My new cage i built

[Slanginhard]

looking 4 advice on the top and middle part

 

[lauralynne]

So you've connected 3 cages to make one? The ladder in the white cage has to go. And is there one in the top, too? That's an accident waiting to happen for a broken leg/foot. What material is that round thing in the top? The cage itself looks very unstable. The bottom one looks pretty nice with the shelves and things.

 

[Slanginhard]

So on bottom part i have a shelf I made out of popular pine every three inches high then i have 5/8 by the length of the cage post that i put under the shelves for support and to also keep all the poop on the shelves so i can just go vacuum them up everyday for easy cleaning then just for fun i have a 1 inch curved later going up a bird toy and a lil chew toy stuffed with hay.
I separated the cages with a roof chimminy thing with a 4 inch pvc going threw it with a 1 inch curved latter glued to it. I guess I can take closer pic of it...

second lvl really has nothing but two latters helping him or she get to third floor

third floor is really empty made a hammic/house out of a wicket basket and hung it with ceisil rope and metal clips

I will take more pictures of how i connected the cage and the pvc piping also on the pipes i sawed 2 three inch slits every inch

So you've connected 3 cages to make one? The ladder in the white cage has to go. And is there one in the top, too? That's an accident waiting to happen for a broken leg/foot. What material is that round thing in the top? The cage itself looks very unstable. The bottom one looks pretty nice with the shelves and things.

Yes thats a latter but i hear that they dont NEED one and that you shouldnt use plastic or meta for chewing and getting foot stuck. He can eat the latter! he cant get his foot stuck so why does it have to go?

 

[lauralynne]

he cant get his foot stuck so why does it have to go?

Yes, he CAN get his foot stuck. It's happened many, MANY, times. In your top cage, it looks like you're expecting him to climb the ladder, then climb into the basket? Is that right? If that's what you're wanting, you'll be very disappointed.

Ledges and shelves are the way to go. Much safer, and they can also be chewed.

 

[Slanginhard]

sorry wife dragging me out the house be back later with more pics to show its secure and the basket may go really just put it up there for an ideal its just a regular whisket basket.
Thanks for all the advice and opinions it is very much appreciated I have done hours of online research but yall know how hard and scratchy that can be

Yes, he CAN get his foot stuck. It's happened many, MANY, times. In your top cage, it looks like you're expecting him to climb the ladder, then climb into the basket? Is that right? If that's what you're wanting, you'll be very disappointed.

Ledges and shelves are the way to go. Much safer, and they can also be chewed.

Hahaha well na was thing of using it more as a bridge as an extra escape but the steps are more then an inch apart and there feet & even the whole legs...I just work and try to see threw his or her eyes I know shelves are best but was thinking maybe theres a different way to do top cages like do they like to jump off walls like ningas? like put wood with a back board on both side of the cages then a shelf on top for him to jump back in forth on the wall and land on the shelf? I'm just trying to build the best cage for him and me

 

[Airyn]

If I were you, I'd stick with just the bottom cage, as that is plenty large enough to accommodate one chin. You really did a great job on it.

Chins can't climb ladders. Period. There's no way around it. Whoever gave you the impression that they could was mistaken. Chin feet are long and narrow and are shaped to hop from ledge to ledge, not to balance on ladder rungs. Leaving the ladders in that cage is incredibly unsafe and beyond irresponsible. If you want to do what's best for your chin, you'll listen to Laura's advice and remove the ladders.

 

[Slanginhard]

well i dont want to accommodate him i want to spoil him or her!!!!!! yes a hut is big enough to accommodate any human but most people would rather live in a mansion! So the middle shelf latter ideal is a no go? there is no way he or she would like it? has anyone tried a slanted latter like mine? i see how it wouldnt work strait up and down since they cant clime but it seems like he could hop in the middle of the latter and go up from there ...., ?

ps. the pictures are just to show this is the sturdiest 8 foot cage i have ever seen i can shake it as HARD as i can with out it coming anywhere close from bending, breaking or sliding

 

[Tillygizmo]

I think lots of wooden shelves would help although they help any cage. anything with heights shelves and hammocks are good to break any large falls

 

[Spoof]

I actually think that's pretty awesome. The bottom cage is really nice.

From experience, the chin will eat the white pan in the white cage and get out. Will want to put some sort of metal there to keep them in.
They can also lift and open all of those bird doors. You'll need to wire them shut. Chins have hands and can grasp/open things

The top cage I'd replace the box with branches or something. They don't climb up ladders, so you could string it like a bridge and they'll jump up there.

 

[Tillygizmo]

I actually think that's pretty awesome. The bottom cage is really nice.

From experience, the chin will eat the white pan in the white cage and get out. Will want to put some sort of metal there to keep them in.
They can also lift and open all of those bird doors. You'll need to wire them shut. Chins have hands and can grasp/open things

The top cage I'd replace the box with branches or something. They don't climb up ladders, so you could string it like a bridge and they'll jump up there.

:clap1: good idea! It looks sturdy enough now. When you fill it up I bet it'll be great

 

[Slanginhard]

The white cage has a metal floor blocking the chin from reaching the plastic and the doors i was going to buy alot of lil master locks with all the same key for them. When u say u would replace the basket with branches do u mean like in a big bird nest sort of way? or more like tree branches? Also that gave me a ideal of finding a big log then carve a big curve half way in kind of like a wooden hammic for him. What do u think of two wooden blocks 6 by 12 in put 1 foot from each other and then a ledge at the top so he can bounce up the walls to get to it? I heard from one owner that his loved to jump off the walls lol But if shelves and hammics is all i can do to be safe then thats all i will do just tired of making them dahm shelves takes me a hour of work on each one!!! Im putting the food water and exerzize wheel in the middle cage do yall think thats a good ideal?

I think lots of wooden shelves would help although they help any cage. anything with heights shelves and hammocks are good to break any large falls

Yea thats why i put so much stuff in the bottom cage to break the lil guys fall just wishing there was something else I could do hehe shelves get boring to me but im sure not to it!

 

[chinchillalover0927]

Personaly I would never want my chin in a cage like that. I give you much credit for your creativity but that just screams "dead or hurt Chin " to me. Personally I think the bottom cage would be more than wonderful for one chinchilla. Also have you considered how hard it will be to catch your chin in something like that ?

 

[Slanginhard]

Personaly I would never want my chin in a cage like that. I give you much credit for your creativity but that just screams "dead or hurt Chin " to me. Personally I think the bottom cage would be more than wonderful for one chinchilla. Also have you considered how hard it will be to catch your chin in something like that ?

lol what about it screams death trap? and when i get my chinchilla he will have one on one time with me min 1 hour a day and spend all day in the same room as me , plus my daughter will like to get one on one time when shes up for it shes 8 years old. I have had a great relationship with every animal I have ever owned so I'm almost 100 percent sure tht it will be no problem getting it out and cant say 100 percent because u never know what has happen with an animal in the past but i have seen time heal all wounds in animals I use to be in a pitbull rescue and have seen change in animals and in humans I love seeing good change hehe
ps. plus there is doors all around this cage it would be a piece a cake in theory to get a chin out

 

[sublime5981]

Your chin will still be able to chew the plastic from the bottom cage. Also, the metal grate in the middle cage looks like the type that has long spacing perfectly sized for chin feet/legs to fall through and get stuck/broken.

I think you have a good concept but, I would take out the middle cage and just connect the other two. The shelves look good. Be prepared to replace the "poo guard" side pieces often.

Just looked at the pics again. Be prepared to replace those support pieces too. A chin is going to chew through those in no time. If you wanna save time on making shelves, don't worry about rounding the edges. The chin will take care of that for you. I've found that there is no point in making "pretty" stuff for my chins because, they're just gonna chew it into their own design anyway.

 

[AZChins]

It looks like it's going to be a pain to clean. I'd just use the bottom cage, too. I'm not sure why you stacked the cages like that.

Have you had a chin in the past? That "cage" will make it tremendously difficult to get to the chinchilla.

 

[Slanginhard]

Im sorry your mistaken on the white cage it can not get to the plastic unless he can reach his head between the bars and reach out with it an inch then chew at the sametime lol and yea was thinking of just taking out the poop guard and put in lease but i have seen breeders put them in lil metal cages with no wooden shelves with no known injuries so i was only worried about the chin getting sore feet from walking on it but since he will have so much shelves and items I was thinking it woudnt be bad to have a lil metal like a human walking on grass then if they are in a hurry or just bored runs on the rock path might not be comfortable but aint going to harm u unless u are forced to walk on it to much...

It looks like it's going to be a pain to clean. I'd just use the bottom cage, too. I'm not sure why you stacked the cages like that.

Have you had a chin in the past? That "cage" will make it tremendously difficult to get to the chinchilla.

seems easy to clean to me all i have to do is vacum the shelvs take out the fleece and take out the two poo guards.... seeems very easy to me... I have not owned a chin but have friends that do and they have there chins they might hide from an arm but its not that hard to grab them... but they socialize with there animals they dont have 100s or to many for them to handle like alot of people

 

[sublime5981]

You misunderstood me. The issue isn't that he would walk on wire, it is that his foot can pass through the spacing of that floor and get stuck or broken. Cage floor spacing is usually 1/2" x 1/2" so, no danger of a leg falling through. Your spacing looks more like the long slat type similar to the side of the cage which is plenty of space for a foot or leg.

 

[rainey]

You could try ordering some perches made of chin-safe wood and attaching those on the upper part. Or cut them yourself if you have any organic apple farms near you. check out what this person did, I think it looks pretty cool

http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27079&highlight=branches

 

[Slanginhard]

You misunderstood me. The issue isn't that he would walk on wire, it is that his foot can pass through the spacing of that floor and get stuck or broken. Cage floor spacing is usually 1/2" x 1/2" so, no danger of a leg falling through. Your spacing looks more like the long slat type similar to the side of the cage which is plenty of space for a foot or leg.

ok your right i guess ther more like bird cages.... so a fleece bottom should fix that right? has any one had a chinchilla that digs under the fleece? havent heard of anyone but does sound plausible

 

[GorillaJTA]

has anyone tried a slanted latter like mine? i see how it wouldnt work strait up and down since they cant clime but it seems like he could hop in the middle of the latter and go up from there ...., ?

I think the ladder they are referring to is the rope one up to the wicker basket. That one is awkward for a chin to maneuver and a paw could get hung in a knot.