Author: Sharon Buckley
More Custom Cages
The upper part of this cage was made by cagesbydesign.com. It is 4 feet wide by 5 feet high. It houses my four male chins. The side and top panels are 1/2” wire. The back panel is laminate which I applied a wall mural to (it’s more interesting to look at than a wood finish background). After spending at least 5 hours getting it to stick to the laminate, my chins began to chew it up. I wanted to cry. I immediately ran to the hardware store and bought sheets of plexie glass. I screwed it into the back panel and now it is completely protected and I can clean it! The plexie glass doors on the front of the cage slide from side to side and lock in the middle.
My dad created the bottom part of the cage out of oak so that it would match the rest of my furniture. Not only did he create storage space for chin supplies but he created a door that would open and store the litter pan. My cousin has a metal shop and made the pan for me. While I’m cleaning the litter pan (it slides right out) I simply fold and latch the door shut to keep my chins from escaping. Under the litter pan the wood is protected by vinyl so if they poop or pee and won’t seep into the wood cabinet. Thankfully, this monster of a cage is on wheels and rolls easily. The knobs on the drawers are made of wood shaped into chinchillas with felt ears and nose. As you can see, one is missing. My daughter yanked one off.
I’m still working on other toys to fill the cage. I created a tree like strueture out of metal shelves and copper pipe. I had originally made one out of wood but they kept peeing on it and there’s just no way to clean that. The shelves were purchased at a pet store (they came with the ladders). I had to bend a few wires to make them fit around the copper pipe. It is then held on with an L bracket and screws, nuts, and bolts. A pipe clamp holds the shelving in place around the pipe. My chins love being able to use the whole height of the cage.
Dante just loves to be photographed. The rest of the cage has leap n ledges and manzanita branches. They have a flying saucer wheel to exercise on and clay pots to sleep in. I love this cage. I spent so much time in the past cleaning up the mess on the floor. Now there is no mess on the floor and I get to spend all that extra time playing with the chins!!!
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