Raised Bed Critter Cage

A lightweight wood and wire cage that sits on a raised bed to protect short crops from chewing and digging pests.

Estimated time

1.5 – 2.5 hours

Lifespan

8–12 years

Soil needed

None — protective cover

Weight empty

25–45 lbs

Weight full

35–55 lbs with mesh

Best for

Greens, carrots, beets, and other low crops that rabbits and squirrels love. Tomatoes and kale will hit a 2 ft roof, so use this for shorter plants.

Placement

Build it to fit your raised bed exactly. Staple the mesh on the outside of the frame so animals can't push it inward. Anchor the cage to the bed or weigh the base so raccoons, dogs, and wind can't slide it off.

A cedar raised bed covered by a wood and hardware-cloth cage with a hinged lid open over lettuce and carrots — A 4×8 critter cage with a split lid keeps rabbits out and makes harvesting easy.

Close-up of a galvanized hinge and 1/2 inch hardware cloth stapled to the outside of a cedar frame — Staple hardware cloth on the outside and use exterior hinges so the lid holds up to weather.

Parts to Buy

Part	Quantity	What You Use Them For
2×2 lumber, 8 ft	7	Bottom rails, top rails, uprights, and lid rib
1/2 inch hardware cloth, 4 ft × 25 ft	1	Walls and top
Exterior hinges	2	Lid
Exterior screws, 2 inch	1 lb	Frame
Ground staples, U-bolts, or weights	4–8	Anchor cage to bed or ground

·Staples for attaching mesh
·Hook-and-eye latch for lid
·Optional: shade cloth cover for summer

Steps

1Cut the 2×2s: four 4 ft bottom rails, four 8 ft bottom rails, four 2 ft uprights, and one 8 ft center rib for the lid. (A 4×8 lid needs support or it will sag.)
2Build a 4×8 foot bottom rectangle to match your bed top.
3Screw the 2 ft uprights at each corner and at the mid-points of the 8 ft rails.
4Attach a matching 4×8 top rectangle to form a box frame.
5Staple 1/2 inch hardware cloth around all sides and the top, keeping the mesh on the outside of the frame.
6Build the lid as two 4×4 hinged doors (or one 4×8 lid with a center rib) so it won't sag.
7Hinge the lid(s) to the top frame and add a hook-and-eye latch.
8Set the cage over the bed and anchor it with ground staples, U-bolts, or weights on the base rails.
9Plant and harvest through the hinged lid. Open the lid on sunny days when squash, cucumbers, or other pollinator-dependent crops are flowering.

Tools needed

·Circular or miter saw
·Cordless drill / driver
·Staple gun
·Wire cutters

Common mistakes to avoid

·Not buying enough lumber — a 4×8×2 box needs about 56 ft of 2×2 (seven 8-footers), not four
·Mesh holes too big — baby rabbits squeeze through; use 1/2 inch hardware cloth, not chicken wire
·One big 4×8 lid — a 2×2 frame that long will sag; hinge two 4×4 doors or add a center rib
·No door — harvesting is a pain
·Frame not anchored — animals push or slide it off
·Mesh on the inside — rabbits and squirrels can push it off the staples
·Forgetting pollinators — 1/2 inch mesh is tight for bumblebees; open the lid when squash or cucumbers flower

Maintenance tips

Check mesh for holes each spring. Tighten anchors after wind. Oil hinges on the lid. Open the lid during bloom time for crops that need bee pollination.

Community builds

See how other gardeners built their raised bed critter cage — and share photos of yours.

Build photos: 0 / 2 used

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Paid plans include more build photos.

My Raised Bed Critter Cage notes

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