# Just finished building first bookcase cage!



## killybutt

Hello all! I just finished up a big project so I thought I'd share. As I have posted before, I will be taking home baby boy ratties after New Years (they were just born and are living with their foster mom until they are weaned). I decided to go all out and make a big custom bookcase cage for them.
This thing took me 4 solid days, about 28 hours total of work x.x
Pics:

























I started out with a Walmart "Mainstays" 3-shelf bookcase, which cost about $15. Cut the boards with a jigsaw blade, sanded off the yucky laminate covering, and painted the entire thing top to bottom with waterproof non-toxic enamel paint in pretty sky blue. Added castors to the bottom, and used hardware cloth for the back and door. The hardware cloth ruined my fingers ;_; Anyway, making the door was a pain, I had to rescrew in the hinges about 100 times to get it right and it is still slightly crooked, but I never claimed to be a carpenter XD Then there are brass hooks to keep it tightly shut.
The shelves are adjustable and can be switched out. There are vinyl-coated smooth hooks in the ceiling for hammocks and ropes to attach to (I need to buy a few more and also buy some proper hooks for the hammocks to hang a little lower). I sewed the hammocks myself and plan to make more. I intend to spray the hardware cloth with non-toxic plastic coating, because it is galvanized steel and I have heard it absorbs the smell of urine over time.
Obviously I don't have a water bottle, litter box or ladders yet, but that's next on my list.
Since there's no ratties in it yet, I'm not sure how 'chew proof' the enamel is but it is remarkably durable and I haven't been able to scratch it off myself. If I find ratties chewing on it I will have to make a sleeve for the shelves out of changable fabric or something 

All that's left is ratties! Gotta wait about four weeks for that 
Hope this helps some of you who may want to make a bookcase cage of your own.
All materials in this cost roughly $75, not including the power tools (like the drill or the jigsaw).


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## catsandscales

That looks incredible!! I love the idea of a bookcage cage, looks like you did an awesome job!! And it's definitely not more expensive than a cage of the same dimensions, like everyone says to discourage us crafty types. 

I only have two more weeks to wait for my ratties!! Been waiting since October... Excited for you & getting your boys!


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## begoodtoanimals

Good job and a great looking cage. Your rats are lucky!
How are you gong to keep the sides of the shelves clean from urine? Or maybe caulk them.


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## killybutt

They slide out, so I'll be wiping them down a lot


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## Alethea

That is amazing. Now this makes me want to get some wire and rip the books from the case in the spare room. Lol. *slinks to look at bookcase* Anyways, I think that is really nice for a rattie home, great job :]


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