Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Housing and Feeding Rabbits
Rabbits typically are raised in cages as opposed to pens or loose in buildings. The cages can
be either single tier or double tier. Single-tier cages make cleaning and observation easier.
Double-tier cages are more economical as you can keep twice as many rabbits under one roof.
Cages should be constructed of 14-gauge welded wire with ½- by 1-inch mesh. Any mesh
smaller than that will make cleaning difficult, as manure will not be able to fall through. If
you have a double-tier cage, the upper tier of cages will need a sided-catch pan of stainless
steel to catch manure.
SUGGESTED CAGE SIZES
Small breed: 2 ½ x 2 ½ ft.
Medium breed: 2 ½ x 3 ft.
Large breed: 2 ½ x 4 ft.
Cages should be placed in a well-ventilated building on ground with good drainage. They can
be suspended from the ceiling, but supporting legs will make the cages more stable. The roof
of the cage should be insulated to reduce heat absorption in the summer and condensation in
the winter. Heat is not usually needed in the winter unless rabbits
kindle
(give birth) during
subzero weather. If you plan to have cages facing each other, have an aisle with a minimum
width of 3 feet. Allow a generous space at the end of the aisle to be able to turn around a
wheelbarrow or cart, which you will need to clean the rabbit manure. Lighting should be
provided for 16 hours a day to help prevent breeding problems in the fall and winter —
25-watt lights are sufficient.
Feeding
Many styles and varieties of waterers and feeders are available for rabbits. A bottle waterer
that attaches to the outside of the cage along with a metal feeder with an outside feed chute
makes feeding and watering easy, as individual cage doors do not need to be opened. After
rabbits are 3 months old, they should be segregated by sex, two to a cage. After age 5 months,
each rabbit should have its own cage. This will prevent fighting and give each rabbit its own
private area.
The best food for rabbits is a commercial rabbit pellet. This food is a complete feed, so using
supplemental salt or other feeds is not needed with pellets. Try to purchase only enough pel-
lets for one month of feeding, and check the bags for a recent production date when you pur-
