4 Costly Errors to Avoid When Constructing Your Own Rabbit Hutch
Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010
by Joshua Hardingur
JMS
Outside rabbits hutches are normally low-priced and unproblematic to build. It is quite easy to construct one in less than a day and your efforts can often save you a lot of money over buying one. Furthermore, you have the option to construct it to your specifications. A large number of bunny rabbit cages that are available to buy are somewhat small-sized, but by creating one yourself you can offer additional space to your rabbits that they will benefit from.
Mistake #1: Not Using the Correct Materials
Outside Rabbits hutches can be manufactured from a mixture of metal, wood, and wire. Most commonly, three of the sides and the covering (roof) are manufactured using wood while the last wall and the floor are manufactured with wire. If possible, using metal for the sides is ideal as it will not decay and will be easier to keep clean. When rabbits spray urine, it can saturate the wood, producing an odor that will not occur with metal cages.
It is essential not to use particle board to save money because it will decay and warp in wet surroundings. Outdoor plywood is the best material to construct the sides and roof with, and treating the wood will increase its life. Nonetheless, do not paint or treat wood that the bunny can chew on because it can hurt them.
A wood floor is unquestionably not acceptable. The flooring needs to be made from wire that will permit droppings to plunge to the ground. If droppings are not permitted to drop through the flooring they will certainly build up within the hutch and be the cause of filth and sickly rabbits.
Mistake #2: Not Offering the Animals Enough Space
Rabbits should be offered an opportunity to work out or exercise for about 4 hours each day. Rabbits that get enough daily exercise have better health, have longer life spans, and are more productive when kept for meat. Because of this fact, they need to have some extra space in their cage. Offering some extra space to jump around in will be deeply appreciated.
One way to provide them with additional room and more opportunities to get their necessary exercise is to build their home 2 levels high. Both levels can be accessed by way of a wire ramp that permits the bunny rabbit to scurry to the top or bottom level as needed. This will boost the size of their living quarters while not needing any more land area in the backyard.
Mistake #3: Not Offering Them Enough Protection from Poor Weather or Direct Sunlight
Rabbits need to have sunlight 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 bunny to potentially injurious climate conditions. Strong winds, showers, and snow can be kept out of the hutch with 3 solid sides and a solid covering (roof).
Furthermore, bunnies cannot bear too much heat and need a shady place where they can avoid being in the direct sun. By positioning the hutch properly and constructing it with a sufficient number of protective sides, the bunny can live outside relatively unaffected by the climate conditions.
Mistake #4: Not Manufacturing a Cage with 4 Legs
All outdoor rabbits hutches need to be built atop 4 legs. Putting a hutch directly on the dirt will permit wet and unclean conditions to happen within the hutch which will cause health troubles. In addition, without support legs the rabbit droppings will not be able to drop through the wire flooring, will soon lead to an interior buildup.
Joshua has been a bunny rabbit fanatic for about 4 decades. During that time he has accumulated a huge amount of understanding on the subject matter of rabbits and enjoys sharing it with others. He maintains a website where you will locate all types of information about making low-priced rabbits hutches keeping rabbits, and more.
This Article has been viewed 176 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.