Building a Cage? - Paw Talk

Nikki6496 · #1 05-16-2005, 02:02 PM

Has anyone attempted to make a cage for their hamsters? I would like to try at some point, but I have yet to attempt it.

Padfoot · #2 05-16-2005, 02:09 PM

The only cages I have "built" are rubbermaid bin ones... I buy the big rubbermaid or sterilite bins, make a huge hole on the lid and put wire mesh on it... and voila! new cage, big! LOL I have pictures if you wanna see.

Shiremaya · #3 05-16-2005, 04:59 PM

My dad biult a cage for my gerbils. It lasted through them and we're now into my second pair and their litter. It's an aquarium type cage. Plyboard back and plexiglass (I think) sides and a wooden floor. It has wooden supports at the corners. They're chewed on it, but haven't managed to get through it yet. I can post a pic tomorrow if you like

Nikki6496 · #4 05-16-2005, 08:25 PM

They both sound great. I'd love to see pics of both cages if you don't mind.

I think my hammie is getting bored with his cage. It is an aquarium with the two level topper. He chews and chews on the bars, I think its out of boredom.

We used to have a crittertrail, which I think he liked because of the tubes. It was a pain to clean though and I ended up breaking the clips on it!

oh well. I thought about getting him a SAM habitat but its all plastic and I would hate for him to chew out of it. I ended up buying the SAM toob-a-top and I'm waiting for that to arrive. It tops the aquarium and it has tubes attached so that he can climb them, and I can add more later when I get the funds. Hopefully, he'll like it... if not I'm back at the drawing board. I guess we'll see.

I do have a bin that I keep him in when I clean their cages, but he's always trying to jump out of it. I'd have to try to find the lid. I'm also game for buidling one from scratch.

Padfoot · #5 05-16-2005, 08:43 PM

Here are pics of mine... I use them to house mice, gerbils and hamsters...

This one's the mice cage... I'll have to upgrade it soon if I decide to keep all the females together...

Here is a gerbil set-up:

Side View:

The lid:

I use these cages cause they are cheap and provide lots of spaces. With them I can provide 25g worth of space, or even more, with less money than what will cost me buying a 10g with lid. With the quantity of cages and animals I have, I have to save up some money somewhere... lol

Nikki6496 · #6 05-16-2005, 09:03 PM

I completely agree. The prices of cages is crazy! $69. for one I saw!!! The hamster is only $7.99. I can't afford a $70 cage. I agree I always want them to have more room to play and put toys and treats in the cage and the 10g just doesn't provide that, even with the topper! The store cages are pretty disappointing.

Amethystbelle · #7 05-17-2005, 01:24 PM

I haven't built my own cage but i do know people who have turned old chests of drawers into a large hamster cages by adding floors and a perspex front with adequate holes for ventilation in and they have worked pretty well and are pretty cheap to create!

Shiremaya · #8 05-17-2005, 01:57 PM

Here's the cage my dad built. There used to be a slide and a swing thing in it too, but they chewed through it.

Runt · #9 05-23-2005, 11:08 PM

You can also make cages out the play pens they sell at wal-mart for $10.00.They are several in a box .You take them apart and you can use a plastic bin to sit it in.You would have to use clamps to wire it together and put shelves in it for it to climb on and toys to play with.

suzbee · #10 05-24-2005, 12:33 AM

Padfoot, where do you get the wire mesh that you add on top of the bins? Just curious. Thanks.

Padfoot · #11 05-24-2005, 12:43 AM

In the hardware store... it's sold by feet... I think I bought 4 feet and I built 3 lids and 1 division for a tank.

suzbee · #12 05-24-2005, 01:50 AM

thanks.

Is it attached to the plastic top in some way? how?

Padfoot · #13 05-24-2005, 01:56 AM

Nope, it's not attached... it is covering the whole top, and I cut a big hole in the plastic lid and just use to lid to pin it in place so the rodents don't push it off and escape. 8) The last picture shows it covering the top and the pic before that, the bin lid pinning it down. 8)

suzbee · #14 05-24-2005, 02:30 AM

Cool.

Thanks for the info! Though I'm happy with my aquarium, I really like the space that the bins provide.

Padfoot · #15 05-24-2005, 02:34 AM

Alternatively, you could get a bin and make her a playground... keeping her in the aquarium most of the time, and taking her out 1-2 and putting her in the bin with lots of toys and stuff to climb and play. Gives her variety... hehe