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4 Critical Errors To Avert When Creating Your Own Rabbit Hutch

Outdoor rabbits hutches can be very cheap and simple to erect. It is quite easy to build one in less than a day and your efforts can save you a lot of money over buying one. As a bonus, you have the option to build it to your own dimensions. A large number of rabbit cages that are available to buy are quite small, but by constructing one by hand you can provide additional space to your rabbits that they will appreciate.

Before beginning the actual construction on your new rabbit hutch there are a small number of important things that should be mulled over. A few of these items might seem too obvious to talk about, but many inexperienced hobbyists will be clueless when it comes to manufacturing a rabbit hutch.

Mistake #1: Not Using the Best Building Materials

Outdoor Rabbits hutches are normally made using a combination of wire mesh, metal, and wood. Usually, three walls and the roof are made using plywood while the last wall and the floor are made with an all-wire mesh. If possible, using metal for the sides is preferred due to the fact that it will not rot and will be easier to clean. When rabbits urinate, it can soak into wood, creating a stench that won't happen with metal cages.

Do not employ cheaper particle board to save money since it will rot and warp in moist surroundings. High quality outdoor plywood is the best material to build the sides and roof with, and correctly treating the plywood will make it last longer. In spite of this, do not treat plywood that the bunny can gnaw on as it can injure them.

A plywood floor is definitely not suitable. The flooring must be made from an all-wire mesh that will let droppings tumble to the ground. If rabbit droppings are not permitted to drop through the wire floor they will certainly build up inside the cage and cause of filth and sickness.

Mistake #2: Not Supplying the Animals with Sufficient Floor Space

Rabbits need to be offered an opportunity to work out or exercise for about 4 hours each day. Rabbits that get enough daily exercise have improved health, have longer life spans, and are more productive if grown for meat production. Because of this fact, they should have some extra space in their hutch. Offering some extra space to bound around in will be greatly cherished.

One way to furnish them with more room and additional opportunities to work out is to build their home 2 levels high. Both levels can be accessed with a wire ramp that allows the rabbit to move up or down as needed. This will increase their living area while not taking up any more land area in the yard.

Mistake #3: Manufacturing Too Few Solid Walls

Rabbits should have sunshine and fresh air, but too much of a good thing can harm or kill them. Rabbits hutches having only 1 plywood wall will subject your rabbit to possibly dangerous weather conditions. Harsh winds, rainfall, and snowfall can be kept out of the hutch with 3 solid sides and a solid roof.

In addition, rabbits can't tolerate hot weather and need to be given a shaded place where they can avoid the direct sun. By positioning the hutch properly and manufacturing it with enough protective sides, the bunny can remain outside while being reasonably unaffected by the weather conditions.

Mistake #4: Not Building Bunny Hutch on Legs

All out-of-doors rabbits hutches should be set on top of 4 legs. Placing a cage directly on the ground will allow moist and unclean conditions to develop inside the cage which will lead to health problems. Plus, lacking support legs the bunny droppings will not be able to drop through the wire flooring, which will cause a waste buildup in the interior of the cage.

By: Joshua A Harding

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Joshua has been a bunny rabbit devotee for going on 4 decades. Throughout that time he has accumulated a large amount of familiarity on the subject matter of rabbits and likes sharing it with others. He has a web site where you will find all types of info about creating economical rabbits hutches raising rabbits, and more.

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