# My cage.



## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

I don't believe that I've ever posted pics of my cage here, so I thought that now would be a good time.


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

LOVE IT! how much did all your houses and litter trays cost? did you buy them all at once? I've been wanting to do a redecoration and everything in you cae is on my list. ^_^


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## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

Hee. I keep my cage in my front room, so it has to match and look all nice. 

I ordered the litter pans, the bamboo tunnels from an online store. The houses and two of the woven round nests from a seller on eBay, and the igloos and wheel from a rat rescue. I think for everything, I spend about 55 bucks, which really isn't bad with shipping since the wheel was $17. I got most of it last year, so they are just about due for all new stuff again. I have more rats now though, and I need like 3 wheels. lol I think that will cost the most.

Scour eBay for deals. If you can find people selling multiple things you want, shipping usually isn't too bad!


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## tattered_teddy_bear (Apr 24, 2007)

i've been thinking of buying a bunch of stuff from kimsarkrescue... do your wooden houses end up smelling of pee though? i know my Louie LOVES to pee on wood. *sigh*


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## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

The wood gets a little manky, but every month or so I soak it in a bucket of hot water with baking soda and white vinegar. The wood is thick, so it take it a bit to dry, but the vinegar keeps it for getting musty or anything. I normally am impatient and put them back in there damp.

I've got a few other wooden houses in the past few months and I think I'm going to paint them all with a water proof paint. Maybe black with purple splotches or something. ^^


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

What's the grey material on each level? Low-pile carpet? 

Love the cage! I had that SP cage when I first got rats and I really enjoyed it.


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## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

Indoor/outdoor carpet.  It's very wash & wear. lol

I think before the fall I'm going to build a cabinet cage though. I have big plans - in my mind at least. I'm not so sure how they will translate into life.  I wanna make it around 5 ft tall, 4ft wide, and 2 deep. Plus a small cabinit with doors on the bottom for storage.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

The carpet is a fantastic idea! I've got the next size up SP, and I love the convince of the shelves, but I hate the gunk buildup. Did you cut to size? Is the carpet just placed in there (ie, you could flip the shelf over and the carpet comes out)? Or? Details, please! 

Do you wash it in the washing machine? Where did you get it?

Other then all those questions, I LOVE what you've done with the cage. I wish we'd gotten that one instead.


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## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

I didn't know there was a bigger SP cage! I thought this was the biggest. What model do you have?

And yesyes, details!  I got the carpet from Menards I believe. I don't remember how big their rolls were, but the cage is 20in deep, so I got a 2ft section and just cut them to size. I made two sets at a time from one section of carpet, and it costs about 4 bucks, so it's not bad.

To wash, I just toss it in the machine usually on gentle, and I use antibacterial dish soap and baking soda in it. The carpet doesn't have any padding on the back, just a plastic mesh stuff to hold it together, and eventually it starts to dissolve from repeated washing. But, that's usually about the time that the ratties start to nibble them, so I just toss them out and replace them.

Dried flat, they are thick enough just to lay flat in the trays. I tried to cut (heavy exacto knife works FAR better then scissors - I learned this after my second blister. ) them with a really close fit, so that helps. I've been toying with the idea of a bit of velcro in the corners though...

Also, in the summer, when the house is closed up with the a/c on, I sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on the shelves before I put the carpet down, and that really, really takes care of any little bit of smell from not having any fresh air circulating. I have a super sensitive sniffer, and most people usually don't smell them at all, but it works for me, and it's safe, so I figure why not?

I believe that answered all your questions and then some. lol


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

Fantastic, thanks so much. I am SO going to try it. 

We have the Multi-Floor Funnel Home. It seemed great at first, but while I like the Funnels, I don't like them attached. So we got the bubbles to close off the holes, but that makes the top un-usuable to stack anything on top of... Which is fine when it's all of the cage but right now, we have it as half the full cage. Also, it has less doors as yours, because of those dang Funnel holes. It's a bit larger then yours. There's another one even bigger, called the Ferret Kingdom, it's freaking huge.

Anyway! Thanks again. Sounds like a fantastic way to make the SP into something better.


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## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

NIght-you have had a lot of different cages....how many years have you had rats? About how many cages have you had?

KInda random.....I was curious


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## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

That's not Night's cage.


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## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

oh.....I meant that she has had the purple SP i have now, the one you have, a cabinet one she made, now a FN, and probablt a bunch more I don't know about 

If you ask a question about a cage she can answer it seeing as she has had so many  lol


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