7 Beautiful DIY Rabbit Hutches You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
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Whether you want to keep a single Dutch Lop or half a dozen Dwarf rabbits, you will need at least one hutch. That hutch needs to be big enough that its occupants have plenty of room to run around, space to sleep, and areas to eat and play. You will also need an external run, but below we have included plans for 10 hutches that you can build yourself.
Building your own hutch can mean saving some money on the potentially high cost of a commercially built hutch and it also means that you can customize the dimensions, size, and layout according to the space you have available and what your rabbits need.
The 7 DIY Rabbit Hutches
1. DIY Rabbit Hutch by Rogueengineer
| Materials | Wood panel, premium studs, 2×8, screws, glue |
| Tools | Pocket hole jig, drill, saws |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
This rabbit hutch plan is for a two-story rabbit hutch that has an enclosed section on the upper floor. The bottom floor acts as a run and the whole thing is best situated on a soft grassy floor. The top is hinged to provide easy access and there are hinged doors on both layers. If your rabbit prefers to spend all its time inside the cage, it can be difficult to locate and coax them out, and you will need access to both floors so that you can easily clean and tidy up.
The roof is corrugated and slanted, which will prevent water from getting in the hutch and potentially wetting everything.
2. Small DIY Pallet Rabbit Hutch by Instructables
| Materials | Pallets, mesh |
| Tools | Saws, drill, screwdriver |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
Pallets are an excellent source of recyclable wood, although you do need to ensure that they haven’t been treated with any chemicals or potentially harmful toxins before using, and you will need to inspect the pieces for damage. However, even if you don’t have a spare pallet lying around, they can be easy to get hold of and the wood tends to be good quality because it is used to transport goods.
This small pallet rabbit hutch is made using recycled pallet wood and is designed for half a dozen young rabbits so that the hutch can be moved to different locations around the garden. It has a covered section and an outdoor area, but it is quite a small design and you will likely need something bigger when your rabbits mature.
3. DIY Reclaimed Wooden Barrel Rabbit Hutch by Bosch DIY and Garden UK
| Materials | Barrel, plywood, knob |
| Tools | Saw, sander, drill |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
This reclaimed wooden barrel rabbit hutch isn’t strictly a hutch. It needs secure fencing or a secure frame around the hutch, which itself has no door, but it does look incredible, really benefiting from the aged look of the oak barrel. It isn’t too difficult to construct, either, although it does require that you have access to an old wooden barrel.
4. DIY Kid-Friendly Rabbit Hotel by Instructables
| Materials | Plywood, corrugated plastic roof, mesh shelves, 2×4, 1×2, 1×4, hinges, latches, knobs, screws |
| Tools | Saw, drill |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
Most rabbit hutches have the largest opening at the very top. These can be tricky even for full-sized adults to reach in, and they are virtually impossible for smaller children to access when fulfilling their rabbit hutch cleaning duties. This kid-friendly rabbit hotel is built slightly off the ground, which is recommended when situating a solid-bottomed hutch, and its openings are at the front so they offer easy access to all.
The bottom mesh also enables the free fertilizer to drop through the holes for easy collection and relocation. It also has a slanted corrugated roof to protect the residents from bad weather.
5. DIY Outdoor Rabbit Hutch Plans from My Outdoor Plans
| Materials | 2×2, plywood, 1×4, screws, hinges, tar paper, shingles |
| Tools | Saws, hammer, drill, sander |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Just because you’re making the hutch yourself, doesn’t mean you want something that looks homemade or recycled. These outdoor rabbit hutch plans enable you to create a hutch that looks as though it has come from a pet store. It has three covered sides, and a slanted waterproof roof, and its legs ensure that the hutch sits off the ground so it won’t get moldy and damaged.
To make the project easier, you can get the pieces of wood cut to size when you buy the timber.
6. DIY Sectional Rabbit Hutch by Instructables
| Materials | 2×3, pine furring, welded wire, wire mesh, screws, staples, hinges, barrel bolts, plywood |
| Tools | Saw, drill, impact driver, hammer, staple gun, tin snips |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
A sectional rabbit hutch has multiple sections to it. In this case, the sectional rabbit hutch can be used to house multiple rabbits separately but still within the same area. They will essentially be living in the same building but in different apartments. The hutch stands some way off the floor and every section has its own opening. The roof could do with being slanted and would benefit from the addition of shingles or tarring to help keep the elements out but these should be easy enough to add yourself.
7. DIY Rabbit Hutch from Simply Easy DIY
| Materials | 1.5×1.5, 1.5×3.5, wood slats, rails, stiles, corrugated sheet metal, 2×4, hinges, latches, handles |
| Tools | Saw, hammer, screwdriver |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
This is another sectional rabbit hutch plan. The designs are for a single section, so you will need to modify everything according to the number of sections you want to build. The hutches are front opening and have a fairly basic design with three solid walls and a mesh front door. The hutches are quite small but the plans could be modified to be larger and provide more space for all occupants.
How Big Should a Rabbit Hutch Be?
Generally, a rabbit should be given at least 12 square feet of space so that it can move, turn around, and fully stretch out. However, if you can provide more space than this, then the rabbit will benefit from any extra inches you can provide. You should also provide a run or exercise area so that your rabbit can stretch its legs and explore.
What Should I Put In My Rabbit Hutch?
You will need to provide a few things: food and water, which means a bowl for food and a bottle for water. If you will be litter training your rabbit, which is absolutely possible, you will need a litter tray and litter. You will need bedding for the sleeping area, toys including chew sticks, and even household items like phone books that they can chew on and enjoy.
How Many Rabbits Can I Keep In One Hutch?
Rabbits can do well living alone but they are naturally social animals that would live in colonies of between 5 and 20 rabbits or more in the wild. Although it is possible to keep more, most large hutches are designed for two rabbits and you may need multiple hutches and a lot of space to keep more than this.
Conclusion
Rabbits are fascinating animals that can make great pets. As well as regular company and handling, they do need plenty of space to be able to thrive. Commercial hutches can be expensive, but usually, only really consist of some wood and mesh. If you have access to the materials and some tools, as well as some basic DIY skills, you can create your own rabbit hutches.
Above, you can find details of 10 plans for DIY rabbit hutches, which can be modified and altered so that you can create the ideal living space for your pet bunnies.
Featured Image Credit: Steve Lovegrove, Shutterstock
