# How to go about making a bookshelf cage? Show pictures of your homemade cage?



## bampinkfuzzyhat (Dec 19, 2010)

I desperately need to get my rats into a new cage, or cover their cage so they can not get out.
I have been looking on Kijiji for a new cage, but there is NOTHING!
Buying a brand new Critter Nation cage would be expensive.
I am thinking about just covering the cage I have with wire mesh bars so they can not get out, but am curious if there will be sharp edges or if my rats will get stuck between the mesh and their cage.

I have seen homemade bookshelf cages around and it looks like a great solution to my problem!
I have a bookshelf downstairs of perfect size. It has a back to it so I would just have to create doors on the front.
How do people make these? Is it expensive to do?
What do I need to make these and get the doors to lock?
Would love to see pictures of your homemade cages to gain a visual idea!
Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks! ;D


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## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

I don't have any photos of some of the old bookshelf cages I have bad but I will do my best to describe it?? I used wire mesh and used a staple gun alonge the edges of the cage paying special attention to potential gaps etc. The hardest part IMO was building the door. The largest shelf I had, had 5-6 levels and I ended up just making two seperate doors for that cage. I got some 2x4 and made your basic door outline and once again stapled the wire mesh to the outside but made a support beam going across the middle of the door. I found these latches worked the best since they were not a big hassle to attach and stayed shut really well. 








It wasn't exactly like this one in that once you put the latch over the locking end you could twist it to lock it so you didn't need a padlock & key.. I hope that makes sence lol. Then I cut square holes out in each corner of the shelves and used those bird ladders for them to use kind of like stairs although if you want you can leave that out and they can climb up the mesh wireing from level to level. Then I put a bunch of ceiling hooks to the bottom parts of each level to hang toys and hammocks from:









That's pretty much it... I wish I still had those photos... I will go through my photobucket and see if I can get lucky but that's what I remember doing...

be weary of how *heavy your door is * because I made my first one really heavy so when I opened it I had the cage fall forward on me a couple of times lol. 

OH and another nice thing about the mesh is if you get them salt clicks most of the holders will click into there but if your rats chew them you can try zip-ties which they can also chew through but mine (for some reason or other) chewed on the zip-ties a lot less than those pastic holder thingys.


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## Crickett (Feb 22, 2011)

Just done last night for a impromptu rescue of two boys , this is all my hubby's hard work mind you lol 








Its a 4 shelf bookcase, my hubby cut holes in a zig zag pattern on each shelf (besides the top and bottom) to create levels, made ramps from something he uses at work in cabinets to keep things in place but you can use just about anything..there held in place by hook screws for easy removal , the "hut" are the pieces of the shelves he cut with more of the work stuff on top as a shelf to sit on. 1/2 mesh spacing hardware cloth on the front..flattened bird cage pekes as the doors and a now very dead cordless drill lol, decorate and add rats


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## bampinkfuzzyhat (Dec 19, 2010)

Oh thats a clever idea just putting the mesh on and having smaller doors instead of opening the entire mesh wall!
Thanks for your help guys! I have a better understanding of how it is created, although I need to find assistance in making the cage now.
Thank you for the visual 
I would like to have seperate doors for each shelf.. I believe my bookcase has 5 shelves, but that seems like a lot of extra work so maybe i should just stick to 2. Thanks for the heads up about heavy doors.. that may be a problem.. My bookcase has the risk of falling over as it is.. 
The padlock thing is a good idea.. I will have to look at hardware stores for types of stuff like that

also a side note, aren't rats not supposed to have salt licks? I thought that was only rabbits and guinea pigs ??? I thought i read somewhere that rats get enough of that in their own diet and salt licks are just to help other pets who need a bit more vitamin/mineral from it?


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