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Rabbit hutches are now seen as an old-fashioned and cruel way to house rabbits as they are too small for such high-energy mammals. Instead consider building a large structure, more like an aviary as detailed below. Another option is to buy a Wendy house or shed they can explore. These bigger enclosures allow rabbits to have the freedom to run around and explore.
Steps
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Plan out the design. Rabbits need access to a predator-proof space of at least 3m x 2m at all times. Because of this a hutch is only appropriate if it is always open as part of a bigger enclosure. For outside housing we recommend building an aviary with predator-proof wire from 4wire.- Rabbits are social animals and need a friend so you will need to house multiple rabbits in the same space.
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Get sturdy wood for the frame and supports. To keep things as simple as possible, create your aviary from rectangular frame pieces of identical sizes and connect them together. Look for wood that is straight, not warped. Do not choose pieces with large knots or signs of splitting at the edges.- Untreated pine wood is a good choice for the frame and supports. It holds up well under varying weather conditions and is nontoxic to rabbits if consumed.
- For a small aviary, each frame piece is 24 inches (61 cm) in height and 20 inches (51 cm) in width. Since they require a depth of 24 inches (61 cm), connect the front and back frame piece on each side by 2 additional frame pieces, which makes 6 in total for the entire frame.
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Choose paving slabs for the floor.- This will prevent the rabbits digging out and predators digging in.
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Measure your wood pieces. Lay out all of your wood pieces, so that you can see exactly what you have to work with. Select a single piece of wood, place your measuring tape on it, and measure out the length that you’ll need. Make a mark on the final measurement spot with a pencil or marker. This is where you’ll make the cut. Repeat until all of your pieces are measured.- Divide your wood into “type sections” to make your measurements. For example, measure each support post individually, but do them back-to-back. This is better than jumping back and forth between different wood pieces for different purposes and potentially mis-measuring.
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Cut your wood pieces. Put on your safety goggles and gloves. Set up your saw horse (if you are using a hand saw) or your table saw (if you are using an attached saw). Set a single piece of wood into the saw horse or against the table saw at a time. Align the saw blade with your measurement mark and make a clean, single cut.- Make sure that you’ve read all of the instructions regarding using your saw and feel very comfortable cutting with it before attempting a complicated project such as a rabbit enclosure.
- Before you make each cut with your saw, do a quick safety check to ensure that your limbs are in the proper position and away from the trajectory of the saw blade.
- If you do not have a saw or are not comfortable using one, many hardware or home improvement stores will actually cut your wood pieces for you. You’ll simply need to buy the wood in store, provide them with your measurements for each piece, and then wait for the cuts to be completed by a staff member.
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Select your wire mesh pieces. Make sure there is no mesh on the floor of the enclosure - this will hurt a rabbit's feet and cause sores.- It is very important to predator-proof the housing properly. Chicken wire is not strong enough to keep out a fox or smaller predators like weasels. You need to make sure all wire is 16G and the holes are no bigger than 13mm x 13mm. You will also need to ensure the floor is solid or meshed underneath to prevent anyone digging in or out.
- You can buy your mesh from an animal specialty store online in a roll or in pre-cut panels. Most traditional hardware stores do not carry rabbit mesh in the appropriate specs.
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Cut your wire mesh pieces. Use a pair of wire cutters to snip your cage wire into pieces that will fit on the outside of your enclosure. You will need 4 pieces for the sides. You may also need to cut out an additional piece of wire to fit your wooden doorframe. -
Set out the rest of your supplies. Purchase shingles for the roof if you know that your enclosure will be exposed to any kind of outdoor weather. This will maximize the life of your roof. Get 2 hinges and a sliding bolt lock mechanism for your cage door.- You can purchase the shingles and the lock materials at most hardware stores. You’ll need shingles that can slightly overlap and still cover the same dimension of the roof.
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Align your assembled frame pieces flat on the floor beside each other. Lay them onto a flat surface horizontally next to each other to prepare for attachment. Make sure the height and width of each assembled frame piece are straight and parallel to the height and width of the other frames pieces. -
Connect each assembled frame piece using eight 4 inch (10 cm) screws. After attaching the assembled frame pieces using plumber's tape, connect them to each other using 4 screws applied left and right from the corners of the top length pieces—2 on each side parallel to the plumber's tape—and the same amount through the bottom corners of the length pieces. [10]. -
Attach the mesh to the wood frame. Rotate the frame on the ground until it is properly positioned, minus the supports. This will help you to visualize how to attach the mesh. Get each cut mesh piece and secure it to one of the open spaces in the frame using an industrial staple gun and staples. Use about a staple every inch or so (or every several centimeters) to secure the mesh to prevent any gaps from forming.- Make sure that you hold the mesh tight as you attach it. For that reason, it really helps to have another person help you with this stage of the building process.
- You can use a simple piece of cut plywood as a divider.
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Create a roof. If you cover it with something that the rain can't get through, make sure that the surface is not completely horizontal so that water etc. can fall off of it so that it doesn't destroy the material. You might also want to consider the amount of wind in the region where you live in.
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Add in plenty of hay, water, floor coverings, different levels and places to hide and toys. Make sure they have access to a litter tray too. -
Never keep your rabbit in an outdoor hutch. Despite popular belief, an outdoor home simply isn’t suitable for a bunny, as there are many threats outside such as predators and harsh weather. Plus, most hutches don’t give rabbits enough room to comfortably run and explore. Instead, keep your bunny in a large predator-proof aviary, shed or Wendy house so they can stay safe and happy.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionI have a bottomless cage and it has been placed in my lawn where the soil is hard and they cannot dig. What should I do?Community AnswerYou'd be surprised the persistence of digging rabbits. Consider adding a bottom to it, in case neighborhood dogs, predators, or rats decide to try to dig under.
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QuestionCan I use synthetic carpeting for my rabbit cage?Community AnswerYou can. Rabbits love to feel cozy and warm and have soft padding beneath them.
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QuestionHow do I protect my rabbit from predators?Community AnswerThe hutch should be sturdy, and elevated about four feet from the ground.
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Tips
- Never keep rabbits alone. They need a friend as they are incredibly social animals.Thanks
- Provide plenty of hay. This should make up the majority of your rabbits' diets.Thanks
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Warning
- When you are totally finished with constructing the enclosure, run your fingers over the entire surface. Look for any sharp or jagged pieces that could hurt your rabbits. File or clip these edges down.
Video
Things You'll Need
- Safety glasses
- Quality work gloves
- Wood
- 14 to 16-gauge galvanized wire
- Wood screws
- Screwdriver
- Dremel tool or metal file
- Wire cutters
- Industrial staples and stapler
- Measuring tape
- Sliding latch
- Hinges
- Plastic trim
- Good quality hay
- Shingles
- Sturdy water bowl
- Lots of toys
About This Article
Article Summary
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If you want to build a rabbit hutch, use untreated pine 2x4’s to make the frame since it holds up well outside, but is nontoxic to rabbits if consumed. Then, attach plywood to the top and bottom of the hutch, and staple a metal mesh onto the frame. You’ll also want to screw legs onto the bottom of the hutch to keep it off the ground, and put shingles on the roof to prevent drainage problems. Scroll down for tips on placing the hutch!
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