Although you can find plenty of inexpensive rabbit cages and hutches online and in brick-and-mortar stores, there’s just something about building the rabbit hutch with your own two hands that feels great.
A DIY rabbit hutch lets you choose the size of your pet’s space, what you want in it, and what’s most important when it comes to your pet being comfy and warm. We’ll give you some basic steps for building your own rabbit hutch and more in the article below.
What Supplies do You Need to Build a Rabbit Hutch?
The first thing you need to do when building a rabbit hutch is to gather your materials.
The materials you’ll need include the following:
It’s important to remember the following tips when building your hutch.
Now that you’ve gathered the materials for your rabbit hutch, here are the steps to get the job done.
The 6 Simple Steps for Building a Rabbit Hutch
While there are many types of rabbit hutches, from outdoor designs to cages with open roofs and even multistory pens, we’ll give you some simple steps to build a rabbit hutch that even a beginner should be able to follow below.
Step One
Your first step is building the frame for your rabbit hutch. You can make your frame using 1×1-inch lumber. Once your base is secure, you’ll attach your slats to the frame’s exterior. Then, drill pocket holes in both ends of your slats for a professional feel and look. Cut your chicken wire to cover the openings, and attach it.
Cut a ¾ inch piece of plywood to fit, then lock it into the top of the enclosure. At this point, many rabbit owners build a little ladder for their pets, which is optional.
Step Two
Now it’s time to move onto your interior wall. Assemble your wall, then attach it inside of the frame. Once your interior walls are set up and locked in place, move on to step three.
Step Three
It’s time to build your door using your 1×2-inch piece of lumber. Once the door is the right size, fit it inside the opening of your hutch, and fix it to the cage using the metal hinges. Once it’s in place, check to make sure it opens properly, then install your lock, so it doesn’t come open.
Step Four
Your next step is to build the rafters. Cut your rafters at 88 degrees. This is easiest if you use a circular saw with a very sharp blade, but take all safety precautions when cutting with any tool. Once your rafters are cut, align them at both ends of the hutch and fasten them securely to the top with screws.
Step Five
Fasten a piece of plywood to the top of the hutch and cover the top with tar paper. Next, you can install asphalt shingles on the roof. You want your shingles to overhang the hutch by about one inch to help water drain instead of piling on the top of the roof.
Step Six
Finally, you need to take care of the finishing touches on the hutch your rabbit pal will call home. After you ensure the structure is secure, you can carefully move it to its permanent location.
Final Thoughts
Building a rabbit cage doesn’t have to be complicated if you follow the simple steps above. However, if you want to build a more complicated hutch, you should be able to find YouTube videos that will walk you through the process.
This is a relatively simple DIY plan for building a rabbit hutch for your pet rabbit. Remember, if you have more than one rabbit, you’ll want a bigger hutch or possibly another hutch altogether.
Featured Image Credit: GOLFX, Shutterstock
