How to make mesh rabbit cages
Rabbit breeding is a fairly profitable business, subject to a number of rules for keeping these animals. Before breeding rabbits, the farmer must learn in detail how to care for them, how to feed them for successful weight gain, and where to keep them. The first question after buying eared animals is usually: what should be the cages for rabbits from the net, where to get them and how to build?
Rabbit cages from mesh
General information
You can buy a used mesh rabbit cage. The price will be low. You can buy a new one, but the cost will be higher. Another option is to make a home on your own using video instructions, and this is the most budgetary solution.
The raw materials from which the cage is made are elements made of metal (aluminum, steel) or wood. There are 2 types of these structures.
- Wooden box with metal mesh. For the manufacture of the bottom, a wooden lattice, steel or a combination of these materials is used.
- Rabbit mesh cages are made entirely of metal.
The purpose of these two types is different in that the first option is suitable for keeping animals outdoors, and the second - indoors. The choice of metal depends on the conditions in which the eared ones will be kept. Usually steel or aluminum is used, but the second option is less resistant to damage. In the summer, it is better to use a netting netting, given that it will be an open-air cage.
How to choose a mesh
What kind of mesh is needed for the cages of rabbits on the floor? In the outer cage, where the body is made of wood, the rabbit cage netting is assumed to be a door and a floor. But often a net for rabbits on the floor is constructed from transverse wooden slats, the width of which is 3 cm, and the distance between them is 2 cm.With a wider distance, the animal's paws will be injured, and the hay flooring will fall through this grate.
The combination of wood and steel flooring means sloped plywood, docked with a horizontal steel rabbit net, the mesh of which is 2.5 cm by 2.5 cm.If the rabbit cage net is constructed of metal materials, the diameter of the square holes should be from 2 to 3 cm. The size of the paws of the animals affects the size of the holes on the floor. For a door, the size of the cells does not matter. It can be a regular aluminum grid or a simple chain-link.
Internal rabbit cages require a welded metal mesh. The bottom mesh size can be 27 x 27 mm, 27 x 54 mm or 27 x 75 mm. The thickness of the wire for making the cage must not be less than 15 mm. If the wire is too thin, the limbs of the animal may be injured. The optimum thickness is 20 mm. Rabbit cage netting for making walls can be of almost any size.
Galvanized mesh
Galvanized rabbit cage mesh is one of the best options, but it is quite expensive. In the presence of a large number of animals, the amount will be quite high, at the same time the quality of this type is excellent.The benefits are clear.
- Strength. Rabbits are chewers. They easily cope with thin aluminum wires, but this animal cannot cope with galvanized wires.
- Unobstructed light entry. Rabbits need good lighting. These gratings are made of thin wire that allows the sun's rays to penetrate the cage.
- Resistant to corrosion and decay. Since keeping animals means constant contact with moisture, water does not affect this type of mesh. Galvanized rabbit mesh does not rust, does not rot, which is a significant plus.
- Washing. The welded mesh does not require any special problems with the contact of detergents. Abrasive substances or chemicals do not affect its integrity in any way, which makes it possible to thoroughly disinfect the gratings.
How to build
You can make cages for rabbits from a mesh with your own hands, spending a little time and effort, while saving money and acquiring new skills. You can make completely different mesh-type cells on your own.
- Structures that do not have a frame, the basis of which is props. Such a structure by its external features resembles a cage intended for birds. This type is suitable for keeping animals indoors.
- Frame-based structures that require sheathing.
- Products without a frame, which are sheathed.
DIY rabbit cage
Galvanized wire can be found in any construction market and make your own mesh from it. Using blueprints, this is fairly easy to do.
The already prepared cut mesh is fastened together using rings, staples, or, if there is a frame, with ordinary nails.
Mesh cage with a skeleton around it. Manufacturing
Raw materials and tools: mesh size for rabbit cage with 2.5 x 5 cm holes, mesh with 1 x 2.5 cm holes, rings or staples, metal pallets, plywood board to build sections of the cage and insulate it, 5 x wooden boards 10 cm, several dozen nails, screws. You will also need steel corners to secure the frame, awnings in the amount of 7 pieces, a plastic edge; depending on the number of doors, bolts, raw materials intended for sheathing. To work, you need a tape measure or a centimeter, chalk or pencil, a hammer, a screwdriver, a saw, a hacksaw for metal, pliers, a drawing of inner cells and drawings of a frame.
The process will not be too complicated if you follow the instructions. The first step is to choose the appropriate cage size, which depends on the number of animals for which they are intended. After making a decision, it is necessary to cut out sections of the mesh with larger links. It will be the same on the side walls, as well as on the front and back walls. Among other things, it is necessary to cut the mesh for the top, and then the bottom area from the mesh in small links. The size of the floor will be the same as that of the roof.
Construction of a mesh cell with a frame
With the help of rings, you need to connect the side, front and back walls. Cut an area of the plywood sheet to the same size as the side walls. These are the partitions between the rabbits. There should be as many as the planned animals. Next, you need to attach the bottom to the structure. The floor joins the second row of cells from the bottom. The bottom row is for the food waste and excrement tray. The photo and video clearly show how it should look.
Then you need to cut out the area under the door. Around the perimeter of the door, a plastic edge is needed in order to avoid possible injury to animals. The door should be cut from the mesh, the dimensions of which will be slightly larger than the opening itself. On one side, the door is secured with rings. The next step is to attach a bolt that will close the door.
The roof is attached with rings. The pallet is cut to fit the floor and inserted into the bottom row of cells. The timber frame is simple. It should be 1 cm larger than the cage on each side.It is fastened with staples or nails.
For reliability, metal corners are attached, racks are connected under the structure. Usually the height is about 1 m, but if the territory does not allow, you can make it even smaller. The walls for the sides, back and top should be cut from the plywood sheet. Measurements are taken from the frame. The last step is to sheathe it with roofing material from all sides, except for the front and bottom.
As you can see, the scheme for making a structure with your own hands is elementary, and absolutely everyone can handle it.