Rabbit Cage

Rabbit cages, rabbit hutches, rabbit runs, and our own system of all-wire cages on PVC hutch frames, plus how and why it can be advantageous to keep rabbits in all-wire cages.

This page will direct you to a variety of cage and hutch choices, information, and directions, some of it completely free.

Home-built all wire doe cage, ready for suspending on a PVC hutch frame.

Commercial cage with pullout pan available from Hostile Hare.

Rabbits Need Containment

Rabbits need containment if you’re going to raise rabbits intentionally.

• Selective breeding necessitates individual cages in order to keep accurate records. Selective breeding has been practiced for millennia, resulting in a plethora of very useful breeds: Angora-wooled rabbits, plush-furred Rex, and rapidly-growing New Zealand Rabbits, as examples.  
• Pet house rabbits often prefer the safety and protection of a cage when they are not directly supervised.
• Colony housing works for some breeders, especially when raising meat rabbits with no need for pedigrees.
  
  

Rabbit Cage and Housing Options

You can find a TON of different styles of cages, both commercially constructed and homemade, both on Raising-Rabbits and on the web. 

At our Rabbit Cages page we list various cages, both for indoors and outside, that are popular for most common rabbit breeds. These cages are stackable, and come equipped with the tray, and wire guards around the door to prevent harm to either your arms or your rabbits. They also come with urine guards. You'll just need a waterer, a feeder, and the rabbit.

Table of Contents:

Click any link below that interests you, or keep reading...

KW Cages - Commercial cages for all budgets

Hostile Hare Cages - Large commercial cages, unique build, high quality, economy price

Build your own rabbit cages:

• Use our DIY Rabbit Cage E-Book plans to set up your rabbitry with easy to maintain PVC hutch frames and all-wire cages. 
• Links to a few free cage and run plans
• Tools and Supplies for building wire cages

Wooden Rabbit Hutches

Rabbit Cage Accessories

The Raising-Rabbits Store offers an array of commercial cages in addition to our DIY cage-building plans in e-book PDF form.

KW Cages

State of the Art rabbit cage unit from KW Cages.

KW Cages is a cage manufacturer in Southern California, offering a comprehensive array of cages. Below are links to a few of my favorite products of theirs, but they have much more on their website.

Their "Nurture Rabbit Hutch" is well named, as it is about the best rabbit cage arrangement I have seen. This is a very large (48" x 30") rabbit cage which also has a "mezzanine" offering extra floor space and room for a tired mama to escape her kits. A huge bonus is its external, closable, nest box that adds floor space when in use.

KW Cages offers some pretty nifty stacking rabbit cages in multiple sizes. Stack up to three high, or in the case of their apartment cages, four high. 

If you simply wish to purchase piece by piece and collect wire cages to suspend from a rabbit hutch frame, they have you covered with multiple sizes, combos, and more.  Check out their Modular Wire Cages here. 

They will deliver for free to rabbit shows around the USA - the dates and show locations can be found on their website under the "Ship-to-Show" tab.

Hostile Care Cages

By now you may be aware that Raising-Rabbits is a fan of do-it-yourself cage building, which, with the right tools and materials (available from this page), cage construction is very simple.

But, Hostile Hare will have you covered if DIY is not your thing.

Hostile Hare cages are constructed entirely of 1/2" x 1" welded wire, with heavier 14 gauge wire used for the floor. This is brilliant, as they will be effective in nearly any environment. These cages will keep the little kits in, and even the sneakiest predators out, like rats, mice, and snakes. I don't know of any other cage builders that build cages to this standard.

Cage doors are ample for ease of handling the rabbits, and transferring nest boxes in and out of the cage. 

(Pictured: Stackable rabbit cage from Hostile Hare. Living space is 15 inches high by 36 inches wide by 24 inches deep. Total cage height with slot for dropping pan is 19 inches.)

Hostile Hare's multiple cage designs offer lots of options for many or few rabbits, including stackable cages with drop pans. You can even jump into raising rabbits with both feet, as Hostile Hare has created literal turn-key rabbitries in two sizes/designs.

Where can I find top quality rabbit cages that are great for rabbit feet?

From Raising-Rabbits, of Course!

Raising-Rabbits has partnered with Hostile Hare to bring you cages that exceed our rigorous rabbit housing standards.

We do not manufacture cages, but we do recognize a well-built, predator-proof, baby-safe, bunny-feet-safe cage. We think you'll love Hostile Hare rabbit cages. 

Hostile Hare Rabbit Cages for Sale - Full Details
Raising-Rabbits Store - Purchase Hostile Hare Cages
Learn More About Hostile Hare 

See the Raising-Rabbits Store for all Rabbit Cage offerings.

Build Your Own Cages and Hutch Frames (Like We Do)

Double-large rabbit run

Wire cages

PVC Hutch Frames

We at Raising-Rabbits love cages and hutches that make life easier.

The cages we build are nearly identical to any of the all-wire commercially built cages. We use the same materials, we cut the wire with flush cut pliers, and the result is nearly identical to what I could have purchased online. 

I am sure you could do the same!

We built our own cages and hutch frames of various sizes and designs, and collected all our plans and designs into one of the following PDF e-books. My favorite PVC hutch frames are single-tier, as pictured above (right), but I've also built double tier frames as well. There is enough room between tiers to make cleaning easy.

Do It Yourself Cage-Building E-Books

If your budget is a shoestring, you can save money by building your own cages, hutch frames, rabbit runs, wire pens!

Build your own to save money, or because of the sheer enjoyment of creating a cage.

Even better, you'll get plans for a heat-busting sunken "cadillac" of a cage that remains cool even in blistering heat. Click on an e-book photo to go to more information on that e-book.

Pet Rabbit Living Spaces - Hutches, runs, pens and cages best suited to pet rabbits.

Just what you need to give your pampered pet a custom built cage. 

Buy now: only $6.99

Ideal DIY Rabbit Cages - for ALL Rabbits. 

Both E-books Combined:
Pet Rabbit Living Spaces, and DIY Livestock Rabbit Housing, both included in one PDF E-Book.

Buy now: only $12.99

DIY Livestock Rabbit Housing - for Meat and Show Rabbits 

Rabbit breeders and small farms or homesteaders will love these housing plans designed for multiples of rabbits.

Buy now: only $8.99

For more information on all these rabbit housing e-books and the other rabbit care publications by Raising-Rabbits, go to World of Raising Rabbits.

Free Plans for DIY Rabbit Cages and a Rabbit Run

Free DIY All-Wire Cage Plan
Build this very large, 36" x 30", homemade all-wire cage. Hang the cage on a PVC rabbit hutch frame either inside the house or outdoors in the barn. The e-book, "Ideal DIY Rabbit Cages," will help you alter the dimensions, if needed, and provides enhanced instructions and many more illustrations of the building process.

Free Plan for a PVC Indoor Cage Frame

How to set up the indoor cage with the PVC cage frame

Large PVC Rabbit Hutch Frame

(Right: Our PVC hutch frame is pulled outside so you can see in more detail how to suspend the cage on the frame and how to easily place slanted drop pans between the two tiers of cages. The set-up will be moved into the barn once the "photo-shoot" is complete.)

Large PVC Rabbit Hutch Set Up Overview
How to hang slanted drop plans and cages on the PVC hutch frame, outlined, with hutch and cages rabbit-ready. We’ll also show you the many benefits of using an easy-off, easy-on, cage system. 

Once you see how easy it is, you will be able to do it yourself.

Free Outdoor Rabbit Run Plans
Run rabbit run! Portable rabbit run building plans for a 2' x 8' fully enclosed run, with mesh on the bottom through which the rabbit can nibble grass. Just pull the run to a new location when the rabbits have finishing “mowing” the area.

The advantages to our enclosed portable rabbit run are many:

• Very large size
• Feed cost savings - rabbits nibble lots of fresh grass (not sprayed with pesticides or week killer)
• Health benefits of exercise and fresh forage
• Excellent protection from predators, including raptors and carnivore animals.

Don't want to build your own rabbit run? Our friends at Hostile Hare can help you.

Tools and Supplies for Building Wire Rabbit Cages
Wire, J-Clips, J-Clip Pliers, Door Latches, More

Most of the tools needed to build a wire rabbit cage. From L to R: Needle nose pliers, J-clip pliers, wire cutters, J-clip removal pliers.

Cage Wire for Cage Top and Sides, and for Cage Floors

These are the materials I use to build wire rabbit cages. If you can't find them in your area, use these Amazon links to have them shipped to you:

• 1"x2"x36" 14 gauge galvanized wire (100 feet), YardGard brand - for sides and top of wire cages (ad). 
• 1/2"x1"x24" 16 gauge galvanized wire (25 feet), YardGard brand - for cage bottom (ad). When you assemble the cage, ensure that the 1/2" spaced wire is on top - the part rabbits will stand on.

Flush Cut Wire Cutters Cut Squarely, without Jagged Ends

I love flush cut wire cutters. They cut the wire flat to the other wires, eliminating those spear-shaped ends that invariably lacerate your skin at a moment's distracted notice.

• 8" Diagonal Flush-Cut Pliers (ad)
  
  

Cage Door Latches

Several kinds of cage door latches can be found - those with latches that swing down, and those with spring-loaded latches. 

My favorite latch is no longer available (pictured), but the stainless steel wire cage latches (right below) are nearly identical, at least in function....

• Finger Spring Latch Hook - 10 Pack: Pictured below left. (ad)  Also available in more or less quantities.  This latch style can be used for doors that hang down, or that open from the left or the right.
• Wire Door Cage Latches - 10 Pack: Stainless Steel (ad)  Pictured below center. Available in right-side and left-side, but honestly, either "side" can be flipped over for use on the other side of the cage. For that matter, I have also used these to latch doors that open from top or bottom.
• Wire Door Cage Latches - 25 Pack: Stainless Steel (ad)  Pictured below center. These are advertised as right-handed, but if needed, flip them over and use on the left.
• Economy Style Swivel Cage Door Latches (3): (ad) Pictured below right. Crimp the metal ends around the cage wire; the door, which hangs from the top, swings either inward or outward. The swivel prevents the door from opening, and it can also be used to suspend the door in an open position, making cleaning, feeding, or inspection chores easier.

Metal Finger Spring Latch Hooks

Stainless Steel Wire Door Cage Latches

Swivel Cage Door Latch

J-Clip Pliers; J-Clip Removers

Both j-clip pliers and j-clip removers are essential tools for building all-wire cages.

• J-Clip Pliers: (ad) I'm still using my pliers 40 years later....
• J-Clip Removers: (ad) Guaranteed to reduce your frustration when you accidentally crimp a J-clip around only one wire, or you goof up and fasten the wrong wires, or you want to repurpose used wire mesh from old, retired cages.

J Clip Pliers.

J Clip Remover Pliers. Photo Credit: Amazon.

J-Clip Fasteners

J-clips, available in one pound quantities or larger.

J-Clips - easy to apply, inexpensive, will last forever, or at least as long as a lifespan.

• One Pound J-Clips: (ad) Easy to apply with j-clip pliers
• Two Pounds J-Clips: (ad) 
  
  

Wooden Rabbit Hutch Plans, Tips and Ideas

2-story rabbit cage and run from Amazon. Photo credit: Gutinneen as pictured on Amazon.

We've used wooden hutches in the past. Here are a few drawbacks we've noticed:

• They are usually enclosed on three sides, seriously reducing air flow.
• The hutch can get too hot, or become rank with odors if not cleaned very frequently. This can predispose a rabbit to snuffles and pneumonia.
• If you’re not alert, a rabbit could possibly chew its way to freedom.

This is why I prefer all-wire cages suspended on PVC hutch frames, but this doesn't mean you will. 

If you're wondering why many breeders choose all-wire cages over solid floors, read the very good explanations at Shiny Satins Rabbitry.

Wooden Rabbit Hutches from Amazon

But it's not like all wood hutches are horrible. The drawbacks can be minimized with attention to detail. 

Countless rabbits around the globe are kept in covered wooden hutches on legs to keep them off the ground and a little bit more secure from predators. 

So many wooden rabbit hutch sizes and designs are available through Amazon! (ad)
The link will take you to an assortment of offerings by Amazon. 

Rabbit Cage Accessories

EZ Cage Floor Mats

EZ cage floor resting mat.
Photo Credit: Amazon.

I have used EZ Cage Floor Mats (ad) for years in all wire rabbit cages, and highly recommend them.

• Yes, the rabbits do occasionally chew them, but they are nearly indestructible.
• They are slotted, enabling urine and manure to drain and drop to the ground or the drop pan.
• They are very easy to clean, making them a sanitary addition to the cage.
• They prevent the build up of manure if positioned well, which breaks the life cycle of the coccidiosis parasite.
• Users of these floor mats frequently describe them as being essential, or indispensible. I agree.
• Available in many colors, they'll even match your decor.

Purchase EZ Cage Floor Mats from Amazon. (ad)

See the Raising-Rabbits Store for all Rabbit Cage offerings.