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Hutch (animal cage)
Encyclopedia
A hutch is a type of cage
used typically for housing domestic rabbit
s. Other small animals can also be housed in hutches.
Most hutches have a frame constructed of wood
, including legs to keep the unit off the ground. The floor may be wood, wire mesh, or some combination of the two. One or more walls of the hutch are also wire mesh to allow for ventilation
. Some hutches have built-in nest box
es and shingled roofs — these are generally intended to be placed directly outside rather than inside another shelter such as a barn. Some hutches have a felt roof.
In terms of sizing a hutch, the hutch should be at least 1.5 times the size of the animal. This minimum allows it to turn around inside. Most people prefer to make the hutch about 2 times the size of the animal, to provide adequate room for exercising and playful romping. If space in your home allows, the cage can be made large, such as 3 times the size of the animal. Outdoor hutches can be even larger (4-6 times the size of the animal). Keep in mind that a larger hutch allows the animal to gain speed. If it becomes terrified, it can injure itself by slamming against the sides.
Cage (enclosure)
A cage is an enclosure made of mesh, bars or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal in captivity, capturing, and being used for display of an animal at a zoo.-History:...
used typically for housing domestic rabbit
Domestic rabbit
A domestic rabbit, or more commonly known as simply the rabbit, is any of the several varieties of European rabbit that have been domesticated....
s. Other small animals can also be housed in hutches.
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, including legs to keep the unit off the ground. The floor may be wood, wire mesh, or some combination of the two. One or more walls of the hutch are also wire mesh to allow for ventilation
Ventilation (architecture)
Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...
. Some hutches have built-in nest box
Nest box
A nest box, also spelled nestbox is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, in which case they are also called birdhouses, but some mammalian species may also use them. Birdhouses are the most common types of nest...
es and shingled roofs — these are generally intended to be placed directly outside rather than inside another shelter such as a barn. Some hutches have a felt roof.
In terms of sizing a hutch, the hutch should be at least 1.5 times the size of the animal. This minimum allows it to turn around inside. Most people prefer to make the hutch about 2 times the size of the animal, to provide adequate room for exercising and playful romping. If space in your home allows, the cage can be made large, such as 3 times the size of the animal. Outdoor hutches can be even larger (4-6 times the size of the animal). Keep in mind that a larger hutch allows the animal to gain speed. If it becomes terrified, it can injure itself by slamming against the sides.