ckcs
Well-known member
About 6 months ago I decided to build a 3 tier cage for my breeding lionhead does. I figured it would cost me around $200 for a similar sized tier from one of the cage builders. Then I'd have to pay for shipping, drive a long way or wait for a biannual show. Honestly if I had the money I would have bought me 2 of the 3 tier cages but I didn't. For a while I had been picking up NIC panels at yard sales and thrift stores. I had about 100, figuring I'd use them one day. I had made individual cages with them but decided it was time to go big or go home. Hrmm I was already at home but none the less.
I had a rough idea of the design I wanted and set out to build the cage. First mistake was my nails were not long enough. I thought this was all going to be a quick project and why waste time going to the store to get the right size. I figured I would just toenail the joints. Now I am a large guy 6'2" 300lbs and I have a saying "fat people don't fold well". This became apparent right from the start. To make things worse on the 3rd nail I hit my index finger. It swelled, turned black and hurt like hell but I continued. In hind sight I would have used screws and pre drilled holes. 3 months later my nail finally grew completely back and the black was gone.
I used that cage for 3-4 months and decided to build a 2nd one. I used longer nails but regretted not getting more screws. I did use screw for the front to back supports that the pans rest on.
The corrugated pans are fairly easy to make. I hot glue the corners to keep them from leaking. They are 3"-4" deep and can hold a lot of pine pellets (my choice of bedding). I just pull the trays out and scoop out the poo pile and the wet pellets (which turn to saw dust when wet). Then I add a little new pellet material and your good to go for 10-14 days easily inside.
Upside of these cages
1. Saved floor space
2. Relatively cheap for me using some discounted lumber and existing panels
3. Pretty easy to clean. These are next to a set of french doors that lead to our deck. I just dump the stuff over the deck into a compost pile.
4. Good size cages 28" x 28"
Downside of these cages
1. Will only work for small breeds. The cages are 14" high so no good for a bigger rabbit
2. Being made of pine the pine absorbs urine. The rack on my deck is after 6 months and it was just hosed off and lightly scrubs. Honest though I don't ever smell these cages and they are about 15' from the living room.
If I built a third rack I'd do a few things different. I'd have made the rack wider. I left very little room to get the cages in and they are hard to get in and out. Fortunately I don't have to take them out often. I would have used screws. I would have added baby saver wire to the inside of the cages. I also may have built the cage another way. There are 3 boards that mainly get pee'd on, the three that hold the back end of cage. I could have possibly attached the cage to the side panels which would eliminate these boards.
Here is the rack being cleaned
Here are the racks with pans, cages and bunnies. On the one cage I've cut 1"x4" to make a square inside the cage to serve as baby saver. Wire would have been a better choice and I may upgrade them at some point. The first cage is the one shown above, litter pans were just cleaned. The second cage hadn't been cleaned yet, but will after this post lol
Here is a breakdown of the costs
14 - 2x2x8 $28 Home Depot (I stop by and get the damaged lumber at 70% off and paid less than $10)
200 ties - $4 Walmart
2 sheet of corrugated plastic - $27 Home Depot (will make 4 pans averaged cost of 3 is $20.25)
1"x2" 30" x 10' floor wire - TS $23 (will do 4 floors averaged cost of 3 is $17.25)
1lb of nails or screws - $4-6
36 14"x14" NIC panels - I pick these up at thrift stores and yard sales and pay 30-40 cents each - $10-15
$98 - $104 with used panels and new everything else
$67-$72 with discounted lumber and averaged cost for wire and pans
I had a rough idea of the design I wanted and set out to build the cage. First mistake was my nails were not long enough. I thought this was all going to be a quick project and why waste time going to the store to get the right size. I figured I would just toenail the joints. Now I am a large guy 6'2" 300lbs and I have a saying "fat people don't fold well". This became apparent right from the start. To make things worse on the 3rd nail I hit my index finger. It swelled, turned black and hurt like hell but I continued. In hind sight I would have used screws and pre drilled holes. 3 months later my nail finally grew completely back and the black was gone.
I used that cage for 3-4 months and decided to build a 2nd one. I used longer nails but regretted not getting more screws. I did use screw for the front to back supports that the pans rest on.
The corrugated pans are fairly easy to make. I hot glue the corners to keep them from leaking. They are 3"-4" deep and can hold a lot of pine pellets (my choice of bedding). I just pull the trays out and scoop out the poo pile and the wet pellets (which turn to saw dust when wet). Then I add a little new pellet material and your good to go for 10-14 days easily inside.
Upside of these cages
1. Saved floor space
2. Relatively cheap for me using some discounted lumber and existing panels
3. Pretty easy to clean. These are next to a set of french doors that lead to our deck. I just dump the stuff over the deck into a compost pile.
4. Good size cages 28" x 28"
Downside of these cages
1. Will only work for small breeds. The cages are 14" high so no good for a bigger rabbit
2. Being made of pine the pine absorbs urine. The rack on my deck is after 6 months and it was just hosed off and lightly scrubs. Honest though I don't ever smell these cages and they are about 15' from the living room.
If I built a third rack I'd do a few things different. I'd have made the rack wider. I left very little room to get the cages in and they are hard to get in and out. Fortunately I don't have to take them out often. I would have used screws. I would have added baby saver wire to the inside of the cages. I also may have built the cage another way. There are 3 boards that mainly get pee'd on, the three that hold the back end of cage. I could have possibly attached the cage to the side panels which would eliminate these boards.
Here is the rack being cleaned
Here are the racks with pans, cages and bunnies. On the one cage I've cut 1"x4" to make a square inside the cage to serve as baby saver. Wire would have been a better choice and I may upgrade them at some point. The first cage is the one shown above, litter pans were just cleaned. The second cage hadn't been cleaned yet, but will after this post lol
Here is a breakdown of the costs
14 - 2x2x8 $28 Home Depot (I stop by and get the damaged lumber at 70% off and paid less than $10)
200 ties - $4 Walmart
2 sheet of corrugated plastic - $27 Home Depot (will make 4 pans averaged cost of 3 is $20.25)
1"x2" 30" x 10' floor wire - TS $23 (will do 4 floors averaged cost of 3 is $17.25)
1lb of nails or screws - $4-6
36 14"x14" NIC panels - I pick these up at thrift stores and yard sales and pay 30-40 cents each - $10-15
$98 - $104 with used panels and new everything else
$67-$72 with discounted lumber and averaged cost for wire and pans
