Making a Shelf for a Rabbit Cage

Whether you own a pet rabbit or run a commercial rabbit business, adding a shelf to your existing wire cage is the perfect way to increase the rabbit's living space. Rabbits love to hop between levels, and their fitness will be improved by the extra exercise. These shelves are based on a 3-by-6-foot cage, but are easily adjusted to fit individual requirements. They are cost-effective and provide a straightforward way update your rabbit-keeping facilities.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Two dowels, 5-foot-6-inch-long
  • Four flat dowels, 5 inches long
  • 3-by-1-foot plywood
  • 3-by-1-foot rubber matting
  • 1-foot-by-6-inch plywood
  • Non-toxic glue
  • Drill
  • Pencil
  • Two cable ties
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Instructions

  1. Instructions

    • 1

      Lay a 3-by-1-foot piece of plywood on a flat surface next to your rabbit cage. Lay a 3-by-1-foot piece of rubber matting next to it, underside facing upwards. Cover the underside of the rubber matting with non-toxic glue and stick it on to the surface of the plywood. This provides a water-resistant, non-slip shelf. Press firmly on the edges of the matting to ensure they are well-stuck and prevent chewing.

    • 2

      Unclip the roof from the rabbit cage and set aside. Thread a 5-foot-6-inch dowel through the wire mesh at the far end of the cage. Measure approximately 10 inches along the cage and thread the another 5-foot-6-inch dowel through. These provide the supports for the shelf.

    • 3

      Lay a 1-foot-by-6-inch piece of plywood next to the cage. This is to be the ramp. Measure and draw a horizontal line 2 inches from the bottom of the plywood. Measure and draw three more horizontal lines spaced 2 inches apart. Glue a 5-inch flat dowel onto each line. These will give the rabbit grip as it climbs up the ramp.

    • 4

      Drill a cable-tie-sized hole each side of the top of the ramp, and drill two holes of the same size, the same distance apart on the shelf. The holes will be used to fix the ramp to the shelf.

    • 5

      Place the plywood shelf on the support dowels in the rabbit cage, rubber side up. Gently press down to make sure it is secure and move the dowels along if necessary. Thread and secure a cable tie through the left hole on the top of the ramp and the left hole on the shelf. Repeat this for the holes on the right to fix the ramp onto the shelf.

    • 6

      Replace the lid of the cage, making sure the catches are secure so the rabbit cannot escape.