Wire question for new cages

[Marinea]

I was reading another thread and am starting to question our new cage plan.

Background: we have lionheads and will be adding another medium size breed come spring. My hubby found some large (7 ft long x 3 ft high x 3 ft deep)heavy square metal shelving frames that we want to use to build new cages.

Plan: use the frames to build an open grow out cage with one of the frames and a 3 hole cage with the other. We are planning to use 1/2 inch galvanized hardware cloth for the wire and weld it to the frames to avoid as much wood as possible. We plan to make partial second stories in the three hole cages, again using the hardware cloth. We would add some ceramic tiles for a wire escape and cooldown area.

The cage we have now has that same wire in it, and we have had no problems. No issues with sore feet, no issues with berries not dropping through.

Am I missing something? Is there a better wire?

 

[ladysown]

will the hardware cloth be on the bottoms?

generally speaking hardward cloth is unsatisfactory for long term use. It also tends to be rough.

hardware cloth can be great as side wire, but I'd strongly suggest that you get some good care wire for the bottoms.

 

[Marinea]

We were planning on the hardware cloth all the way around. If that's a no go, what would you recommend for bottom wire for smaller rabbits and their smaller kits?

 

[ladysown]

i would use 1/2 x 1 inch wire. not hardware cloth. OR go with solid wood flooring.

 

[3mina]

1/2" x 1" wire for the bottoms for sure, 1/2" side up will be the easiest on your rabbits feet and the wire will last much much longer than hardware cloth

 

[Secuono]

Leave hardware cloth and chicken wire for concrete work only.
16, 14 and 12g 1/2 by 1in wire for the floors, nothing weaker or different.

Hardware cloth is too expensive and weak to bother to use. It will rust out in no time at all.

 

[owlsfriend]

I had hardware cloth used for risers in my litter pans. In 18 months it is falling apart.

My cage builder has proven to my satisfaction, that it is difficult to catch rabbits in cages deeper than 24 inches due to the average person's arm length...I thought this limitation insurmountable until I discovered this idea http://therabbitmathematician.blogspot. ... -wire.html since the front side comes up, then back at an angle, with the access door on the angled section, you can reach into the cage farther while giving the rabbits more floor area.

With a 36 inch deep frame, you might really benefit from this configuration....hope it helps.

 

[Marinea]

I am glad I asked! 1/2 x 1 inch wire it is.

Thanks for the link Owlsfriend. Not sure we can use that setup with the frames, but I will let hubby look at it and see.

Would there be any interest in pics as we work on this project? I will be taking them anyways, as I do for all our DIY projects. Boy, have there been some projects.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I am glad I asked! 1/2 x 1 inch wire it is.

Good! Since LH's are so small that is likely the reason you haven't had sore hocks and/or sanitation issues from the bunny berries.

Would there be any interest in pics as we work on this project?

Of course we would love to see pics of the project in progress. It is always nice to see how people do things.

it is difficult to catch rabbits in cages deeper than 24 inches due to the average person's arm length

This is very true. I made several growout pens out of an old aviary I had. The 3' deep sections were made into cages with slanted fronts that serve as doors. One panel was 7' 6" long and 4' wide. I split that into four sections and made hinged lids instead of doors to access the rabbits. Each section is 3' 9" long and 24" deep. If you will be able to access your unit from both sides, I would recommend doing the same, but have large doors on the face of the cage sections for easy access.

Here is a pic of the 3' deep panel cages, with one door open and the other closed:



This is the large panel split into four sections, with the two doors on the near side open:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

All my cages are 30" deep, some 36" wide, some 30" wide. I had the largest doors I could get put on them and that solved the issue of being able to reach the back corners.