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Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Carpentry Plans For Building A Rabbits’ Home?

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    • Deleted User
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        Good day,

        I’m hoping someone may be able to help, or at least suggest where I can look for this information.  I want to have a new two floor home built for my rabbits.  My Father is a terrific well equipped carpenter and would be happy to help me.  The thing is he doesn’t know anything about rabbits, and he is more comfortable working from a design plan.  I know what I’d like the finished house to look like but don’t have the technical vocabulary to explain what is needed to get the final product I want and that is good for my rabbits.  If there are any designs available that would let me see how the house would turn out in the end, and give my Father the specifics he needs to make it I’d love to know where to look for/find them Please!  Any help or suggestions will be most appreciated. 

        Thank you all so much,

        Grey Dove        


      • RabbitPam
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          Hi, Grey Dove,
          That’s really nice of your father to offer to do. First, just be sure to use untreated wood, like pine, rather than a treated one so there aren’t chemicals in the wood itself.
          Check out the pix in our Habitat Photos section on the site.
          The next thing I would suggest is using a keyword search in the Habitat section for words like plans, or design, or wood, or condo or building, combining those if it’s too broad or using more specific keywords.. You can browse the whole section for topic threads, but a keyword search might narrow them down and pull up older but relevant posts. You can’t add to these old post discussions, but really you just want to find some with diagrams in them. Not posted often, but there might be a few.
          Hope that helps.


        • Deleted User
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            Dear Rabbit Pam, thankyou very much for answering. I had been searching the site but not with all the words you suggested. I spent quite some time this evening with new variations and did come up with several answers I was looking for on other topics, but I’m afraid not what I was hoping for re the perfect rabbit home. All the plans/designs I could find use these “cubes”. I really do see the advantage of using them, but I’m afraid fourteen inches is an awkward multiple for the space I’m dealing with. I really hoped I might be able to find some alternative? Guess I need a rabbit savvy woodworker! The only wood working plans I can find online appear to be for classic style cages and hutches, and I have a cage and don’t want to replace it with a glorified version, I.E. a hutch. If anyone has any suggestions I’d really appreciate them. Thanks to the invaluable resources on this site I know what kind of wood to tell Dad to use, but after that I’m at a bit of a loss. Pity to since I can imagine what I would like quite clearly. But (as an example) I don’t know what to use as a mesh to fill in the open spaces on the walls, … one of many things I’m not sure how to describe.

            In any case I’m delighted to have found such a fabulous resource peopled with so many knowledgeable helpful individuals. My new rabbits will enjoy a much improved life as compared to my first beloved rabbit, in large part thanks to the HRS and this forum.

            Grey Dove


          • Beka27
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              The best ones I can think of are by members Lintini and Mocha. Check out the Cool Habitats page > Other habitats > Page 2 @ this link: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/GreatHabitats/tabid/229/Default.aspx

              They are tall cabinet style cages. There are no plans for them, but through the pictures, your dad should be able to figure a way to construct them.

              If you are only doing it two levels, I would make sure the minimum footprint is 4×4 feet, or some variation like 3×5 feet or 2×6 feet. Two rabbits needs a lot of room. You also want the door “framed” so it can swing open on hinges for cleaning. Chicken wire is not bunny-proof, so you’ll need to get rabbit wire or something stronger.

              Edited to add: Most of us don’t build cages out of wood for a couple reasons so that is why you’re not finding a lot here… wood gets chewed and the pieces have to be replaced from time to time.  If wet or peed on, the wood will soak up the liquid and can start to smell.  Wood cages are heavy to move to clean around or relocate.

              The other options (grid condos, xpens) are lighter weight, cost about the same once you factor in the cost of supplies, and are more resilient against bunnies.


            • Deleted User
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                Dear Beka,

                Thank you for the link, and the information.

                 

                I’d read about rabbit wire in the last few days, (researching on this site) but hadn’t heard of it before and don’t know what it looks like or (more importantly) how strong it is.  I wasn’t sure it could be used as siding?

                 

                I liked the idea I read about of putting down peel back tiles to protect the wooden floors.  Thought that should help with the urine etc.

                 

                If there are other grids besides those cubes available I’d be interested, its just that a multiple of fourteen inches really isn’t ideal for the space I’m dealing with.  The finished house will be the right size, and these will be two dwarf rabbits, but I’m afraid I need a little more flexibility in the dimentions.  Any other grid/wire/siding  options out there? 

                 

                Thanks for mentioning the door, … an excellent example of my problem, I know what it needs to be like but didn’t know you’d call it “framed”.  Dad could probably figure out what I mean, but he doesn’t live near me so he’s got to understand this while he is here on a visit, then I’ll get a completed house on his next visit, … I won’t be there to check while its being constructed.  Which is a good part of why I’m so anxious about being able to provide accurate detailed instructions, or plans.

                 

                Anyway, going to go checkout that link, … thank You again!!!

                 

                Grey Dove


              • Beka27
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                  Yeah, the door terminology isn’t the best, I apologize! Think of a kitchen cabinet, or better yet, a free-standing pantry. The cabinet has 5 sides (top, bottom, left, right, and back). The 6th side is the front which is on hinges that can open out. You basically need a large free-standing cabinet with multiple levels and a hinged door (or doors) that can open out.

                  Rabbit wire is like chicken wire but strong enough to contain rabbits. Rabbits can bite through chicken wire, but not rabbit wire.


                • jerseygirl
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                    If you look up images of hardware cloth or avairy mesh, is this what you’re thinking to use?

                    This link was shared in another thread recently. It’s a condo using grids but all framed in wood. I think this could be done using wire mesh instead of the cube grids. http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f69/our-bunnya-s-luxury-condo-picture-heavy-67409/

                    The floor levels are tiled so would need adequete support. The peel and stick vinyl tiles work but there are still gaps. So if litter habits aren’t great, that might prove to be a problem down the track. You can easily use larger peices of vinyl and custom them to fit also.

                    Have you seen the Leith Petwerks condos? They might inspire to base design on. Another useful place to search is YouTube. Sometimes dimensions will be given in the video or in the written description.


                  • Deleted User
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                      Beka, that is a terrific way of describing what it is I’m looking for, thank you. Amazing how the simplest descriptions can be so hard to think of at times. JerseyGirl Thank you for the link, that looks really interesting! I’m going back to give it a more thorough look. I’m very excited since I got a note this morning confirming I can adopt the pair of male rabbits I was hoping to have from the SPCA. I wish i could go get them today, but I’m going to force myself to wait until after my Father’s visit when all is normal again here, (that is, I’ll manage to wait all the way to the evening of the day he is leaving!), and should be bringing my boys home to weeks from today. I can’t Wait!


                    • Deleted User
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                        Beka, that is a terrific way of describing what it is I’m looking for, thank you. Amazing how the simplest descriptions can be so hard to think of at times. JerseyGirl Thank you for the link, that looks really interesting! I’m going back to give it a more thorough look. I’m very excited since I got a note this morning confirming I can adopt the pair of male rabbits I was hoping to have from the SPCA. I wish i could go get them today, but I’m going to force myself to wait until after my Father’s visit when all is normal again here, (that is, I’ll manage to wait all the way to the evening of the day he is leaving!), and should be bringing my boys home to weeks from today. I can’t Wait!


                      • Deleted User
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                          I just wanted to chime in but its seem that you’re all good here. Here is the blog that I used to help me with building my condo. =] To go off of Jersey’s point. There are gaps that are left behind when using the vinyl stick on squares. Even if you try to minimize the gap as much as can be stuff still gets stuck. Which is a total pain. Also, I know you are going to build a pen. But I wanted to bring up the idea of having an attached pen onto it too.


                        • Deleted User
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                            Thank you Skipper’s Mama! All additional links and photos are helpful, and most appreciated. And I have to admit I’d always thought of the stick on tiles as having edges that lay so close together that you wouldn’t need to fill them in. I’m glad that was brought to my attention, now, rather then after mopping up. I saw on one site that they’d used calking to fil in between? I don’t think of doing that with lino, but if it works I’ll be happy to. Thanks again for taking the time to answer. I want this to be a wonderful home for my new boys.


                          • Deleted User
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                              I have actually not heard of using caulk to fill in the gaps. I have heard of using grout. I was planning on trying to do a test with it to see how my buns react to it. I just didn’t want to suggest it without trying it out on my own horde first. =p I know that there is a specific type of grout that is used for lino tiles vs what is used for stone tiles. I plan on going into my local HomeDepot and asking them which one is appropriate since I have no clue. I tend to bug the store personal there a lot since I tend to be lost when it comes to building to stuff. But hey! We all have to learn some how. =]

                              Edit: Sorry not caulk it’s grout.


                            • Opal and Cas
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                                I built my rabbit’s hutch in my wood shop class and basically I made it up. I had specific dimensions for the place I wanted it to go and I used pine 2 by 4’s cut to 20″ for the up rights and between each set I cut pine venir to the size I wanted the floor to be. Then in each level of pine venir I cut a hole for the rabbit ramp with a jig saw. Then I attached each up right to the corners of the pine venir and made three levels. I fitted all three levels together and added doors and staple gunned chicken wire to the edges it was very simple but my buns love it and they have a great time going between levels im sure your dad can work out the specific details if you have any


                              • Opal and Cas
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                                  I built my rabbit’s hutch in my wood shop class and basically I made it up. I had specific dimensions for the place I wanted it to go and I used pine 2 by 4’s cut to 20″ for the up rights and between each set I cut pine venir to the size I wanted the floor to be. Then in each level of pine venir I cut a hole for the rabbit ramp with a jig saw. Then I attached each up right to the corners of the pine venir and made three levels. I fitted all three levels together and added doors and staple gunned chicken wire to the edges it was very simple but my buns love it and they have a great time going between levels im sure your dad can work out the specific details if you have any


                                • Deleted User
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                                    Skipper’s Mama, I appreciate your feelings, I also prefer to have a personal knowledge of something before I go ahead and recommend it. Good luck on your next trip to pester, … there are plenty of people online who I’m sure feel the same when one of my notes drops into their inbox!

                                    Opal, thank you for the tips. I’m sure we’ll muddle through, I’m just a very hands on person and I’d probably feel better if I could see the house in progress and be able to comment as we go along, … not a luxury I’ll have.


                                  • Beka27
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                                      It would drive me nuts not being there to see it every step of the way! I’m very hands on too! Will he be able to send pics at least?


                                    • Deleted User
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                                        Oh Beka, so glad someone understands! He probably would send photos if I asked but the computer isn’t Dad’s favourite thing. (Pity since he’s great with a camera!) Of course the other little problem is that if it gets here and there’s something not quite right with it that isn’t easily fixed its a major headache since this is my Father, not Joe the handyman down the road, … Joe’s feelings aren’t involved.

                                        By the by, those NIC cubes are next to invisible in Canada! I read a claim that CostCo carries them but can’t find them there or anywhere else! And I’d worked out quite a nice little concept that made use of them. Must go back to the rabbit wire.


                                      • mocha200
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                                          Hello! I thought I would pop in and see if I could help! I rearrange/redo my rabbit cage almost every month or so and have built a new one every year. I am always thinking of ways to improve my rabbits habitat! My dad has helped me build two cages and has been very good with what I wanted! I was there to tell him what to do and what not to do so that did help. Anyways, about the wire. Here is what people mean by chicken wire:

                                          It is very flimsy and a rabbit could easily chew through it.

                                          this is what I used on my cabinet type cage that was posted above. This is a mesh. It looks very neat but I didn’t like it that the holes where so small that I couldn’t get a ziptie through it very easily to attach a hay rack, so I ended up have to cut some of it to make a larger hole.

                                          This is rabbit wire. I have used this before in making a pen. It is very sturdy and I think it would be a great option for making your cage!

                                          As for the NIC cubes, they are hard to find, especially outside of America which is a bummer. The best way is to order online which can cost a lot with shipping. Type “Whitmor Cubes” “NIC cubes” or “Neat Idea Cube” into a search to find places that sell them. I know in America you can order them online at amozon or walmart. I thing to consider abbout NIC cubes is that you connect them with zipties/cable ties. the down side to that is that they are extremely sharp on the ends unless you melt them with fire. Also over time the zipties might have to be replaced. People have used other things to connect them, but I don’t know what they where called…..

                                          Sorry for all of the pictures but I am a very visual person so it is hard for me to understand things unless i see pictures or videos! If you would like I can show you a picture of my most recent setup for my rabbits. If you have any pictures that are simular to the cage you want to make, I would love to see them! What dimensions is your cage going to be? Sorry for this long post but I am a little obsessed with building cages! I know weird huh?


                                        • Deleted User
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                                            Mocha, Thanks for your enthusiastic response and all the pictures!

                                            I’m honestly a bit muddled about what I’ll do at this point. I’m impatient, I want my new cage NOW!, so I could bring them home to it. If I can find the cubes (my friend and I are still hunting, and i’ll happily settle for an all cubes construction since I can begin using it immediately. (Not as convenient space wise but I believe it may be manageable.) Second alternative is to use them in my Father’s design, but that’s when I’ll need to wait some time for it to get to me and have no say after our initial discussions. Trust me being there to comment during construction makes a big difference. I did find a place not too far from here that pre cuts (and custom cuts) rabbit wire, so I’ll use them if I need to.

                                            I’ll let you know how it all goes. What do you do with all the terrific cages you construct when you move on to the next one? Just curious.


                                          • mocha200
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                                              I’m impatient, I want my new cage NOW!, so I could bring them home to it.

                                              I am the same way! When I have an idea I want it done right away!

                                              If I can find the cubes (my friend and I are still hunting, and i’ll happily settle for an all cubes construction since I can begin using it immediately. (Not as convenient space wise but I believe it may be manageable.)

                                              I strongly recommend NIC cubes, even if down the road you end up making a different set up for them! They are so convenient! If you are worried about space wise you can over lap the grids so they are exactly 48in wide instead of 56in. (or what ever your dimensions will be). If that didn’t make sense I can take a picture for you and post it here. Out of curiosity, how big will your cage be?

                                              Also, have you ever considered making a condo out of a xpen?

                                              Second alternative is to use them in my Father’s design, but that’s when I’ll need to wait some time for it to get to me and have no say after our initial discussions. Trust me being there to comment during construction makes a big difference. I did find a place not too far from here that pre cuts (and custom cuts) rabbit wire, so I’ll use them if I need to

                                              Maybe you could make a NIC cage first, and later down the road when you know exactly what you want you could have him make a cage then! Just an option.

                                              What do you do with all the terrific cages you construct when you move on to the next one? Just curious.

                                              I keep them! Haha! (yes I have a lot of cages stored in the garage.) I have pulled them out and used them again many times! With my old NIC condo, I just left the NIC grids all connected in the garage and I use the linoleum base’s for my setup I have now!


                                            • Deleted User
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                                                Oh Mocha, so obvious, you just solved my major concern about the cubes! Maybe it might have come to me if I’d seen them but over lapping them makes sense! Its the width, its a limited space and literally an extra inch would make that vital bit of difference. I hope I can get them it would be easier to play with them and work out what’s best. One idea I read about that I thought had potential is making it into a different shape, rather then a simple rectangle, … keeping my fingers crossed!

                                                I don’t know much about pens of any sort but I believe they are open topped? That really isn’t an option, we are a multi-animal household so a completely enclosed space is essential. I work from home and am here a Lot, but I won’t leave them loose when I’m not here. My younger cat in particular is unpredictable, she was very fond of my last little one, and she misses him so much, but she did think he looked quite tasty for the first few months she was with us, and she never was left alone with him. Not an experiment I’m interested in trying.

                                                I agree with you though, think if the cubes are available (we’ve thought of one more place to check) then that will be how I go for now anyway.

                                                Thanks, you’ve really helped!


                                              • mocha200
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                                                  You can remove the Xpen panels and then attach them on top! I remembered a member who made a condo out of an xpen a few years ago so I just search for nearly an hour looking for it! Few! I finally found it! Here it is!


                                                  Isn’t this so neat looking! I have always loved this cage!

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                                              Forum HABITATS AND TOYS Carpentry Plans For Building A Rabbits’ Home?