Building my own cage help.

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sandallr05

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
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2
Location
Spokane Wa
Hey guys. I need to build my own cage. I currently have the ferret nation double cage for my 2 boys and i really like it but the mess is getting way to hard to keep up with. I have tried so many different things.... a litter pan, liners, bedding... noting seems to help. I have been told i must find a solution or i have to rehome them. that is really not an option so my goal now is to build a cage.... but i have no idea how to go about it. i have made shelves for the FN and they are great so i feel like i can do it well but i was wondering if anyone has any advice for a first time cage builder. I know this is posted in a few threads here and there but and help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 
To be honest, cage building is not as easy as it seems. I consider myself very handy and it takes me between 2-3 hours to make a 24 x 24 baby-safe cage. And I cant even make the pans, I have to order them. Also, it is cost prohibitive to buy the proper wire, tools and whatnot to get them going for just one cage. It is a satisfying thing to do, but in the end, for one cage, I would just buy one. Try Quality Cage in Portland (they sell many different sizes), or see if there are local breeders who are selling used cages.
 
You could try putting hardware cloth on the cage as well. Not a whole lot will get through that. Its a lot cheaper than building a brand new cage.
 
I would also suggest investing in a dust buster. That way you can quickly clean up poo and hay while they're playing. :)
 
What I would do is build a box the size of the FN (top and three sides) and just set the "box" on top of the FN and let the sides hang down. Put a 4" piece of plywood in the front so they can't kick crap out the front and you have yourself a standard home-made cage.... without all the extra work. =)

FN's are very, very messy. I just bought wood to make a custom wooden "pan" that will have a 4" lip to keep the poop from the main floors in. They do make pans for them but they are expensive.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I have tried the hardware cloth... it still gets through. I have looked into the cost of building a cage and can afford it so that is no problem. I have a dust buster and use it daily but that does not help the problem. I am going to build a new cage myself.
 
I have a quality cage chin mansion with flat shelves, and had the same problem, Have you tried making shelve borders and poop scatter guard frame, instead of a building a whole cage, it's a lo more cheaper and all you need is some wood, screws, washers and a drill machine really, they cut the wood at at home depot if you give them the measurements, I got premium pine and did it myself.
 
I also have a qc mansion...and the mess is horrible. I don't think that I can make my own cage, so my solution is having one made for me. All Critters Great and Small make wonderful wooden cages (this is who I will be having do mine). The prices of the cages aren't bad, but you have to add in the shipping (which can cost quite a bit). Something to think about if you aren't sure about making your own.
 
You should read the FN thread and look out for pictures of other cages for inspiration. That's what I did when I did my cage. It was really helpful.
 
I would try poop guards on the shelves and around the bottom before attempting a new cage. There are a few people that sell different kinds of guards, Whimsy's Menagerie, Annie O/Chin chic, and Twilight all make different ones. You can always make your own too, out of either wood or fleece.
 
when you buy the kiln dried wood for shelves at lowes do you have to prepare it or can you use as is after you cut and put the hardware on
 
When buying, try and avoid dirt and oils that can be found on wood that rubs against metal or the floor or forklift forks, etc. Remember...they will be chewing these to bits!
 
Btw, if you are making shelves and are handy enough, I recommend building in a poo guard which is a small say 2" lip glued along the sides that attach to the cage. They help a lot!
 
I have had the same problem since then I have built my own cages for housing as well as breeding.

My housing cage where I keep my younger males and females separate from each other but in groups of the same sex is built will three sides of high quality pine wood and a big 1/2" x 1"2 wire front with a big door so that I have easy access to the cage as well as able to put a dust bath in there as well.

the bottom of the cage has a 3" metal tray that I can pull out for easy cleaning. Once I pull the try down I have a metal flat that folds down so that the chin does not get out while clean. Each of these trays hold enough shavings in it for them to be comfortable with. I have ledges in the back so that if they do climb around and poop and jump all over their poop wont fly out the cage cause there is no open wire on the sides for it to go through and the tray is high enough as well so that the shavings if any fall out.

Since I built this cage there is so much less vacuuming to do each night of the floor as I don't have all their shavings and poop spread all over.

Just a thought but it has worked amazingly for me.
 
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