• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Does anyone know any instructions on how to make a rabbit hutch?

whitehood

Warren Veteran
Searched on google and youtube vids but they're not helpful.

I would appreciate if anyone knows about any instructions :)
 
My advice is to keep it simple, build a timber frame using 45mm x 45mm wood and just screw it together using long screws. Use outdoor plywood for the walls and use timber + plywood for the doors. Galvanised welded mesh for any windows 1inch x 1/2inch holes. Have legs of at least 6 inches.
 
These easiest thing to do is make a frame for the hutch, screw the ply on (roof with over hang) so you have just got a box. Get a jigsaw and cut out 1 door for the bedroom and 1 large door for living area (1 large cut, one smaller cut) fill the smaller hole with mesh and attach both doors with hinges to the hutch. Add the divider, bits of ply to stop the doors going inwards, locks and felt for the roof. :wave:

This is my guinea pig hutch, made in the same way.
gphutch.jpg


gphutch1.jpg


gphutch2.jpg
 
all I can suggest on a practical level is make sure the hutch is really deep....and that the bedroom area has enough space for a snuggle safe AS WELL AS loads of room for them to lie stretched out without being on the snuggle safe...I find it very frustrating that my snuggle safe takes up most of the bedroom area and bunny has to either be on top of it or out in the cold..:?:roll: I think its important for them to have the choice but still be in the bedroom area.;)
 
Does this sound ok ?
Screw together a 6x2x2 cuboid without any walls etc.
Screw walls on each side and the back. Then screw wood on the roof with a bit hanging off so water can pour off.
Then make 2 2ft doors, one meshed and one wooded.
The doors would be made out of the same wood that the frame wwould be made out of.
These then would be attached to the sides with hinges.

The doors:
On the left of the hutch a 2ft meshed door would be there , and on the right a 2ft one. In the middle would be a fixed screwed in meshed door, panel. Which would hold the bolts fiiters.(Where the bolt stick goes in)


Any more info advice is welcome :)
 
I suppose you also need to be honest about your DIY experience level. Is there a particular reason to make, not buy?, as you could easily end up spending more time/money than you think, and still end up with something your less than happy with.
I'm not advocating Buying Hutches as such, as a lot of them are too small, or poorly made.
Both Lancelots Hutches cost over £150, and the PAHome dual level one was pants as far as quality goes.
I know there are some really good ones out there to buy, and I wonder how many people buy v build, and what they got for the money.
 
I don't want to buy it because I have all the materials and such. Its cheaper to make than build. The materials cost me £100 and hutches on9 are over £100.
I wouldn't mind buying a hutch under £100 but cannot find a 6ft hutch anywhere in that budget.:(
 
I don't want to buy it because I have all the materials and such. Its cheaper to make than build. The materials cost me £100 and hutches on9 are over £100.
I wouldn't mind buying a hutch under £100 but cannot find a 6ft hutch anywhere in that budget.:(

What size timber you got for the frame?
How thick is the sheet materials?

I can then advise better, is it for indoors or outdoor uses? As your right it's cheaper to build than buy but if the build is poor then in the long run you could end up spending more than buying one now.
 
What is the size of the timber measured in ? :oops:

I can convert any sizes to what i work in if needed. :lol:

The wood is 4.7cm by 4.7 and the wood for the walls is roughly 2 cm.

You need to create a frame the size of hutch you are going to make, screw or nail but take care to try and keep it square. You now have two choices; you can create one frame for the whole hutch or create 4 frames.

Four frames are easier to work with and connect because you just screw the panels together.

Like this below:

6461442993_8d4c721ac4.jpg


Then join them together like this:
6461463711_052645ae22.jpg


One frame means you have to connect the side prices on to the front and back frame so you will have to ideally go about the thickens of your timber above or below the join so you can screw or nail.

If it’s cladding you have then attach the bottom piece first with 4 screws/nails, two each side and then work your way up but the rest only need one nail/screw each side as the button piece will hold it in place.

If it’s Plywood or another sheet material for the walls then you just need to screw/nail to the panels. Nail/screw about every 10cm to be safe and for the doors, create a frame and attach the sheet materials or cladding the same way.

You can make it as basic as you want. Hope this helps you more.
 
Last edited:
Thank you the reply Daniel.

Here's what I'm planning to do.
I'll follow your advice and stick to separate panels each.
I'll have a 6ft panel[back], x2 sides 2 ft each, x3 2ft doors.

IMG-20111205-02118.jpg


IMG-20111205-02119.jpg


IMG-20111205-02120.jpg


Btw the t shapes are screws :oops:
 
Last edited:
Plans look good :)

You might find this useful to see how I fitted the bolts on. The wood door on the left is made from a frame of 45mm x 45mm but with plywood on the front, I made it so the plywood overlaps the frame so that by putting a bit of foam draft excluder on the inside of the overlap it keeps the shelter area draft proof.
hutchrab.JPG

open.JPG
 
Plans look good :)

You might find this useful to see how I fitted the bolts on. The wood door on the left is made from a frame of 45mm x 45mm but with plywood on the front, I made it so the plywood overlaps the frame so that by putting a bit of foam draft excluder on the inside of the overlap it keeps the shelter area draft proof.
hutchrab.JPG

open.JPG

can i have this :love:
 
Back
Top