DIY Bunny Mansion

Today I completed a project I have been thinking about, planning for and procrastinating over for some time... Milo's hutch renovation, taking bunny accommodation to the next level!

The wire squares are from Bunnings and over 4 years of rabbit ownership they have been remodeled into many different configurations for 2 bunnies, as well as temporary enclosures for holidays and sick bunnies. I can't remember how much they are - I remember getting some from Big W for about $13 for a pack of 8. I suspect Bunnings was cheaper. They can be tricky to come by but bunny owners are notorious for hoarding them for various structures to house our little munchkins.

So, the hutch is made from these squares that are about 35cm square... 5 in length, 2 high and 2 wide. I used hardwood garden stakes (some cut to size, some not) - $13 for 6 from Bunnings. I got 10 small stakes for about $3 as extra supports. I drilled through them and attached them to the wire structure with cable ties.
The top deck is simply 7mm plywood cut to size and attached with cable ties after some strategically drilled holes were placed around the edges. The plywood was about $10 from Bunnings.
Milo is quite attached to the blue storage crate on its side, which he has used as a shelter since he was first adopted and brought home. It fits perfectly in the wire squares, and was about $7 from Kmart. (He has chewed through the handles - maybe for windows?!)

The roof has been a tricky thing for a while now - we need to be able to reach in to get him out when necessary, amongst other necessities like cleaning etc - so I used a garden stake as a central support, and created a tri-fold roof section. It’s held down with clips (surprisingly secure) and works quite well.

The roof is a salvaged piece of ‘Colourbond’ roofing in a delightful olive green (splattered with plums that recently fell from the tree above!) that just sits on top over night. Sometimes I weigh it down with a brick if there is wind about!

These wire squares (Google “NIC cubes”) are great because they are plastic-coated so that they don’t rust, and little paws can’t be hurt on thin wire. It’s important to have a wire floor as bunnies are natural diggers and can at times escape an un-floored hutch on the lawn. They are structurally very sound for smaller enclosures, but now that the hutch is more of a mansion, I needed it to be very sturdy for being moved around on the lawn on a daily basis.

The other advancement in bunnyland today was the purchase of a portable/indoor hutch. It was $120 from a pet store (ouch. But I did shop around) and means on hot days or cold nights or holidays, Milo can be enclosed safely but have some room to move. Also good for mansion renovations or times when a certain fluffball is being naughty inside when running free, chewing cables and armchairs and hiding in bookshelves… a time-out hutch, one might call it…