I'm having no luck finding a suitable cage

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Bumpa4718

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
37
Location
Galveston, Texas
I adopted Chester one week ago, at 7 weeks of age. It was sort of a spontaneous purchase, in that I was looking for a young hedgie, but did not expect to find one so fast and didn't want to let him get away.

So, needless to say, I was not fully prepared. We have made due with a huge plastic container until I can find a cage. Apparently, Galveston truly is an island in every way because I am not even able to find the materials to make a C&C cage....not even just the grids....NOTHING!!

Anyway, I ordered him a wheel and some other accessories, so he is doing quite well in spite of my endless search for his permanent home.

I really like the C&C cages made popular on a particular website, but they can get pretty costly. I have considered ordering the supplies myself, but by the time you add shipping and try to find coroplast, you might as well buy it already in a kit.

What do you think of this cage? It looks like a great deal to me. I know I may have to still put some extra precautionary grids (I was thinking of a piece of wire shelving, or something similar), until he is a bit bigger.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2-Level...769?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33842d4e49

Their website is www.bluestonecommerce.com

Chester and I thank you for your help.:banghead:
 
I think you can get Coroplast at Lowes now?? Try looking in Walmart or Target for teh squares to build the wire part.
 
We use plywood with brackets to hold it together and then coat in polyurethane or enamel to make it waterproof. Wipes down like plastic. Just a little heavy compared to c&c but places like lowes will even cut the wood for you so you just need to screw it together.
 
The Lowe's near me doesn't sell coroplast, but the home depot does, and I believe you can order it online as well. It is costly if you have to have it shipped, but you can customize your cage however you want it, so that is nice.
 
That looks nice, but hedgies don't really do good with a ramp. If you are going to use the second level you will need to make sure it and the ramp are fully hedgieproof or Chester will most likely fall or jump off. They are clumsy and fearless and can get injured from a bad landing. You are right in that you may need to add some grids since he is so small right now.
 
Thank you everyone. You would not believe how many stores I have checked just to find the grids, and not one has them....Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Office Depot, Walmart. And Coraplast...FORGET ABOUT IT!!! I priced online, and after you add shipping, you might as well just buy a cage. That's what I'm going to do. The cage I listed above actually has a guard around the opening upstairs, and side rails on the ramp. If that doesn't work out, then I will just use the top for supplies.

I was worried about Chester the Rodeo Hedgie not adapting well. Most people seem to have such an awesome story to tell. I was a bit jealous, to be honest. But after one week, he seems to be hitting his stride a bit more. He pooped a lot on his wheel overnight, so he is actually using that finally. He also ate a lot better tonight. He is still all huffy though. That will just take time, or be the way it is going to be. I hope it isn't but i would surely still enjoy his comical style.
 
I had already contacted Wonderland, and they never got back to me after a week, so i gave up on them. I ended up ordering the cage i had in the link and may just remove the ramp like you said, although they do have sides on the ramp and also on the upstairs. I guess i'll just watch him at first and then make a decision.
He doesn't seem to climb too much, but he will get on the top of his little hut.

Thanks for all of your help. i will be very careful and monitor this little guy closely.

I had to leave his room for some coolness. I have the AC off in his room and he seems to be so content...but mom can't hang there for too long of a stretch....menopause :)
 
Oh... Nice that the ramp already has sides. That's great. Hopefully, he'll use it. At worst, if he doesn't use it, it'll be a nice space to store his fleece and whatnot.

Bummer that Wonderland didn't get back to you. I'd talked (emailed) with a fellow named Albert over there a few months ago when I was looking at some of their smaller cages for when we go on trips with the hedgies.

Cute that he gets on top of his hut. Though sounds like he could also be an escape artist if he so desired. Glad the one you got has the top on it!
 
I'm anxiously awaiting the cage arrival today. I will be spending my evening doing the assembly..hopefully well.
I hate to stress the poor kid out by moving him, but it's only been two weeks since I got him, so probably now is better than later.
He is so grumpy and humpy, but I hope he will get over the grumpy part. I know the humpy part is part of being a boy. I'll post pictures of everything....the cage, not him humping.
 
Hahaha... Make sure to super-clean cage parts as you're assembling.

I'm sure he'll make the transition just fine. If you move some of his current bedding over to the new cage (ie, the stuff he's on right now... without cleaning it), then things will smell "normal" to him. He'll probably spend a good part of the night today or tomorrow figuring out where his stuff is and all the new places he can roam.
 
Chester...from plastic bin to giant new home

I didn't take pictures of Chester's plastic bin, as I'm certain you already know what those look like. It has been his home for two weeks. But on his two week anniversary of me being his mom, I assembled his gigantic C&C cage.
It isn't as if I don't know how to measure, but somehow, 2 grids x 3 grids did not seem nearly as huge in my head as it is in real life. Nonetheless, he now has a great new world to explore.

I moved some of his dirty bedding in with him, and all of his existing Chester-smelling stuff, including his wheel that still had poop on it. I thought that might add to the ambiance for his first night in a new home.

I made sure to block all openings in the room, just in case he got out somehow, since the grids are bigger than I thought. I see little chance of him squeezing his head through, let alone that butt.

His new cage has a ramp to a second smaller floor. But the ramp came with safety sides, and the top level has a guard around it to prevent him from falling. I never dreamed he would be brave enough to explore up there already so i don't have that floor prepared for him, but i found a poop!!

When I woke early, I checked on him and he was on his wheel, then running around, all flat-quilled, fur sides exposed. I hardly ever see him this relaxed. He was having a great time with all of the space.
Today, we are furnishing his upstairs bedroom with some colorful fleece and maybe another wheel or sleeping area.

I'll keep you all posted, but so far, it's the best move I could have made. So what if i had to get rid of a dresser so his cage would fit :)
 
First time in new cage

It has a connected top on it, but i have it open during this picture. The upstairs is not yet furnished :)
Also, i want to move to fleece, but I need to get measurements and figure out the best way since this guy digs!!
 

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