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When raising rabbits at home and on the farm, it is more convenient to use cages made of steel mesh. The mesh structure is easier to clean and disinfect, it takes up less space, plus animals do not chew it. Make cages for rabbits from the grid you can do it yourself. You just need to choose the right materials and draw drawings.
Types of mesh cells
Before you start assembling mesh cages for rabbits, you need to decide where they will be installed. The design of their house depends on the choice of place for permanent keeping of long-eared pets. Mesh rabbit cages are divided into two types:
- The frameless cage is compact in size. This type of house is convenient to use when keeping animals indoors. The cage is made from one mesh, after which it is placed on a durable stand.
- When keeping rabbits outdoors, frame technology is used to make housing. First, a frame is assembled from wooden or metal blanks, and then covered with mesh. Frame cages must have a roof.
Any mesh structures can be installed in one, two or three tiers. The battery can be raised higher, the main thing is to make it convenient to care for the rabbits.
The video shows a three-tier cage:
Dimensions and drawings of cages for rabbits
Having decided on the place where the rabbits will be kept and the design of the house, it is necessary to draw up drawings. But first you need to calculate the size of the cell. Young animals for slaughter are kept in groups of 6–8 animals. Sometimes farmers increase the number of rabbits to 10 individuals. For one such animal, 0.12 m² of free space is allocated. The young animals left for the tribe are kept in 4–8 individuals, allotting them 0.17 m² of free space.
The optimal cage dimensions for one adult rabbit are 80x44x128 cm. The dimensions are listed in order: width, height and length. Housing for a female rabbit is made taking into account the fact that a queen cell with dimensions of 40x40 cm and a height of 20 cm should fit inside. In principle, the proposed dimensions of the cage will be sufficient. An example of a frame structure for a female rabbit with offspring is shown in the photo.
When drawing up a diagram of a mesh cage, you need to provide a stand, the location of the door, drinking bowl, grain feeders and herbs. In the photo you can see a drawing of a frameless structure on a stand with dimensions.
And this photo shows a diagram of a cell battery. The most complex element of the structure is the steel frame. Such models are more often used on farms.
Selecting a grid
Judging by the photo, the variety of mesh on the market is great, but not every one is suitable for rabbit cages. You should immediately abandon the plastic option. Long-eared pets will gnaw through such a mesh even on the ceiling, and under their feet it will quickly stretch and break through. The best option is a metal mesh, the cells of which are secured by spot welding.This method of fixation gives strength to the material. However, for rabbits you don’t need any mesh, but one made of wire with a thickness of at least 2 mm.
Steel mesh is characterized by a protective coating. It can be galvanized or polymer. There are also meshes made of stainless steel and, in general, without a protective coating. It is optimal to choose galvanized steel for the cage. Stainless steel and polymer-coated mesh will be expensive for the owner, and the material without a protective layer will quickly rot.
Let's look at what mesh is used in the manufacture of different cell elements:
- Floor mesh is used with a cell size of 20x20 mm, or 16x25 mm. For adults, material with cells of 25x25 mm is suitable. In this case, the minimum wire cross-section is 2 mm.
- The walls are made of mesh made of wire with a cross-section of 2 mm. The optimal cell size is 25x25 mm.
- The ceiling is made of thick mesh with large cells. The optimal material is made of wire with a cross section of 3–4 mm. Cells can be 25x150 mm in size.
The cell sizes can be selected individually, depending on the breed of rabbits and their age. For example, for adult giants, you can make a cage from a mesh with larger cells.
Making your own cage for rabbits
Now we will look at how to make your own cage from a mesh. The process is simple and can be done by any owner. So, the progress of the work is as follows:
- To make a house for rabbits with your own hands, start by cutting the mesh into fragments. According to the dimensions of the drawing, two identical parts of the rear and front walls are cut out. A similar procedure is performed with the side elements.
- If you decide to build a frameless cage, then two identical fragments are also cut out for the floor and ceiling.
- Assembly of the structure begins with the side walls. The mesh is connected with pieces of galvanized wire. To do this, the staples are bent using pliers. The process of connecting the mesh is shown in the photo.
- The bottom needs to be strengthened so that it does not sag under the weight of the rabbits. To do this, a beam or galvanized steel profile is inserted in increments of 400 mm.
- For a female rabbit, the floor is partially covered with mesh. A board is placed in the queen cell and sleeping compartment.
- Frame houses installed on the street need to be insulated. Fragments of size equal to the walls of the structure are cut out of plywood. They are fixed to the frame with loops or hooks. In winter the cage is closed, and in summer the plywood walls are opened.
- The frame of the stand on which the cage will be supported is made from a beam or steel angle. Legs are required. The house must rise at least 1.2 m above the ground.
- When making the floor, a gap is provided on the side of the front wall. A tray is inserted here to collect litter.
- If several individuals will live in a cage and they need to be separated, then partitions are provided from the mesh.There will definitely be sharp protrusions of the ends of the wire at the junction of the fragments. They are bitten off as much as possible with wire cutters, after which they are trimmed with a file.
- The pallet is made of galvanized sheet steel. The workpiece is cut 2 cm larger on each side than the dimensions of the bottom of the structure. The stock is needed for the sides. The edges of the galvanized sheet are bent at an angle of 90O. If the height of the sides does not allow the pallet to fit freely into the gap left near the floor, they are trimmed a little. The edges of the galvanized surface must be cleaned of burrs.
- A fragment of the mesh is cut out under the door and feeder on the front wall with pliers. This piece is not suitable for the sash. The door is cut out from another piece of mesh. It should be larger than the opening. The door is secured with rings, and a latch is placed on the opposite side of the door.
- The outdoor cage must be equipped with a waterproof roof. First, the mesh ceiling is covered with plywood. Slate or other material is fixed so that there is a gap of about 40 mm between them and the plywood.
- The finished structure is equipped with a feeder and drinking bowl. Rabbit breeders advise mounting them on the outside to make caring for the equipment easier. And the rabbits won’t be able to spill the food.
- This completes the cell assembly process. You can let the rabbits in and give them food.
The video shows the assembly of cells:
When making any type of housing for rabbits, you cannot use materials that contain plastic. Animals love to chew. Plastic that gets into a rabbit's stomach will cause indigestion, and the long-eared pet may even die.
