Rabbit hutch insulation

[TheTiddles]

I'm building as quickly as possible, a new rabbit hutch. It will be insulated by one of two means, the easy one is to use polystyrene between the inner 6mm plywood skin and the 14mm outer cladding. The other idea is to make the entire thing and then inject expanding foam, the only thing I'm worried about is the foam expanding and pushing the panels apart, has anyone done this kind of thing or am I best trying it out first?

Aidan

 

[wizer]

Polystyrene should be fine. I don't recall seeing insulated rabbit hutches before, so anything is going to help. What a posh rabbit

 

[Tom K]

Posh but very sensible should the young Wizette ever yearn for a rabbit.
Save having to tell porkies like "He was crying for his Mummy so I let him go" or My Dads one when I was 4 " Snowy ran off into the snow and we couldn't find him" :lol:

 

[TheTiddles]

Kids without pets turn into psycho killers, proven fact.

I like the idea of expanding foam as it'll take up every gap whereas the polystyrene will always have some play in it, maybe I'll have a try tomorrow on some scrap, can't do the real thing yet, all my nice tools are still at the parentals house

Aidan

 

[jhwbigley]

Kids without pets turn into psycho killers, proven fact.
Aidan

but i had pets when i was a kid :twisted:


i would be tempted to use a celotex board type insulation, but expanding foam would probly work out cheaper?( and more fun!)

John-Henry

 

[matt]

I wouldn't use expanded foam as I suspect it may give off fumes for a long time. I built an insulated sleeping compartment that goes in the main sleeping compartment using thin ply lined with the foil covered bubble wrap. Overheating is a bigger threat to rabbits than cold, hence why I only insulated the sleeping compartment.

 

[cornucopia]

we clad the outside of ours with 2" of extratherm then we take it of in the spring/summer to allow more airflow etc- been doing this now with the same extratherm for two winters- works a treat.

 

[9fingers]

Aidan,

Don't underestimate the pressure that builders foam can exert. I think I'd go for polystyrene sheet. Cheap, easy to cut and controllable.

Bob

 

[Oryxdesign]

I built a canoe many years ago and intended to use pu foam for bouyancy at either end. I carefully propped the boat up and tipped the stuff in. Unfortunately it lifted the deck and was a complete nightmare to fix.
I think you should use celotex or kingspan.

 

[lurker]

Shortcrush pasty is the best thing to house rabbits

 

[DaveL]

Shortcrush pasty is the best thing to house rabbits

A man after my own taste, I love funny bunny casserole and Bambi sandwiches are very nice. :shock:

 

[mickthetree]

I concur with DaveL and Lurker!

However dont underestimate the power of a bored rabbits teeth! All of our rabbit hutches got gnawed through in time.

I doubt bunnies and any form of insulation will mix well.

They have coats to cope with very cold temps so personally I wouldnt bother.

my pennth worth.

 

[Daven]

They shouldn't need any insulation - just plenty of hay and straw.
Eating hay will keep them warm and should make up most of their food intake. Pellets are really a treat and will not do their teeth any good!

Depending on the breed expect to spend time looking after it - fancy breeds are like pedigree dogs and have less hybrid Vigor than the rabbits we used to have years ago.

Hope this helps

Dave

 

[plymouth pirate]

All the rabbits we ever had produced their own heat

 

[TheTiddles]

Very true, the hutch will be insulated with a big wire mesh front, so it's not going to be that effective, more that I don't want the wall cavity as a void

Aidan

 

[thomvic]

I agree with Lurker and DaveL. However, whenever I have prepared rabbits to be 'housed' in these ways I seem to recall that I had to remove from them what is one of the best insulators known to man.

They don't need any more than some decent hay in a decent sized 'sleeping area' - to eat and to make a bed.

Richard