How to Make a Rabbit's Hutch

Domesticated pet rabbits are meant to live most of their lives indoors in the safety of a house. However, rabbits can also enjoy supervised playtime outdoors. Most often, owners will either use a harness and leash to take their rabbit outside, or they will create an enclosed pen for the rabbit to run around in. Building a hutch for a rabbit to enjoy the outdoors is a good option for owners with unenclosed or shared backyards.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire storage cubes
  • Zip ties
  • Plywood
  • 2 by 4s
  • Hammer
  • Nails
  • Not slippery stick-on tiles
  • Latch
  • Screwdriver
  • Screws
  • Plastic screw brackets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the size of the hutch. For rabbits to be comfortable, it should be four times their size when they are lying stretched out.

    • 2

      Build an enclosure with four sides and a top using the wire storage cubes and zip ties. Make sure each cube is secured with at least three zip ties on each side, and is reinforced in the joining corners. Leave the bottom open and leave one cube hinged only on one side to create a swinging door.

    • 3

      Construct the bottom of the hutch using a sheet of plywood 1/2-inch bigger than the enclosure on each side. Attach the stick on tiles on the hutch floor by removing the paper on the back. The tiles make it easier to clean up the hutch.

    • 4

      Attach four 2 by 4s to the bottom of the hutch in each corner with a hammer and nails to serve as legs.

    • 5

      Attach the wire storage cube enclosure to the hutch bottom with screws and plastic screw brackets. Do not attach the door to the bottom.

    • 6

      Construct the top and sides of the hutch from plywood. Use a sheet of plywood each for the top and three sides, and connect them with nails. The resulting structure should cover the hutch on the top and three of the four sides.

    • 7

      Attach the wire storage cube enclosure to the rest of the plywood structure to ensure it is secure.

    • 8

      Outfit the hutch with rabbit essentials, such as water, hay, food, a litterbox and toys.

    • 9

      Attach a latch to the door so that it can be locked. Ensure that the latch cannot be opened by predators, such as raccoons, cats or foxes.