Home-made Cage/Rat grotto? - Page 2 - Paw Talk

CapriceCritters · #16 01-05-2009, 07:14 PM

The metal is called Aluminum flashing. It was about 35.00 for 50' of it at our local large hardware supply place, and it did two cages. I believe it was either 20" or 24" wide, so we trimmed off a bit for both sides of each cage, which is 18' wide. For the back, we put on several HORIZONTAL pieces and tried to line it up so that the shelves cover the joints OR so the joints were at the top of a 'level'. I decided to go all metal because I had read a few posts about how people's ratties chewed out of their wooden bookshelves.

Emmakitty28 · #17 06-11-2009, 03:22 AM

Hi, I have just finished making my cage from scratch, I have pic's of it in my photo's, let me know what you think!

Craig Thatcher · #18 06-11-2009, 07:11 AM

Amazing! I just joined this forum (Can you tell? A newbie!) I am using a small shop bought 'Rat cage' it's easy to clean as it is so portable, but I noticed behaviour which strikes me as boredom related in the girls, I think it is time to give them some space, and want to build a much bigger home for them, my brother is a welder, do you think metal would be a good material for a cage? sheet metal is easy to get hold of from my brother, would small guage chicken wire be good for the front? So many questions, but this being a new idea I would appreciate advice from the experts, hygiene is an important factor to me, so uncomplicated would be good. Any information would be gratefully received!

CapriceCritters · #19 06-11-2009, 11:38 AM

It's aluminum flashing. On the back, we had to use three different horizontal strips, because it's not that wide or tall.

pitbullforever · #20 06-12-2009, 09:52 PM

those are awsome i wish i could do something like that

susb8383 · #21 06-13-2009, 02:11 PM

It's really not that hard.

I made one out of a bookcase. I blogged about how I did it if you want to check it out. This forum won't let me add a link, but just go to athingortwo.info and click on Building the Ratty Grotto under Recent Posts on the right.

--Susie

pitbullforever · #22 06-13-2009, 05:20 PM

thanks i'm adopting 2 rats tomarrow and im def concidering making one of those cages the rats well have so much fun in them.

Craig Thatcher · #23 06-13-2009, 07:08 PM

In the process of building one for my girls, looking good so far, used a bookcase, got the idea from some piccys I saw somewhere on here, as long as you have a good saw, sticky back plastic, and some spare bits and pieces, it is actually not that difficult, also considering adding some sort of maze to help keep them thinking, they spend ages exploring when they are loose in my living room!

CapriceCritters · #24 06-13-2009, 11:52 PM

I highly suggest using some metal flashing if you're making a wooden one. They won't chew through it if the shelves are lined with metal.

Craig Thatcher · #25 06-14-2009, 06:20 AM

Thanks for the advice, been using solvent free sealant to stop urine soaking into joins, getting some alminium sheet to line the shelves partly to stop them getting at the sealant, although it is supposed to be pet safe, better safe than sorry, and to help stop the girls eating the wood, on the ramps, (they are very steep) will be using old bird cage strips as a type of ladder, will be putting pics on my profile when I am finished, Thanks very much, your advice has been very useful!!!!

Skratikans · #26 06-15-2009, 10:46 AM

Nice cage!

Craig Thatcher · #27 06-15-2009, 08:06 PM

Nearly finished the new home for my ratties, Anyone who might be interested can find the pictures of what I have done so far in my profile, just waiting for the sheet metal to finish!

Emmakitty28 · #28 06-16-2009, 01:38 AM

That's looking great, sorry not sure if I could offer any advice, I just got an idea in my head and went from there, with 1 x 1 wood for the frame, and mdf with sticky back plastic coating it for the shelves and 1cm x 1cm mesh, the door I made seperatly and in 2 halves for ease of cleaning, along the way I had to change a few things, but it looks pretty much like the picture I had in my head!!

Craig Thatcher · #29 06-16-2009, 07:01 AM

Nice one, just had a look at your cage, I have still a few things to do on mine, have to do something to make the ramps grippy, and might add a few things the girls will find entertaining, trying not to do too much because they spend a lot of time wandering around on my sofa anyway!!

susb8383 · #30 06-16-2009, 03:08 PM

Wow, both of the cages are awesome!!

The main difference between my cage and these is that my guys aren't litterbox trained so I had to jump through hoops to find a way to keep litter on the shelves. I ended up making plexiglass shelf liners.

It would be so much easier if they were litterbox trained!

I'll be interested to know if over time they chew the ramps. I used wooden bird ladders but they very soon chewed the rungs through.

One things I found on mine is that the mesh on the doors had to be wide and long enough so that when the door is closed, the ends of the mesh were hidden under the door. Otherwise my guys would work at the mesh so that they pulled up the wire ends, making a sharp place.

One good thing about these grotto style cages is that you can expand. I have two bookcases side-by-side connected with PVC. I also have a 'playground' connected by PVC that they are allowed to come out on when we play.