he could do some damage to the wood, so that's another consideration. And if he pees outside the litterbox, that could stain and damage the wood too.

What are your plans for it? If I were you I'd just splurge on the NIC grids and zip tie the whole thing together, but I'm lazy and bad at woodshop. Best of luck to you!

 

[sosewmama]

I'm not really sure what my overall plans were. I knew that I would have to cut out a lot, and do ramps. I have plenty of carpeting that I can use for it. As I know it can be slippery. I'm not sure really, when I will be able to afford the stuff to make a NIC cage. That is my problem. I had planned on doing it in January. But that didn't happen because we need to buy food too. With my husbands work injury, he's currently in school for a new career. (He had back surgery last year). He will be done in a few months, and his teacher has already got him a job. I could just go ahead and buy the stuff, but we would be more than hurting at the end of the month. And now that I am thinking about it, he will probably chew threw it. Luckily he doesn't really chew my furniture. But he does his current cage. Honestly, I think he just hates his. It's hard to get him back in it. I would be fine with just letting him roam free, but we have a two level house and three kids from ages 5-1. He is 3 now, and has moved to a bigger cage, I just don't think he likes it anymore.

I found these. You can see why I am delaying. They are expensive. I can't really get them anywhere else, as Walmart is really all that is near me. Would love ideas. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-Wire-Storage-Cubes-Set-of-6/23750330

 

[PaGal]

I don't have a nic cage but did build one years ago for my daughters guinea pigs. I have seen people here say that the cheapest place for nic cubes is sears. Is there one near you? You could order online and should be able to have them shipped site to store for free.

Maybe look on craigs list?

You could look in your area on craigs list or other for a larger cage such as a dog cage. That's what my buns have and with the smaller girls I was able to even put in a second level.

Could you maybe get an X pen and attach it to his cage in a manner that could keep the kids out and him in. If he behaves and cannot escape it then you could just let him run loose in there with his cage open for access to litter box and stuff.

 

[Azerane]

I probably wouldn't use it, because although it's that width and depth, since it's a corner cabinet, those dimensions are greatly reduced. Having three levels might make the height of each level too low for him to be able to stand up properly, so if I made a cage from this, I would probably look into making it two levels instead of three, and as soon as you put a ramp in, you're losing a whole lot of space.

 

[Blue eyes]

From the photos, I don't think that cabinet is large enough. I actually used an old kitchen oven cabinet to make a cage. (my buns have the door open all day long)

I got grids recently for my piggies from Bed, Bath & Beyond for $20/box. But I believe the sears grids have more in the box. (Avoid the target grids -- openings are unsafe size.) If you have plenty of carpet, you can use that on top of the grid shelves. For a past NIC rabbit cage, I just used grids for shelves (no wood) and laid carpet directly on the grids. If you do the same thing, the only thing you need besides the grids are zip ties.

 

[Azerane]

Blue Eyes, how do you have furniture without any nibbles taken out?

 

[Blue eyes]

^^^ Pure luck, I suppose!!!

Though Mocha did begin chewing on the baseboards and taught Sapphire the same. I have 1x4s tacked to the exposed baseboards now...
For some reason they leave the rest alone.

Hmmm, though I usually have a cardboard box or two gracing my decor. Those they LOVE to chew.

I must confess that these two buns have been my absolute easiest of all my buns.:dancingorig: