# Bin cage advice?



## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

So my friend and I are most likely making a bin cage for some mice she wants. Anyone have any tips? Like how to add extra levels? We're thinking about connecting two two foot tall bins and stacking them and using tubes to connect, like a giant version of the critter trail cages. XD But also want levels on the inside. I'm afraid of using hardware cloth though because of rust and erosion... That's what we're using for the sides and top to provide ventilation, but using it for something the mouse would walk on is iffy. I guess she could just cover the wire with fleece or something though.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Sound like good ideas so far, try a google image search for other people's tub cages should give you some ideas


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## riotfox (Apr 16, 2010)

if you had a spare grate from the bottom of another cage, those make great levels when covered with fleece .


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

Hmmm. Not sure if there's any spare levels lying around but maybe some kind of shelving from Walmart? Or those locker things that high school kids use for books and stuff.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

this might help - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJhB_aEe81o&feature=plcp


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

LightningWolf said:


> this might help - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJhB_aEe81o&feature=plcp


Oh man these mouse boxes make our feeble attempt look completely inadequate. XD We didn't even want to mess with wood so it ended up being all plastic. lol. XD Though I guess that it's pretty good for our first attempt. And it took hours even though we still have the top box to do since we're stacking two bins for more levels and climbing.

Here's the first bin we did, and tomorrow we're going to pick up some tubes to connect the second bin on top for more levels.  The mice seem to like it so far but she did end up getting two males so we want them to have as much space as possible to avoid becoming territorial with each other!

After we finished putting the hardware cloth on the bin:
















After we decorated and added a plastic level with zip ties (made out of a plastic box from the target dollar section. ):














Mice have been added!  :








Tomorrow we're going to finish the top bin and connect them with hamster tubes, and I've been thinking about suggesting adding another small box that would only have mesh on the lid to keep newspaper or whatever in so they have a digging/sleeping den in a separate box. That way the bedding is still cheap but they can dig to their hearts' content. XD


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Wow, I have to say, that is pretty cool. Better then most mouse bin cages I've seen. if your still curious about bin cage designs you can go to the hamster forums and ask them.


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

Wish you lived around me! I'd love a bin cage for my mouse


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

Thanks.  It was fun to plan and decorate!!! It wasn't too hard to make, except we had to borrow all the tools from my friend's boyfriend.  We just finished the second bin and attached them using some pool tubing, but since we stacked them it's hard to open the bottom bin, which we didn't think about before. XD And we ended up getting a $2 bin from WalMart to use as a bedding compartment, which hangs on the side and is also attached using the pool tubing and zip ties.  Of course now that it's done they seem to be fighting pretty badly since they're both male and one is getting bullied so we had to plug the tube and separate one into the bottom and one into the top. And now she doesn't know what to do. XD She could put one in an aquarium I have but then we'd both feel bad because Glorio, the one who was bullied, would have the super awesome cage and Nicki would be denied all that entertainment. lol

Anyway, I'm going to post some pictures of the finished product tomorrow because I'm too tired to deal with syncing up my phone tonight and sorting through pictures, etc. XD Though I think I might be kept up a while longer anyway because Opal is staring forlornly at me through her cage and I feel guilty cause Izzie is sitting next to me... ;_;


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

That sucks, if it doesn't cost you guys too much you can try to make a second identical bin cage.

Oh I think I should make something clear, that isn't my video, its a guy on youtube who has Way much more time then I have to make stuff like this. He has a lot of mice as well. Trust me, If I was to tell you how to make it I would just say cut out the sides, put some hardware mesh in, and put in some toys, I wouldn't of thought of using wood or other stuff for added levels, not in till I saw his videos at lease. Though it would be interesting if he would sell his bin cages to make a little extra money.


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

Yeah he could probably sell his bin cages. They're so pretty! And the mice seemed to like them. lol. And his way of attaching water bottles seemed sturdier than the store-bought ones. I just read somewhere that mice love to climb so thought we should have levels, and my friend was very set on having levels for aesthetic purposes, so we were very excited about the bins from target.  If we hadn't found those I don't think we would have ended up putting levels in.

I think she's going to make Nicki (the bully) a one-bin cage using leftover supplies since she has a whole bunch of fish and doesn't have enough room for another cage that big, or try and find him a nice new home and just keep the tubs separated temporarily. I would have kept him since he's so darling, but my boyfriend made me promise next time I had the option to help an animal by keeping it I'd turn it down and let someone else do it. This whole ordeal has got me thinking I should make a bin cage for my old rescue rat Izzie (the culprit behind my promise XD), but I'd need to find a longer shallower tub since her back legs don't really work so she needs floor space vs. climbing space. And under the bed bins seem a bit too shallow. lol

Anyway, pictures of the finished product as soon as my friend sends some since she had to go back to her own state and we were too rushed to take them here.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

For a True Rat Bin cages, I would recommend the Sterilite 105 quart tubs, since they are rectangles, and have 2 to 3 of those stacked. you can also get those 45 gallon tubs that have the wheels. you have to make sure you cut out the sides and tops though for ventilation. If you want to make a cage with a bin bottom you can pick up a large cement mixing tray, they are about 2 feet by 3 feet by 8 inches tall, and would be great for a homemade wire cage.

Oops, just saw that your wanting a one level cage. well the 105 quart tub is 13 inches tall, by around 3 feet by 1.5 feet and rat calculator says 2 rats, so could be used along with the 45 gallon tub and those 50 gallon tubs. Though personally I would get a large dog crate (not sure about where you live but here in Texas you see at lease 10 or so new ads up on craigslist for large dog crates for around $50) and get some hardware mesh and wrap around it.
Poor Nicki. if you can with the two bins on the bottom on and even the top one make a section of hardware cloth and make a door, you can get those dog leash hooks (sorry don't know the actual names) and use those for the locks. they are like $3 for a pack I think.


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

That's a good idea for doors, I'll have to pass it along.  She'll just have to wrangle her boyfriend into helping her in my absence. lol. I might have to see how much the big bins run and compare with dog crate prices on craigslist. Though there's not a lot of stuff on craigslist around here because it's a teeny town in Iowa. There's nothing in Iowa.  And both the pet stores here kinda suck and are overpriced since they're tiny pet stores and the only ones around for like 45 minutes. XD It was really funny cause we went into one the other day and were looking at critters and there was a bottle that said "mite spray" right on the table next to rats and mice... lol. I felt awful cause they kept like 10 rats in one tiny lab cage and like 20 mice in the same type cage. -_-" Anyway. xD Izzie seems pretty content in her current cage since it's so much better than how she was living before I got her, but I still wish I could provide more floor space. Bah. Might look into those big tubs and see what I can afford.


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

So I finally got the pictures of the finished product and here it is! Sorry the pics are a bit grainy. lol.

This is a top view of the top bin! The wheel will go back in teh bottom bin and there's a little wire mesh garbage can we had overturned in there they loved to climb around on, inside and out. 








Here's the top bin from the side. ^_^









And here's the whole thing! On the left you can see there's some pool tubing connecting the top and bottom bin, and the purple box on the right is filled to the top with carefresh so they can dig. It's also connected with pool tubing, but going up through the bottom so you can't really see it in the picture. ^_^


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Sweet. Really? wow, coming from a lot of snake forums (I like rats and snakes) most of them say that the largest lab cages can only hold 2 rats. Wait by lab cage do you mean the actual lab cages (they are plastic with a wire frame on top so you don't have to open it up to put in food and water) or a tank? Anyways nice cage. here and up in missouri the 105 quart tubs are around $13. I think the 45 gallon ones are $18 or $21 though not sure. maybe you can order a dog crate or large single level rabbi cage from petsmart or petco.


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

Yeah it was actual lab cages. It was pretty awful conditions. I don't like shopping there anyway, though, because the owner and I had a fight about some fish I bought from him (they were stunted and he refused to believe it) and now he scares me. <_<"" Plus he's just kind of a jerk.

Maybe when I go grocery shopping tomorrow I'll pop by target and walmart and see if there's anything there.  Gotta go buy some pineapple chunks and cream cheese because one of my rats, Olivia, refuses to take her medicine with anything but pineapple cake I baked one time... -_-" lol Tried babyfood, brown sugar, yogurt, nutella! So I give up and I'll have to eat the cake on my own and use crumbs to give her medicine. And maybe half the sugar so it's not as bad for her. I think she can just smell it in everything else or something.


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