Building Rather Than Buying :)

[novemberkris]

Well, with the likely chance that Paulie has major medical bills coming up, I've decided to forgo my dream of a Ferret Nation.

That being said, I like to draw things and my boyfriend likes to build things. Therefore I've come up with a crafty plan to build a cage "better" than the Ferret Nation (meaning, personalized for Paulie's habits)--complete with a drawer like top floor for Paulie to sleep in, since he loves my drawers so very much.

Thanks to Tractor Farm Supply, I can get the main materials for $40. That's the 36"x25' roll of galvanized 14 gauge cage wire (which needs no frame) and J-clips for clamping. Ron has most or all of the tools necessary.

Now I just have to figure out how I want to build half shelves, and line the bottom of the cage (under bed box?--or someone here bought something cool from Menard's--road trip). Also, how to hinge and latch doors the size I want. I may have to create some framing from pvc or something to support larger doors, but I'm not sure yet.

I will post progress as I actually hammer out the design and start building. A good positive project for me right now.

[rarnold18]

Our was really easy to do and probably would of been done in a few hours if my DH wasn't so scattered brain! We used 1x2 strips to make the doors and staplegunned the wire mesh to the back of the doors. for latches we used small trunk type latches, the ones that you hook on and then push back so they lay flat... they are on the out side top of the cage so even if the fuzz could work the latches they can't get to them! We converted an old entertainment center that we found at a garage sale. It has the big space for the TV, that's where I hang their hammocks, and under that there were two doors, I took those off and made that section to potty "rooms" and the other shelves are for eating, sleeping and playing! We used a 3.5 or 4 in hole saw to make "doors" between rooms. It took them a few weeks to build up muscle strength to be able to get to the top floors, (their old cages were all one level so they weren't used to climbing) but they are all over the place now! Good luck with the build, I wanted a 142 too, but the cost was just not in our budget, I think I like our home built cage better!