# wanting to make homemade rat cage.pvc pipe,wire mesh,and coroplast any opinions???



## ali_clark

I have seen many cages like the grotto and such that seem like decent cages but i dont want to hack a bookshelf or really mess with wood since im not that handy with it. i saw someone had a cage made from wire mesh and pvc pipe however that i would love to try and build but instead of a wire or tub bottom take a sheet of coroplast and (just like with c&c cages for guinea pigs) score it to make a base except instead of putting it inside score it to where it goes around the outside of the cage so my ratties cant chew through it. ive made guinea pig cages and loved the ease of use. my boys have a super pet multi level and my girls dont have a permanent cage yet they have a rabbit cage which works while they are babies but i want their permanent cage to be big. if anyone has picture,suggestions,oppions,or instructions on how to make an easy pvc pipe build id love to know! p.s the girls are only 6 weeks old so plenty of time to plan;D


if i posted this wrong or anything i am very sorry and please let me know i am new to this.


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## JLSaufl

Here's a tutorial http://www.justforfuzzies.com/Other_Stuff/Cage/index.html

I made mine from hardware cloth, steel tubing and angle iron. I will say though it looks nice, I will never, ever make one again. I would rather just buy one...it was a huge pain.


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## cagedbirdsinging

Welcome to the forum! You made the thread and placed it correctly, so don't worry!

As mentioned, handmade cages are a huge pain in the neck and other areas. Often times, they end up costing just as much as a nice commercial cage and aren't as high of quality.

If you are really into this, though, there are plenty of tutorials out there, like the one above, and some folks around here that have the experience to share.

I can say that I wouldn't go for the cloroplast as a key part in the cage. It is very easy to chew through and I can see escapes in your future, even if the sides were outside of the cage. Perhaps a cement mixing tub would make for a better base... but I'm not certain. I'm definitely not an expert in this field.


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## PeachPeach

We're making a cage out of PVC, mesh, and a storage bin. Don't do it - between the time and difficulty of doing it right, plus the cost of materials, it would have made MUCH more sense to get the larger Martin's cages, even with shipping to Alaska! We're not saving much money and the hassle is really not worth it, even for my very competent and handy engineer husband. If I'd know that I wasn't saving money for the room I'm getting, we wouldn't have done it. A Petco Rat Manner, Martin's cage, Prevue, or even a single CN would be a better investment. This is my opinion as a DIYer, who learned the hard way 

On the upside, the cage looks great and it is custom to my specs, but still not worth it!


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## PeachPeach

Here it is as it stands today, waiting for hardware cloth and bolts, with the ramps in but none of the vinyl flooring or mesh on the ramps, themselves. Door is off to the side, and will hinge on the bottom and swing downward like a ramp.










An R-690 is very close to what we're making, and that or the 695 would have been only slightly more expensive than our materials! Live and learn.
http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat/


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## LightningWolf

As others had said, it's not worth the effort if your looking for a cheap/large cage. However if you Like to build stuff yourself, it will probably be a fun project

you can use coroplast for the base, no issue. 5mm is the thickness you want from what I know. Tip, if you want to keep grim out of it (and to make it look nice) you can use fabric tape (or duck tape?) and cover the edges and the inside corners of it.

You can also use a plastic tub, concrete mixing tub, ect. I recommend though if you're doing a homemade cage to make a removable pan. You can make it like the Critter nation or you can have it have it's own door. (Also if they Do chew through it they can't escape through the cage. Also the tape discourages chewing. it's the texture of the tape since they shouldn't be able to feel the sticky part)


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## JLSaufl

LightningWolf said:


> (Also if they Do chew through it they can't escape through the cage. Also the tape discourages chewing. it's the texture of the tape since they shouldn't be able to feel the sticky part)


This is funny, around the edges of the door opening of my cage I put decorative duct tape to cover parts that could be sharp or cause them harm, it's the only thing they chew on.


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## KelseyShea

Before you open the mesh/hardwire cloth- check the material it's made of. Some metals or coatings can be toxic. I used green vinyl coated hardwire cloth for my homemade cage.


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## kueen

It is a long process but, if you have the tools and love to build its not bad. I'm still building mine. I have most materials now its just a matter of putting it all together. It cost me around 100$ for pvc pipes/connectors, hardware cloth, Rust-oleum for the hardware cloth, and nuts/washer/bolts. This is a 60'24'24inch cage. For its size and price tag for materials so far it is worth it. Although, I have not figured out what to do for levels of the cage yet so we will see.


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