# cages: square or rounded



## babygurl33868 (Jan 31, 2014)

New to rabbits
Planning on building my cages with a footprint of 36" wide x 24"deep, so I can reach the entire cage. But I was wondering if its better to build a conventional squared cage, rounded cage or rounded front cage?



Conventional







Rounded cage





Rounded front


----------



## Bossroo (Jan 31, 2014)

Take a hint as to what the professional breeders use... the rectangular cages that are hung with wire from the rafters and the bottom wires stiffened with 3  9 ga. wire attached  along the bottom for the entire bank of cages. That will save you much labor, handling ease as well as parasite and disease  issues . Also, use removable ( does will soil permanent types ) wood nest boxes for the kits.


----------



## P.O. in MO (Jan 31, 2014)

I would tend to agree with Bossroo.  The rounded cages will save you a little wire but they are harder to build and you have to deal with stubs of wire where you cut thru in the middle of a square unless you use the galvanized sheet metal like the one pic.  Which looks real good in the picture but the inside will be starting to rust in a month, especially if it's a buck. The 24 inch deep does make it easier to reach the back, I have 30" deep by 36 wide but I can get one hand to the back to grab them.  When you put a nest box in a 30 x 36 it takes up a lot of floor space so you might want to think about a bigger cage size for does with litters.  The bigger the door the better.  If you use j feeders hold them as close to the side as you can.  I think my doors are 14 x 14 but I wish I would have made them bigger.  I used the biggest J-feeder on my does, if I had used a smaller one I could have made the door bigger.  I am out there twice a day anyway so if I have a nursing doe on full feed I can fill it up twice a day if necessary.  I have hanging cages, not on wire but on pipes that stick out from the wall and thru the top of the cage, same principal and you definitely need the floor stiffeners.  You have the right idea, the planning is very important.  There are tons of ideas out there and everyone has there own situation so don't get in a hurry.  It's easier to change a plan before you complete it than after.  Good luck with your project.


----------

