Building Cages

[Cspr]

Hey, everyone.

I've been buying nicely made cages from Bass Equipment. However, I'm entirely certain I can make them cheaper. My only experience with handmade cages have been hutches and a death trap which I was given with my AS doe, Anwen. :x

I'd like to make full metal or mostly metal cages on the cheap. That is, for less than $30 for six square feet. I intend to hang them on the roof of my mini-barn, same as my other two cages. They'll be held up with metal conduit and they'll need one door. Anybody have some lovely plans/links they'd like to share or ideas on where to buy stuff to create the cages?

I realize I'll need wire, a lock for the door, and one of the grabbers to keep the door up. I'd want to add on baby savers. Would I just want to make the whole cage with tauter wire, or is there a better option? I also have enough j-clips to last for eternity, so I could use them to pin the cage together. Bass Equipment gives those out like fast food restaurants give out sauce. I've also considered adding in sunken nest boxes. The idea of making trap doors terrifies me, however, because what if they break their leg or something? :x Basically, help would be appreciated. I'm new to this concept! :lol:

1. Simple design. I may have made a castle in art class and built the highest tower but that does not mean I am exceptionally talented.
2. Cheap but very sturdy.
3. Able to be made long and narrow (to fit between rafters which are 21 or 22 inches apart from each other).
4. Good for does with litters.

I've thought of maybe making tunnels between the cages, big enough for the does to walk through and visit their neighbor, if say they were bought at the same time, are sisters, mother daughter, etc. Has anyone tried to do a setup where two does could have the same space when they don't have kits, or would 10-12 square feet lead to major fights?

Out of curiosity, has anyone become a boss cage-maker and sold their cages to nearby rabbit owners? There is a dearth of cages where I live. I figure learning how to make them could be a useful skill. Maybe I could make cages to go with my baby bunnies if I'm not inept or something, so they don't end up in a bad situation? (Those pet store cages look like death waiting to happen.) I'd add it to the overall price, but try to keep it close to how much I paid for the supplies if they were buying a rabbit from me. Thoughts?

 

[stone soup farm]

I have become a cage making maniac. Well so far I have made 14 and still have some wire left. One of the nice things is you can make whatever size that you want. Problem is you have to buy different roles- one role of 1/2 x 1 for the floor and I also put it one the roof and then a role for the sides which has 4 inches of babysaver then 1 x 2 the rest of the way up. I don't live close to Bass or Klubwhatits, so shipping would have been crazy expensive, but Bass has a distributor that is about a 2 1/2 drive which I had to make anyway. If not shipping will kill the deal.

I think my cages ended up more affordable but I don't think so much so that I would sell them. So for making them for yourself I would recommend but unless you get a killer deal on wire I would not take the time to make them for sale.

FYI the 16 gauge is much harder to cut than the 14. Or maybe it is vise versa but it is noticeable.

Best of luck to your cage making :bunnyhop:

 

[Marinea]

Here's our latest effort:

I designed, hubby built it, and I painted We were lucky, of course, picking up the metal frame for free.

So, as you can see, building yourself is great for custom sizes. My biggest suggestion is to be sure of the size you want before you cut your first piece of wire. Measure twice. Then measure again. Then and only then, cut.

Good luck with it. Happy building.

 

[Cspr]

Very nice, Marinea. Thanks for the advice as well. Can I ask what that metal frame was from? Looks like something to do with poultry. Might could ask if anyone has X, Y, Z they need to get rid of on Craigslist.

Yeah, shipping is very expensive for cages. That's why I'm trying this out. Out of curiosity, SSF, would you consider just using two types of wire? One roll for everything and then one for baby saver? Or could I build it out of all floor type wire (one rol) and then use something like plastic or hardware cloth zip tied as baby saver for the doe cages? -curious-

All I know is I have room for two more hanging holes (doe) on the right side, four hanging holes (buck or two does with tunnel between) on the left, and space for four holes underneath the four doe holes on the right side.

Out of curiosity, where do you tend to buy your wire and, uh, say plastic roofing to keep the poop and pee from falling on the lower rabbits' heads? And best way to cut? I have hand shears...pretty sure that won't cut it, especially the fourteen...

Mind you, depending where I go when I move in the next year or so, I'll either put the cages over something like a FlushKleen system or get a carport and build a PVC pipe frame. :/

__________ Sat Jul 27, 2013 11:44 pm __________

Remembered Quonset style cages and how useful they could be. I see you take two long lengths of wire to use as a floor and roof, then add on the two end pieces. Seems like it would save a lot of time and also some wire. Anyone use them? Seems like a good idea. Still could be used for long-and-narrow cages, if I put one flat to the front and added a door there. Hmmm. -steeples fingers- And underneath I could put them proper (door on the curve) and up on cement blocks or hang them from the conduit with chain. -nods- I saw someone just use hardware cloth to keep their buns apart in one long Quonset style cage. -giddy-

I think I could do this especially well, yep.

 

[ottersatin]

Cspr,
I suggest that you DO NOT
make any cage accessible to another Rabbit Doe or Buck.
Your best bet with Rabbits is: One Rabbit to a Cage.
Rabbits can/will become extremely possessive of their
cage/territory. You can build your cages any size
that fits your specifications, but the larger the cage
the more room the Dam will have for raising a litter.
With separate caging YOU will have complete control
over who will breed with whom. This is an important
factor when trying to improve any aspect of your
breed/ Herd. You are the director of your Rabbits domain,
make all attempts to make it as safe and comfortable as possible
for you and the members of your herd.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[grumpy]

"Cage-Making" is tough!! I've built the majority
of the cages in my rabbitry. My rabbit supply company
of choice is http://www.klubertanz.com. They've got everything
imaginable for rabbits.

I've got an 80 hole rabbitry and have
built most of the cages myself. Keep an eye
out on Craigslist. You can sometimes get a
good deal on cages.

Otter Satin's correct...one cage one rabbit.
You can grow out siblings in a single cage.
But, they'll need a space of their own when
they begin to mature.

grumpy.

 

[Marinea]

Cspr, the metal framing was actually a commercial display rack for kitchen sinks. Hubby grabbed it and took it apart for the cages. You can see some of the leftover pieces in the background of the pic I posted.

You can make a cage out of all floor (1/2 x 1) wire, and it will be fine. You won't even need babysaver wire if you go that route. BUT, it will be much more expensive. That wire costs a lot more than the 1 x 2. You're going to need a good pair of wire cutters.

Good luck with your project!

 

[ckcs]

I gather part of the battle with building cages is finding the rolled wire cheap enough (probably locally) to make it worthwhile. When I price out building cages from say Tractor Supply it will cost me about $27 for a 33" x 24" x height up to 24". That doesn't include any extra costs for j clips and door hardware. I'd have to build 12 cages to make the rolls come out right otherwise the cost would be higher. That is for 14g sides/top and 16g bottom (rather have 14 but they don't sell it). At that price it would little to no saving over their cage price. If I could get from Klubertanz or similar locally. I figure their 30 x 24 x 18 gaw with baby saver is $36.30 pre fabbed. The wire cost would set me back about $19 not counting doors, baby saver wire or clips. Seems like building cages only makes sense if you are building a lot of them or you can get a hook up on the wire.

 

[Cspr]

Thanks, everyone! I figured that with the rabbits. It's fine. Just wondered how much space you need until a cage becomes a colony. XD

I'll check Craigslist for rabbit cages, sure. I have a Tractor Supply nearby, but I'm not sure if the cages would be cheaper than a 4-5 hole Quonset cage. I've forgotten the pricing. Will take a looksee. I have a lot of j-clips and I'd get wire cutters (if they aren't in the rarely touched toolbox), good sandpaper, chain for hanging, and 4-5 grabbers and locks. But the wire and netting seems to come out to be $51 (rough estimate). 4-5 holes, either 3 or 4 sq. feet. O.O I double-checked my math.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You will not be able to find the high quality wire at local hardware or feed stores. I made some slant-fronted growout cages using wire from a feed store, and the wire is already breaking at the welds, and will need to be replaced at some point. I will be out both time and money.

I would strongly encourage you to buy wire from a cage supplier. Check the ARBA show listing for your area, and contact the show secretary for the show catalog (it will be a pdf or email version), and it will list the vendors attending the shows. Contact them and arrange for delivery of wire, doors, door hardware, and J-feeders to a show to save shipping. Regarding J-feeders; most people feed a measured amount daily, so large feeders are unnecessary except for growout pens. If you don't buy the reinforced doors, I would buy the plastic edge guard they offer so you can "frame" the doors with that to make them more rigid and cover any sharp edges.

I use a grinder to cut my wire. It saves a lot of time. Unless you streamline your production, cutting all the panels at once before starting assembly, etc., building cages is very time consuming... and even then takes longer than you might think.

When I cut wire, I measure obsessively- and I use twist ties to mark the wire to be cut. This way you can roll out a length of wire and measure several pieces instead of measure-cut-measure-cut-measure-cut.

If you build standard square or rectangular cages, you will need three rolls of wire. For the floors and top, I would not go more than 30" wide because it is too difficult to reach a reluctant rabbit in a deeper cage. Then you will need an 18" (standard) or 24" roll for the sides. Obviously, you are going to need about 4 times as much side wire as floor and top wire, depending on your cage dimensions.

An alternative to babysaver wire is the plastic wallboard used in commercial bathrooms. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets and you can cut strips to fit and secure with zip ties. My cages do not have babysaver wire (or wallboard), but I use the wallboard in my wire nests. So far, the does have not chewed it, but that may not be true if it is a permanent installation in the cage. You might also use metal flashing, but be sure to sand the cut edges so they are not sharp.

I watch Craigslist for aviary style cages. They are made of very heavy gauge 1/2" by 3" wire. I disassemble them and use the panels as flooring.

To save on wire, I sometimes make "banks" of cages- you can make them 2-hole, 3-hole, or 4-hole, with each hole sharing the dividing wire panel. You don't want to make them too long and unwieldy though. The down side to this is that you cannot remove one cage from a bank for quarantine or cleaning purposes.

One last tip- don't skimp on using J-clips, especially for the floors. The closer you can space them the better to prevent sagging.

Below is a picture of a 2-hole cage with aviary flooring, reinforced doors, and plastic edge guard on the door frame. It still needs holes cut for the J-feeders. It is only 18" deep, so the doors open out and down to allow for space for my BunnyBuckets to be hung within:



This is a 3-hole bank made for my Jersey Woolys, with two larger holes for does, and one smaller hole for the buck, showing one version of my BunnyBuckets:

 

[Cottie]

Bunny buckets?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Bunny buckets?

Obviously, I haven't been posting enough pictures lately... :?




BunnyBucket tutorial:

how-to-pot-up-a-rabbit-t6566.html

Sorry for the fftopic: hijack, Cspr.

 

[Cspr]

Thank you for that tip. Unfortunately, I have a secretary from Hell. o.o; She doesn't much like me, because I won't forget like everyone else about her being convicted of animal abuse in two states. Maybe I can ask another person or the information. -sighs- In the least, there's a group I can show in so I maybe won't have to deal with her.

I'll see what I can do. Again, thanks for the tips.

Understood. Might have to get one eventually then. Hmmm. And longer than you might think: I'm presuming three days for a two or three hole cage, because of my physical limitations. More or less?

Oooh, good idea. -puts twist ties on list- Maybe I could use those funny rubber band things the youngest adored for awhile as markers or something.

Yeah, I am definitely planning on Quonset. Simpler, less cutting, wire saved, etc. It's perfectly acceptable otherwise, from what I can see. Even comes with a free hay rack if you put two side by side.

Hmmm. Plastic wallboard. Will have to see the comparison in price between that and hardware cloth.

My Craigslist is sort of sad. The options were limited except for one barn-shaped aviary cage.

Luckily, I already have three cages that are separate, so I could use them for quarantine, and I also have a dog crate that works in a pinch. And don't worry. No skimping on J-clips.

Can I ask if you buy your bunny buckets or no? I've considered going to bakeries to get food grade buckets for fermenting feed, as supposedly they'll give you them cheap or for free, but, well, buckets aren't exactly out of my price range and seem lovely. How do you attach them, or would allowing them to be moved by the buns be acceptable?

 

[countrymomma1991]

MSD I love the buckets. Thats such a neat idea. I haven't ever really seen that. How do those work for winter?? My fiance and I build all of our cages. The only thing is ours is wood and don't hang. But they come out much cheaper than buying them. Even with buying wire, but i guess it helps we got two of my cages wood free but even when we didn't it still came out cheaper than buying for us! I really hope that everyhting works out for you!

 

[stone soup farm]

Out of curiosity, SSF, would you consider just using two types of wire? One roll for everything and then one for baby saver? Or could I build it out of all floor type wire (one rol) and then use something like plastic or hardware cloth zip tied as baby saver for the doe cages? -curious-

I did buy a roll of 1/2 x 1 and used it to make some cages, but I like the ones I made from the 2 different rolls better. The thicker gauge wire is better but a bear to cut. I bought flush cut wire clippers. My other non-flush cutters left edges that were mostly unsafe for us people but I also worried about the buns getting scratched from it. We went back an fixed all of it with the new flush cutters.

__________ Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:52 am __________

"Cage-Making" is tough!! I've built the majority
of the cages in my rabbitry. My rabbit supply company
of choice is http://www.klubertanz.com. They've got everything
imaginable for rabbits.

I agree about buying wire from either bass or klubertanz. For me getting wire from Klubertanz would have been over $200 for the shipping alone. Their stuff looked great though. I have liked Bass quality and that I can arrange pick up so I save on the shipping.

Grumpy, you setup is amazing. I just wanted to let you know that I have enjoyed your posts and appreciate your sound advice and insight. :respect:<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:55 am __________<br /><br />

Bunny buckets?

Love this. What size cage do you have this in? I have lots of planters from a nursery that closing and giving them away free. Varied sizes so I will experiment.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MSD I love the buckets. Thats such a neat idea. I haven't ever really seen that. How do those work for winter??

They work great in winter. They give the rabbits somewhere to shelter out of the wind, rain, and snow. Even in calm weather they help them to conserve body heat.

Love this. What size cage do you have this in?

That particular cage is 24" x 30" x 18" high. I also have them in my buck cages which are 24" x 24". I use smaller food grade buckets for my Jersey Woolys and 5 gallon paint type buckets for my Beveren.