Building your own cages.

[bobqdevon]

For those of you who build your own cages, what are your "actual" costs.

I'm looking to build my own cages, instead of going bankrupt at TSC buying $30 cages.

So far, what I have found, not including J clips, which only add a minimal amount to cage costs, I can purchase a 30 x 100 (1/2" x 1") roll of floor wire ($170.97) and three 30 x 100 (1 x 2) rolls of side and top wire ($110.97 each) for just over $500. This in turn will give me enough supplies to build +/-30 cages for a cost of about $15 per cage.

Not sure of what other wire suppliers there are out there, maybe you guys know of some cheaper? Oh how I would love to get the costs down even lower. And of course, who couldn't use 30 additional cages?

 

[ckcs]

Don't forget doors / door hardware. Also will you be buying the wire locally? If not then you have shipping and travel costs. I know when I have figured the cost up, I couldn't beat TSC cage cost by more than $3-4 a cage. If the floor wire you are buying is 14 gauge then it will be an improvement on the TSC 16 gauge floor. The sides and top are 14 gauge on the TSC cages but the floors are 16 gauge. If you need a stronger floor then building them will make more sense.

 

[DonnerSurvivor]

Heres how I did my 30"x24" cages for 12 bucks each. The wire I used had held up good so far but I dont expect them to hold up like the more expensive wire would. One roll of this @ 19.99 http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/garden- ... 0000046633 and one roll of this @ 36.99 http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/garden- ... 0000054046 if you cut the 36 inch roll of wire in half youll have enough to make 5 cages as long as you make it so they all share walls. A bag of J clips is 2.49. I should note when I made mine I only made them 4 cages long and used the remaining wire to make quail pens but im pretty sure there was enough to make a bank of 5 rabbit cages with alil bit extra for doors. I am pretty sure they have fleet farms in WI as well so that saves shipping cost.

 

[WildWolf]

Just want to add: I've never done this, but some people build triangular or round-top (looks sort of like a greenhouse shape... I don't know how else to describe it) cages, and that saves a lot of wire

 

[grumpy]

Just want to add: I've never done this, but some people build triangular or round-top (looks sort of like a greenhouse shape... I don't know how else to describe it) cages, and that saves a lot of wire

Slant-fronted cages are awesome. BUT....difficult to build.
Dome cages aren't quite so bad. BUT...the floor-space is restricted.

www.klubertanz.com will have everything you could possibly
want for rabbits, and anything related to rabbits.

Top quality stuff...BUT....the shipping gets a little pricey.

grumpy.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

I recently got back into rabbits this summer, after 20 yrs without.
I just got another deal with rabbits. Guy had to get out due to his health.

My budget would not let me buy new cages.
First I got a deal of used cages at $ 2 each. Could not get them clean. Resold them.
Found another deal of used ones at $ 3 each. Feeders an additional $ 1.
These are going to work nice.
I hope next year to be able to buy new wire and build cages.
Then I can sell the used ones.
Cages are 24 inches deep, 30 inches wide. It's a good size.

In the past, I used to build a lot of wire cages.
I will again but the budget here is cash and carry now.
No going into debt for any reason.
I can just imagine my shock when I start pricing again.
I can pull my old rabbit book and use my old patterns.
I had them down to the penny for costs.