# Making a hamster cage?



## alyssa_liss (May 4, 2009)

since i now have 3 cages , and hardly any room , i was thinking could you make a cage out of a bookshelf 

then i could have all 3 on top of each other there for taking up less room 


you know sort of put a mesh door on the front etc...


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## cassie01 (Jul 11, 2008)

i know people who have used furniture to make vivariums and other animal cages. i had been thinking of turning some old furniture into various cages but i cant at the moment as we are looking to move but i think its a great idea. if you figure out how to do it let me know!!!


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Seems like a good idea...
I'm using bin cages at min for my two dwarfs.. 








I hang the waterbottles on the side








They may look small but they are almost as big as my hamster heaven


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## alyssa_liss (May 4, 2009)

this is the thing, ive got enough room for 2 cages but not really 3 so i need something to stack ( i cant as these are a fish tank, mini duna and savic rody)


this is why im thinking of making something, i sort of know what i want to do but cant find instructions anywhere on the net , im sure ive seen somethign like it though


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Those boxes stack...
I was going to cut the lid out and insert mesh but i will do it on the side as then i can stack them...
They dont have the lids on yet as they dont need them really as the boxes are quite deep


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## cassie01 (Jul 11, 2008)

found some picys for you to try nd give you some ideas, not hamster ages but they might help

http://jriddell.org/photos/2006-08-16-chinchilla-wardrobe.jpg

http://bayimages.net/images/5k/bay004891.jpg

http://www.ruthless.zathras.de/graphik/ratten/bighouse.JPG

http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/data/531/3121done1.jpg

http://cakeplow.com/uploaded_images/1176869176_101f97bd63-750047.jpg

you could do with some runners and some mesh, almost like a vaivarium or the pets at home cages, just with mesh instead of glass. or you could use glass and ventialate the sides. id try praticing on some old furniture, possibly off free cycle first. lol


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## alyssa_liss (May 4, 2009)

the last piccy is like what i was thinking, but not glass mesh instead 

thanks for the piccys


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

You will prob have to use laminated wood as natural wood would let the pee soak in


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## cassie01 (Jul 11, 2008)

yeah youll probably need to line the bottom with some laminate, or you could use tiles as they are easy to clean and just use plenty of substrate so its not too slippy


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## alyssa_liss (May 4, 2009)

O tiles are a good idea , I don't know if I'll actually be able to make this lol I can in my mind at least lol


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## Hannahp198 (Sep 19, 2009)

yeah i have *exactly* the same idea!!

the only problem is im unsure on how to make the doors?? I cant find any for sale for this project and i think chicken wire might be too big ( im breeding the hamsters!! )

*Any help will be a appreciated!! Thank you  x*


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## Nathan91 (Aug 17, 2009)

srhdufe said:


> Seems like a good idea...
> I'm using bin cages at min for my two dwarfs..
> 
> 
> ...


I'm thinking of making a bin cage, what did you use to hang the waterbottle?


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Nathan91 said:


> I'm thinking of making a bin cage, what did you use to hang the waterbottle?


I used two of the wires that come with water bottles to hang them


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## Nathan91 (Aug 17, 2009)

srhdufe said:


> I used two of the wires that come with water bottles to hang them


Thanks


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

I know what you mean, although not quite sure how you'd go about it. We once got an huge oldfasioned wardrobe and turned it into really big rabbit hutch. Bunbun loved it, wish I had some photos of it now.


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## ikikata (Jul 15, 2009)

Im making a cage for my degu's. Ive made it out of wood and the door's are a wood frame with aviary mesh. I painted the walls with wood coloured children safe paint, so its not toxic. After i painted it i put speicial varnish over the paint which is used to paint children toys so this is also safe, it doesnt smell and its wipe able. After the varnish had dried i cut out some mesh and put it over the walls of the cage so i can still attach their water bottle etc. I'm still making the doors at the moment but it should be finished soon. It was harder to build than i thought but well worth it!


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## Flissy (Jul 27, 2009)

Oooh post piccies if u do something! I would really like to be able to make things like that


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Hannahp198 said:


> yeah i have *exactly* the same idea!!
> 
> the only problem is im unsure on how to make the doors?? I cant find any for sale for this project and i think chicken wire might be too big ( im breeding the hamsters!! )
> 
> *Any help will be a appreciated!! Thank you  x*


Your best option would be to make the doors flap down (not sure if that's the right term!!) a bit like a fold down door on a rabbit hutch. For the mesh you have a couple of alternatives (chicken wire is way too big as you said.) The first would be to get bird wire - ebay sell it for arouond £30 for 10 metres and it is used for bird breeders so is around 0.5 to 1 cm in size for each of the squares. ALternatively, you can use the mesh that's sold for making radiator covers. It is a little more expensive (but you could use some common sense and shop around - I was completely lacking in common sense when I tried this! I paid £36 per sheet!) The radiator mesh is very fine, comes in a variety of mesh hole sizes and you can even choose if you want silver, gold or copper coloured fronts!
If you make a frame slightly larger than your bookshelf opening and cover the inside with the mesh you could then use piano hinges along the lower edge of the frame in order to attach it to the bookcase and use hooks and eyelets or latches to attach it and close it. 
You could also try vinyl or natural tiles on the floor.

P.S. I hope I make sense! I spend too much time with a DIY obsessed mother so this all makes sense to me!!!


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