# Homemade Cage (in progress!)



## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

Gosh, when I set out to get the boys a new cage, I had no idea it would include this much indecision, waiting, researching, ect! I found some cages on craigslist and the local petshops were certain they had a Ferret/Critter Nation, but upon arriving to look at the cages, all were smaller than what they have now, sold before we could go to check it out (due to snow), or in such horrible condition it wasn't worth getting. I was very close to getting them a DFN, but then before we could go put money on our paypal account, PetSmart had sold out. So then my father offered to make a cage. But then PetSmart restocked the DFNs, and we ordered in time. Waited 3 weeks. Not delivered. Checked email, turns out PetSmart cancelled the order (I assume it was due to going out of stock again). But yesterday, my dad called me up to the garage and turns out, he started a cage for them.

It'll all be made out of steel and hardware wire (which I hope to get coated in rustoleum before we let the rats have at it). This was all made in about 5-6 hours yesterday. It's 23 inches deep, 59 inches in width, and the cage itself (not counting the legs) 44 inches tall. I would have rather it be 44 inches wide and 59 tall, but I didn't know he was building it until he called me up, and he was already halfway done. I'm thankful for what he's already done, so I didn't ask if he could flip it. He said he'll make as many shelves as I want, wherever I want, so that's a plus!

Now, done rambling, here's the cage so far -








(Ignore his messy garage, haha!)
There is no way possible for the boys to get pricked on the wire, as he has the angles covering the wire inside and out. I watched him put the top of the cage on and I don't know how he managed to do it, he slid the difficult wire between a tiny space between the two pieces of metal, which isn't as easy as it sounds.

The doors will be done in the same way, and the front is going to be made of two big doors that swing open. He also said something about a smaller door on the side so that I don't have to open such a big door if I just want to feed them or give them a scratch.

I'll update this as he goes 
And, in the meantime, any suggestions as to where the shelves should go? I think I'll have two large ones on either side where that metal beam is on the back, maybe one long one that runs all the way across the top, but that's about it so far  So suggestions on that would be much welcome.

Thanks!


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## Divit (Aug 5, 2013)

Wow. I don't have any suggestions... just wanted to comment what a professional looking job it seems to be so far.


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## JoshDeMott2010 (Aug 25, 2007)

He is doing very well I've often wanted to invest in some metal working tools so i can begin building my home made cages out of steel instead of wood combo.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Wow, great job he did. It looks very nice


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## evander (Jun 30, 2013)

That is awesome!!

You are very lucky to have such a talented and thoughtful dad!!


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## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

Thank you, guys! He's the go-to guy at a big sheet metal/heating and air company, so he's pretty used to do fashioning stuff like this. So far, he hasn't spent a dime since he has all the stuff laying around, but he has grumbled that he'll have to buy more "18 cents each" screws soon ^^ And I agree, evander, it was pretty surprising to go up and see him already have so much done and thought through for the rats safety in mind - I honestly didn't think he cared that much!


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

Wow, if he had that much "scrap" lying around, he could probably start making more and selling them off as he made them.


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## Roonel (Jan 27, 2014)

What a lovely dad!


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## Spangled (Mar 4, 2014)

tell him he's done an awesome job


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## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

Aha, I don't think he'd ever make cages to sell them off. I think the major motivation behind this cage was to stop my complaining about tiny doors and to save him from forking out $200+ for a DFN or DCN (my upcoming birthday probably didn't hurt, either)  But thank you, guys! I'll be sure to tell him.


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## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

The doors are in progress now!  I'm crossing my fingers the cage will be done this weekend, but I don't know if that'll happen ^^


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## kenzierey (Jan 27, 2014)

Lare said:


> The doors are in progress now!  I'm crossing my fingers the cage will be done this weekend, but I don't know if that'll happen ^^


I am so excited for a progress picture!!! Cage looks amazing so far!


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## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

I'm excited for the cage to be done, kenzie! I don't think they'll be done by the weekend, now, dad's been busy with work. Ah well, hopefully they'll be done before my birthday <3 Thank you~

I think I got the shelves figured out, one large one in the middle, two smaller ones on the top (which will be surrounded by hammocks), and two medium-sized ones on the bottom  The shelves are going to be done in fleece, but I think I'm going to let the bottom have litter. They have old fleece blankets in their cage now (I wanted to give it a try) and a litter box of carefresh, which they use, but also try to stash their extra treats and burrow in. I've put in a digging box for them but they'd still rather be in the carefresh, and I don't want to deprive them of that, haha.


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## Daddas1Punkin (Jan 24, 2014)

looks really good!


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## Lare (Jan 18, 2014)

Shelves are up!! One of their ladders from their current cage is there, as well as some weird plastic fence as a ladder in the middle. I think I'm going to ask dad to take that out though, the more I look at it the more I dislike it. Plus, the boys need prompted to climb some. He's also added wheels to the bottom so it's really easy to move around! The 4 dollars for the wheels are the only money he's spent on the cage so far. I'm on mobile so the attachments may be weird, sorry! I'll fix them whenever I get on my laptop if they're buggy.


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

Wow! That's one very handy dad you have there!! Looks great ;D


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