What's cheaper...buying or making cages

[BlueLove16]

Fiance and I are going to begin building the rabbit cages...hoping to do a lean-to style with back and sides then front open or wire enclosed.

But looking at basic hanging cages that are 30x30 and 30x36. I have looked at different company cages and they generally go for 30-40$ but have small doors -.- I have big bunnies and the doors in the pictures make it look difficult to get jumpy bunnies in and out. My current trio wont tolerate being held much, hoping to change that with future litters, though.


Is it cost effective to buy the wire to make your own cages and the hardware if its only 4-6 cages?

 

[luvabunny]

For that number of cages, probably not cost effective, if you can find decent used cages. If you have to replace bottom or side wire due to rust, or holes due to bad feeder placement, then they probably aren't worth getting.

I like to make my own cages because I can make them exactly the way I want, the exact height, the exact measurements, and I know they are in good shape - the bottom wire is right side up, the J clips are strong and tight, the doors aren't going to cut me to pieces and are large enough.

That said, I can usually find individual cages for 10.00-15.00 each. For 4-6 cages, I couldn't make them for anywhere near that price.

 

[skysthelimit]

Unless you are making a lot, or are close to the place, it's more expensive to make cages, and more time consuming. Shipping alone would be more than what I could pick up a used cage for.

 

[Dood]

All my cages were free. Thankfully my dad is a bit of a hoarder and stacked all the cages we had as kids in the attic of the barn. Others I got from a kennel I worked at who were getting rid of the old style dog cages since they were scratching up the floor. I took a bunch, modified them a bit, added a feeder and hayrack and used them for my buns as well as selling some. The benfit is they completely collapse down for storage and are sturdy enough for stacking.

I have attached a picture of the type of dog cage I have, mine are all 24 x 36 x 22 and I use them on their side to maximize floor space. I put the stiff inch by quarter wire on the bottoms so they dont fall through and my adult American Chincillas can't get between the bars but I put 1 inch chicken wire part way up the sides in cages that have kits.

 

[bunei0426]

If your fiance is a handy man I would go ahead and build them, but if your fiance is like my dad then I would buy the cages like from woodies wabbits.

 

[Duckcomando]

I just bought some off Bass Equipment Website. They have to be assembled when you get them. I put j clips every 4 inches like the instructions say and I am extremely pleased with the out come.

 

[trinityoaks]

We made all of our cages to begin with. In our previous climate, they were great, even though the wire wasn't the best quality. In our new climate, they are rusting like crazy. We also now have a local guy who makes really nice cages for not much more than the price of materials. He uses really good wire and professional equipment to straighten the curvature out of the wire. We will be buying all of our replacement cages from him.

 

[SatinsRule]

It's cheaper to make them yourself, but not by much, especially after you factor in all the time you'll spend making cuts in wire, all the wasted wire created when you make one wrong cut, and then factor in all the sore hands, wrists and fingers.

 

[curlysue]

I think its cheaper if you can get wire locally.shipping is outrageous these days.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

We are blessed to live near the same guy as Trinity Oaks. If you can find a local breeder or animal supply place that makes them, it is worth it. Otherwise, you will have to spend a bit to get good wire. Any ARBA shows coming up in your area? Usually you can order them to be picked up at shows and not have to pay shipping....After making our first set of cages by hand, I am very glad to have someone close by that will make them for practically the same as I could...

 

[SatinsRule]

We are blessed to live near the same guy as Trinity Oaks. If you can find a local breeder or animal supply place that makes them, it is worth it. Otherwise, you will have to spend a bit to get good wire. Any ARBA shows coming up in your area? Usually you can order them to be picked up at shows and not have to pay shipping....After making our first set of cages by hand, I am very glad to have someone close by that will make them for practically the same as I could...

OAF, no doubt about it. I'm likely going to attend a show in WI this fall and may just have Klubertanz put together some unassembled cages for me to take back. Yeah, I'll pay sales tax but will save the shipping costs, as well as the aggravation of having to do all those wire cuts and door setups.

 

[BlueLove16]

Kam-a-lop lives 1.5 hoursish away so that would be a option for me above some other bigger marketers with shipping rates

i didnt think about scrap wire being wasted or a mistake being made...lol..always few mistakes at first

and the sucky thing is i need 18" high instead of standard 14" that i see for sale around here. Or if i do see an ideal sized cage the wire is sagging on every side lol!!


thanks everyone for your input

 

[wsmoak]

If you can find a source for _good_ wire, then it may be cheaper to make them.

If you're just using the cage wire at Tractor Supply or similar, then any cost savings will be eaten up by having to replace sides and floors when the welds start breaking.

I made mine, and I'm already having to make repairs in less than a year. If I had it to do over, I'd buy them from Bass Equipment.

-Wendy

 

[SatinsRule]

Wendy, you'd be better off buying from Klubertanz than Bass. The quality of products you receive, especially in cages, is better, and it normally doesn't cost you a dime more.

 

[wsmoak]

Wendy, you'd be better off buying from Klubertanz than Bass. The quality of products you receive, especially in cages, is better, and it normally doesn't cost you a dime more.

Sadly, the Klubertanz website is so bad that I'll probably never place an order with them.

I remember looking around it once, and then looking at Bass' site, where I could search, put things in my cart and check out. And now the brand loyalty has kicked in, since I've been happy with what I've gotten from them.

-Wendy

 

[SatinsRule]

Wendy, in this age of cellular phones, I'd make a list of everything I intended to buy, then make a phone call to Klubertanz to place the order. Every order I've placed with them was over the phone, and they were delivered when promoised.

Bass uses galvanized before weld, 16-gauge wire on their floors, and sends out metal drip pans. Klubertanz uses 14-gauge galvanized after weld (GAW) wire on theirs, with duratrays for their drip pans. It makes a big difference in terms of durability.