# Can I make a cage out of a bookcase???



## arpooch

Hello rat-lovers. I know that I've been asking a lot of questions lately but I was thinking about making a cage out of an old bookshelf. I think that this will be a lot cheaper for me since I am tight on money. Do you think this is a good idea??? If anyone has done this themselves can you show me some pictures and maybe tell me how you made it? 

Thanks!


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## hansloas

Sure can! 
http://www.dapper.com.au/cagebuild.htm


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## arpooch

Thanks so much! I think I'll do that! I bought a bookcase for 10.00 and it will be so much cheaper than buying a cage.


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## hansloas

It sure is! Keep us updated with pics, if you decide to do it


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## arpooch

Okay! If I decide to do it I definetly will.


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## Nienor

Hey,

what size is the book case ? Does it have doors ? It is realy tricky to built them yourself. I would always recommend to take a case for clothes for they usually have doors.

Make sure that you put silicone for aquariums into the corners and grooves so no pee or water can get into the intermediat spaces. And paint all wood with colour for wooden baby toys for this colour is not toxic when rat gnaw on the wood.
And please cover the edges of the bars on the door with wood so no rat will get hurt.

Good luck and show some pictures when you have finished


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## halfmoon

I do believe the Dapper Rat gives easy instructions to making a bookcase into a rat home. I am almost completely inept at using power tools, or anything of the sort, and I am considering doing this when I find time this summer. 

Nienor, putting aquarium silicone in the grooves is a great idea! Cleaning will be far easier if you don't have to scrub in the corners and grooves. You'd need a toothbrush or something to get in the area where wall meets floor... Ew. 

arpooch, Make sure you click on the link to the improvements they made to their Grotto. They said the doors would be better hinged further away because ratty tails can get shut in them.  There was something else too... Anyway, I'd make sure to read it all to be sure you're making the best house you can. ;D


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## arpooch

Thanks everyone for your replies! How would you stop the rats from gnawing on the wood?


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## Nienor

To make them stop gnawing you have to hide the places where they can start to gnaw. You could but metal boards (is that the right word Oo I mean these things : http://www.schlageter-dogern.de/alu-profile/alu_profile1.jpg the U shaped ones) so they can not reach to wood at the edges. They cannot start gnawing on a flat wood piece.
If you can buy them over in your country you can also put wooden bridges (as we would call them) on favourite gnawing sites in corners so they can gnaw these : http://www.zoobi.de/images/product_images/info_images/2915_2.jpg
It is important to give them some alternatives for they need to gnaw it is a behavioral necessity just like scratching when something is itchy.

There you can see two rat cages with those metal things on the front of the floors and on the right you see a wooden bridge in one corner. Maybe you now know what I was trying to tell you 

http://img.webme.com/pic/r/rattenzucht-muenchen/anebodasoffen.jpg


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## arpooch

Ok thanks! I would have never thought of that. ;D


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## smokeybear

I made one of these for my mice. After putting on those metal thingies to keep them from chewing, I noticed that they sometimes dropped stuff out of the cage.
We velcroed 4 inch high pieces of Plexiglass to the edges of the shelves, to keep them from dropping things. The only problem was that you had to hold them up straight to close the door.
I'm not sure if you'd want to bother, but this did keep the floor a lot cleaner.


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