Rabbit Cages for Sale

Rabbit Cages for Sale: The best all-wire rabbit cages we have seen to date are built by Hostile Hare and are available through Raising-Rabbits. Ultra strong, predator-proof, with heavy-gauge floors. Can be hung or stacked.

Buy here.

Keep reading as we un-box a Hostile Hare cage and explain why we believe Hostile Hare cages are top quality...!

Rabbit Cages by Hostile Hare are really cool!

The Hostile Hare Cage arrived!

Unboxing the Hostile Hare Cage...

16-gauge 1/2 x 1" wire is more expensive than 14 gauge 1 x 2" wire, so why use it for the parts of the cage that don't technically need it?? 

This is why: Using one-half by one inch wire mesh for the whole cage solves at least two very common problems with rabbit cages, resulting in very happy rabbit owners:

• First, it saves bunny lives. Newborn baby rabbits manage to escape the rabbit nest box with unnerving frequency, and then they slip through the typical one-inch by two-inch cage wire sides. They fall to the ground or into the dropping pan, and crawl away blindly until they chill to death.
  
  This fate befell more than one of the kits in my barn. I discovered some kits chilled on the ground and was able to return them to their nests where they warmed up and were none the worse for the escapade. Some I located after it was too late, or never found them at all.
  
  This is the reason why some cages are constructed with aptly-named "baby saver wire," which has a 1/2" x 1" mesh covering the bottom four inches through which the little kits cannot fit. By using all 1/2" x 1" wire, Hostile Hare goes above and beyond, making it impossible to lose kits out of the cage.

Ample J-clips are included...

• Second, it virtually eliminates predators.  Predators can be a big problem, especially rats and snakes. Constructing the entire cage out of 1/2" x 1" wire will prevent both rats and snakes from getting in. It would be a very tiny beastie that would be able to squeeze into a cage through 1/2" x 1" wire. 
  
  Big Tip: Predators big enough to eat a kit CAN enter the cage through a J-feeder. They can climb into the J-feeder, and then enter the cage if the feeder is empty enough. You can easily prevent this by covering the tops of the J-feeders. Every J-feeder manufacturer makes and sells J-feeder lids.
  
  

Assembling Hostile Hare Rabbit Cages

Partially assembled cage, J-clips and J-clip pliers.

The top and sides of a Hostile Hare rabbit cage come pre-assembled with hog rings.

The cage itself arrives partially assembled. All four sides are already fastened together to the top panel with hog rings, and the door is pre-installed. All you need to do is to clip the sides together and then attach the floor. Easy!

Everything needed to finish building the cage is included in the purchase. A packet of J-clips is included. The J-clip packet I received weighed 96 gm, which was way more than I needed.

If your purchase is $80.00 or more (only a single 15" cage costs less), the J-Clip pliers will also be included. (Note that the price includes both cage and shipping!)

Hostile Hare Rabbit Cages for Sale:
Observations:

I LOVE the much heavier 14 gauge for the floor, indicating quality!

1. The j-clips sent with the cage are heavy gauge and high quality. It will take a bit of strength to squeeze them closed.
   
   
2. Cage wire is galvanized AFTER weld, greatly contributing to the longevity of the cage.
   
   
3. Very impressive that the bottom gauge wire is MUCH heavier than the top and sides. While the side and top mesh is 16-gauge, which is the typical gauge for cage construction, the bottom mesh is 14 gauge. You can see the difference in the photo to the right. The heavier wire is very good for bunny feet because it distributes its weight better, and is far less likely to cut into the bunny's skin over time. The heavy wire also helps discourage predators. The top and sides are still very adequate.
   
   
4. The customer only needs to attach the cage sides to each other, and to attach the bottom wire to the bottom of the cage, closing the box. You will use the included J-clips and J-clip pliers. It might take a total of 30 minutes to finish the assembly. It's pretty fool-proof. 
   
   If you have any questions, Hostile Hare has made an excellent assembly video - you can view it in the Raising-Rabbits Store, or here. 
   

The Pre-Installed Door

Door is pre-installed on a Hostile Hare rabbit cage. The wire needs to be a bit straightened.

The door is pre-installed. On the 24-inch-tall cage, the door is LARGE! It is comprised of a 15-inch by 25-inch rectangle that is horizontal to the cage, and which covers a hole measuring 12.75-inches by 23-inches. This very easily accommodates a large nest box and large rabbits.

The cage that I received from Hostile Hare was fitted with door wire that was a bit warped. This is very typical of wire that has been rolled up since manufacture. The warp can be reduced or eliminated by exerting pressure on the wire itself.  

If I need to, I can adjust the door wire in a couple of ways:

1. I can remove the door from the cage entirely by cutting the hog wire, which will make it easier for me to straighten the wire completely flat. There are plenty of extra j-clips left over which I can use to reattach the door.
   
   
2. I might also (or instead) bend a heavier gauge single wire around the three sides of the door at the latch end, and attach it to the three sides, straightening and reinforcing the door wire. There are still enough extra j-clips for accomplishing this.

The Door Latch:

The door is latched with a single spring-loaded hook on the right of the door and cage. 

This will be ample closure for some situations but not possibly for all of them. I wonder how long it would take a raccoon to figure out how to pop the door open and dispense itself a rabbit or kits. 

If the cage is inside a secure shed, garage or rabbitry, there will be minimal predator pressure. But an outside hutch could result in problems. 

Possible Solutions:

• Reinforce the door with 14-gauge wire as described above.
• Add a second or third clasp due to the length of the door.
  

Hostile Hare Rabbit Cages for Sale:
Installation Notes

The 1/2-inch cage bottom wire is facing upwards INTO the cage.

1. Door Hardware: As you initially unfold the cage out of the cardboard box, ensure that the door hardware - already installed on the front of the cage - will be on the outside of the cage before beginning to clip the sides together.
   
   
2. Cage bottom wire: The wires that run one inch apart need to be on the BOTTOM OUTSIDE of the cage. The wires that run 1/2-inch apart need to face to the INSIDE of the cage. See photo here. This is because the rabbit's weight should be supported every 1/2 inch which is much more protective of the rabbit's foot pads.
   
   

Hostile Hare Delivers Quality!

There are literally dozens of cage companies and styles of rabbit cages and hutches available to the discerning rabbit owner. We have some of our favorites, including our DIY cage and hutch frame construction manuals, listed at our Rabbit Cage page, plus links to more cages, including to Hostile Hare cages.

In my opinion, Hostile Hare cages are top quality, for the following main reasons among others:

• Entire cage built with 1/2" x 1" wire, keeping baby kits in and predators out
• Bunny feet protection with 14-gauge cage bottom wire
• Durability due to wire that is galvanized AFTER weld
• Large dimensions (36" x 24")
• Easily accessible cage interior, very helpful to medium- and shorter-armed women
• Several cage designs fit your needs: With or without drop pans, stackable or non-stackable

If Hostile Hare had been in business back when I began in rabbits, I may not have written DIY manuals - I may have simply purchased Hostile Hare rabbit cages for sale!

Raising rabbits? Consider a membership to the American Rabbit Breeders Association