# What types of woods are safe to use to build a hutch with?



## sweet_buns

I would like a hardwood floor so it lasts and is easy to clean. 

Is Marine Ply ok to use? Or at least just for the roof?

I was thinking of using Cypress flooring for the floor of the hutch but i read that it is toxic for chichillas, and while this hutch is for a rabbit, it has been assumed that the toxic woods on the list are also toxic to rabbits, so i wanted to see fi anyone knows whether cypress wood is also toxic for rabbits or not.

If you know what types of wood i can buy from any hardware store that is safe for use in a rabbit hutch, that would be wonderful.


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## majorv

Is your hutch going to be inside or outside? If it's for outside, don't use any type of pressure treated lumber on the parts the rabbits can chew on. We used pine to build ours, but that's a soft wood.


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## Nancy McClelland

We've used poplar and oak before. Kiln dried pine is alright but never cedar.


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## sweet_buns

Yes it will be an outdoor hutch but it will be undercover, were converting the carport into the hutch area and it will be covered on on all sides so the hutches won't be subjected to the elements.

So untreated pine is ok to use? I just have to waterproof the outside of it. Can i use that for the whole thing? Roof, bottom and sides? I noticed that pine doesn't come in wide enough sheets here so I'll have to somehow stick 2 sheets together so that the hutches are wide enough.


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## majorv

If it's under a carport you may not have to waterproof it unless you think the rain will blow onto it. Ours sat under a tree but we used corrugated tin for the roof and it had enough of an overhang so that the rabbits wouldn't get wet if it did rain (unless it blew sideways). We didn't have solid walls around the outside, just wire.


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## RabbitGuru

Pine should be fine as long as it hasn't been treated with anything (which means most pine planks from your local lumber yard will work great!). If you're going to seal it look for a non-toxic wood sealer like Seal-It-Green or a similar brand (that one is also organic).


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## sweet_buns

Yeah they will be under cover and i will have a tarp on each side of the carport that i will pull and tie down on windy/rainy days. Which was most of winter last year... -.- 

Well that makes my decision pretty easy! I'll go with untreated pine and since they will have full protection from the rain/wind, i won't bother with water proofing. Makes my job a lot easier and cheaper too!

Thanks all. =)


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