When my 11-year old daughter Deborah brought home a new pet bunny, it was time to get to work on a hutch. Knowing our white cedar deck stands up well to the New Jersey winters, I found some nice air-dried 5/4 white cedar lumber from a nearby friend that sells wood out of his garage. As I milled it in my basement shop, I thought that perhaps I should be building a cedar blanket chest instead of a cage for a pet. I designed the hutch with a slanted roof and tongue and groove joints to shed rain and snow (bunnies can deal with freezing weather well!). I stained the hutch with the same finish I used on our deck, but applied mineral oil on the inside for its non-toxicity. The rolling stand was made from home center pressure-treated 2x4s and wheels from an old wagon. Bunny is nice and warm and loves her new crib!
-
Eastern white cedar rabbit hutch on mobile stand of pressure treated 2x4s. Wheels were salvaged from kids' old wagon.
-
Bunny's new home. Finish is tung-oil deck stain on outside and mineral oil (safe for bunny) on inside.
-
Hutch was constructed of rough-cut 5/4 white cedar milled in the home workshop. Top and back are tongue and groove joined to keep out the weather.
-
Close up of tongue and groove edge joint, created on the table saw. Bevel detail was added with a block plane.
View Comments
While your hutch is really nice...using cedar where animals are concerned isn't a good idea. Cedar has been linked to liver damage in small animals. This is more common if the shavings are used as bedding (the oil is toxic) but since rabbits are known to chew on their hutches, cedar probably shouldn't be used for the box.
i really like your work