Cages? Feeder? Hay?

[HHRR]

Hi, I've been wanting to increase the size and productivity of my rabbitry (Currently have a harley buck, harley doe and her kit and a random LionHead doe that I am selling soon) but, I don't really know what to do. I am planing on getting another buck and a doe to start. (Because the buck I have is a Magpie and the doe is a Jap-the mix of these two has so far only given us disqualification japs)

My first question is what do you guys do for cages? Right now I have them large dog crates except for the doe and kit, they are in an actual pet store-rabbit cage. What do you guys have for housing? Mine live on a screened-in back porch because there are all sorts of predators outside, flying, walking and slithering! Where do you get your cages from, or did you have to build them? How much did it cost?

Second; what do you use for feeders? Right now I have little plastic bowls that clip on to the side of the cage but my buck has already chewed his. So, what kind of feeders do you have? I would definitely prefer one that hung because I've had issues with them doing their business in their food bowls when I didn't have hanging ones.

Third; Hay feeders! I feed timothy hay free choice and I have been having trouble effectively containing it. I have a couple of make-shift rack right now hooked on the the cages but they are SO wasteful. LOTS of hay falls on the floor and into the cages and its just a mess. I wanted to know how you fed hay with out all this happening?

Thank you! :bunnyhop:

 

[ottersatin]

Hello HHRR,
I built my own cages. the benefit is that you can built the size
that best suits your purpose and fits in the space you have.
I use [J] feeders attached to the outside of the cage and
hang 2 liter soda bottles fort water. in the colder months
I am forced to use water bowls as the metal nozzles freeze
too quickly to use a bottle. Rabbits always waste more hay than they eat,
I suppose you could fashion a three solid sided hay-rack.
I hope this helps.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[TwoAcreDream]

I find it less stressfull to have cages ready to go before bringing
any rabbits home. I been playing catchup.
I have 8 empty, I just built. Going to be stackers when I get done with
them. I have 2 other holes empty and plan on those for a litter coming
off a mom soon.
I been working with used cages and wire and making my setup work for
the area that I have to use. I couldn't use most of the cages as I
bought them. They were too big.
I use water bowls in the winter. Bottles and bowls in the summer.

Hay racks, I build my own. 2 sides, a front, a bottom and j clip
them together. This way I can use up scraps.
Then zip tie them to the cage fronts.

I just the metal J feeders. I have a few crocks here and there but they
are mainly for treats.

I keep a line cage in my chicken coop for a quarantine area.

I have 3 large plastic dog crates with nest boxes in them, that I am
using for maternity. They require more often cleaning, but I think
they are my best bet. It's winter and cold here. All my animals are
inside buildings. Better for them and for me

Plan is in the spring to build a bunny barn, out of used materials.

 

[Hoosier]

A rabbit in a completely solid bottom cage would drive me nuts trying to keep it clean. You can build cages yourself or do an internet search for suppliers. Finding a show or an event near you would allow you to see the cages and you wouldn’t have to pay shipping if a vendor was there. Vendors may be listed in the show program and you may want to call them ahead to see what they will have with them. Cages can be made from various materials and an internet search will show you many. The caveat here is with some, trying to figure out how to make doors, making them a size to accommodate nest boxes and figuring out how to attach feeders, etc.

Farm supply stores and hardware stores may have wire that you need to build your own. They aren’t likely to carry the nice ½ x 1” wire that is wonderful for cage floors. Wire can often be purchased from cage suppliers. Purchase a GOOD set of J-clip pliers if you build your own. Those cheap ones are frustrating to use and tend to twist the clips making the process take longer.

The metal J-feeders that hang on the outside of the cages allow the dust from pellets to fall through if they have a wire or perforated bottom. Being metal, they are chew proof. We have both and prefer the wire bottom. Inspect them carefully because the wire isn’t always attached well. I inspected about 6 recently at Rural King before I found 1 that was well made.

I went to the Salvation Army Thrift store and other thrift stores and found many dishes for about .50 a piece that work well. The glass is chew proof and easy to clean. I found some ‘soup’ mugs that were about the size of a standard crock that had a handle which made it convenient to attach to the side of the cage. Also, I have a few metal bowls called Coop Cups that sit in a metal ring which is attached to the cage wire. I bought them for dogs from a pet supply catalog years ago and they came in many sizes. Hanging them a bit high helps keep poop out of them.

I bought some BLACK plastic cups that hang on the cage from KD Cage and so far NO rabbit has destroyed even a tiny piece of them!!! Also, I absolutely LOVE the crocs I bought from them! They attach to the bottom of the cage so they can be put anywhere so I can place them away from their hay feeder or nest boxes. The owner of KD Cage developed both the cups and croc so you can’t buy them from just anywhere. In a thread under “Rabbit Care” titled ‘Crocs that attach to the bottom of the cage’, I posted a picture. Under a thread under “Show Rabbits” titled ‘Attending our first rabbit show’, you will find a picture of the black plastic cups.

I bought metal hay feeders at Rural King. One brand had a top on it and I like that kind better because I can stuff the feeder more tightly. We also had a kit that was quite ingenious that would hop on top of the feeder and eat so a top helped stop that behavior because the kit was doing it for easier access. Beneath the feeders on the cage floor, I have put a piece of cardboard or some other solid material such as a cutting board, piece of smooth edge glass, etc. to catch what falls out. I have seen feeders made from all sorts of stuff.
<br /><br />__________ Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:00 am __________<br /><br />Forgot to add KD Cage contact info since the website isn't active anymore. Phone: (765) 332-2678. Address 1820 S. Co. Rd. 850 E., New Castle, IN 47362.

 

[HoppyMeal]

HHRR,
I have used large dog crates and added 1/2"X1" wire to the bottom of the crate and set it outside on a wood frame. You need to check Craigslist for cages. In my area I can get cages cheaper than I can build them. My last purchase was a 10 hole, 2'x4' wire coated cage for $100.00. You just need to check it everyday. I have my cages in a shed on wood racks. I have an heated circulating water system that circulates through 18 cages that I built. This works great since we are having an unusual cold spell. The temp has been in the single digits since last Thursday. I use J feeders. You may also want to check out Bass Equipment.

 

[3mina]

BASS, Klubertanz, Great Northwestern Cages, there's a ton of suppliers out there.
Ideally, 14 gauge floor wire is what you want, 16 in a pinch.

If you're going to use wire crates, don't forget to add wire around the bottom 4" of the crate to keep kits in. The spacing on crates is wide enough that even older kits can easily get loose.