[Alastrina]

Since I will soon be expanding my hedgie family, I want to look into some affordable, safe, and tall enough for a CSW hedgie housing.

I just saw a post Nancy made about using the wire closet shelving sections as an alternative to the typical C&C setup. I really liked the way it looked, and it had a good sturdy wire top b/c of it being the shelving that I liked, it looks ideal for clamping on a CHE clamp-lamp for heating. The only con to this setup right now for me is floor space is at a premium, and these set-ups can't be stacked on much (say storing food and liners on top)?

While out picking up a few things today I saw what I thought was the perfect plastic bin for a hedgie cage, and it made me think more about how I would modify one to provide a good sized play and eating area, and then maybe attach a smaller bin for a sleeping area?

I'm really just kicking around ideas at this point, I have a few weeks to get things all set up.

I also have to consider the size of a new cage; the liners I have made up right now are 36" by 18" more or less, so I would need to stick as close to this size as possible if I want to be able to use my pre-existing liners. Making a few new ones is as simple as spending $15, and buying up 2 fleece throws and some inexpensive towels to stick between the fleece layers for absorbency, sew it up along the outside, and ta-da! ^_^ That would give me at least 2 good liners for a new cage that I could be a little more flexible on the size.

So my question would be, in your experience, which would be the better set-up?
* pre-existing liners being 36" by 18"
* Wheel height being that of a typical CSW (or CSBW)
* And using a CHE

My husband and I are fairly handy, crafty people so constructing something isn't an issue, I'm more concerned as to which would be the best value, and best for the hedgies considering the factors I've listed (heat, wheel, liners).

I am saving up for a Critter Nation / Ferret Nation stackable setup (2 or 3 cages on one stand) for my hedgie herd I'm building, but I want them to be comfy and have some fun with their housing in the meantime ^_^

~Katie

 

[CanadienHedgie]

Something like this would be good:

You can make them as high as you want, and as big as you want. You can make the cages the exact size that you need to fit your liners. You can either overlap the grids and ziptie/cable tie them together. Or use a pair of wire cutters to cut some grids and zipties/cable tie them together to make the cage the same as your liners. Same idea as the Ferret/Critter Nation as well.

 

[Alastrina]

oooh yeah, I see what you mean, that last shot showed a nice set up ^_^

 

[LarryT]

The CSW will fit in a C&C cage but the top must be modified to fit,The CSBW will fit most any cage out there. I've had bins and C&C's and I found the C&C cages to be much better for me,I love how the C&C sits onto of my liners and prevents any liner diving lol.

 

[Nancy]

You can make multi level cages with flip down fronts using closet shelving but you are limited to it only being 2' deep which I believe is the widest you can get in closet shelving.

If you are going to get a FN why not use something cheap like bins for now and put the money towards the FN. I believe there are some quite good deals on the FN's every so often and watch your local craigs list and selling sites.

 

[CritterHeaven]

Just a note on the FN cages, the two levels are pretty high. I know you can stack to three levels but you would need a step ladder (unless you are REALLY tall) to get up to the top cages.

CSN ha some good deals on the FN often btw.

 

[Nancy]

Just a note on the FN cages, the two levels are pretty high. I know you can stack to three levels but you would need a step ladder (unless you are REALLY tall) to get up to the top cages.

CSN ha some good deals on the FN often btw.

I agree, I'm tall and the 3rd level would not be a comfortable height.

 

[CritterHeaven]

I am 5'7" and the top of the second one is about right for me.

 

[Alastrina]

Yeeahhh, I'm 5'3", so I think the double-decker FN would be pushing it for me!

I do want to save up and get that type of cage though, even if I wind up with 2 double units and use the empty 4th unit for storage until it needs to be cleared for a resident ^_^

As of last night, my concern is now to make/buy a nice cage for one of the little guys that is coming to me from the HWS. I was given the opportunity to adopt a little guy, and either make or buy him a cage & send a picture of it in instead of an adoption fee / donation. So I want to do a good job, whatever I decide. And I know for under $50 I could make an amazing cage, it will just have to be up to standards to be approved by Charity or else I'm better of buying one, though I was bummed to see that major chain pet stores like PetsMart really don't have anything of a decent size for the $50 price range.

My husband has an idea, he's thinking of a way to build something similar to a FN stacker cage, but hasn't really explained it to me enough for me to explain it to you guys & gals... I'm going to try to get him to draw it out maybe b/c he's good at making preliminary sketches and then I can go from there.

And if for the $50 I could make awesome new cages for all the boys (because I'll have 3 come mid-June) why not do it? One of my adoptees will be coming to me with his cage, so it's not an immediate need to make/buy a cage for him or Charley, just the third little one needs a cage to call home.

Tonight I'll be sorting through the posts here at HHC and seeing what kind of ideas stick out at me ^_^

I did check Craigslist last night for my immediate area (like, w/in 40ish miles) and found someone who was selling a 2 foot by 2 foot cage that was 2 feet high then... not ideal but for $15 I was intrigued and asked for more info and a picture. It would be cool if it could be used as a base camp, and then maybe add on to it for a sleeping spot?

So many ideas, not enough space in my brain!

 

[Alastrina]

Here are the drawings my husband did up of the multi-tier cage he is picturing building for the boys:

[attachment=0:17fyduz5]ChrisCageIdeas.jpg[/attachment:17fyduz5]

For the triple stacked, taller set-up I don't think it would be a good idea, mainly because of the differences in temperature between the top, middle, and bottom. Now if the boys each like the average temp for each of the three levels, then it could work out beautifully for everyone. I'm also a tad leery of the fact it's going to be 7 feet tall; I won't be able to even see into the top cage without a step stool.

I like the two on bottom, one on top set-up he drew next. I think we could even go with building it with 4 units, two on the top and two on the bottom, and use the last one for storage until a time that an occupant comes to live in it ^_^ If we went with this side-by-side set-up there would be a piece of opaque plexiglass or and color of cloroplast in between the cages so no one could see or get at their neighbor.

For both arrangements I suggested adding another 12 inches to the length to make the units 24" by 36" instead of 24" by 24" the way he has them set up in the pictures. I would still need to make new liners, but I think 2' by 3' would be a good sized living space for the average hedgie, and we would still get to maximize space in our bedroom.

I had though of turning the units sideways so that the unit would be 2 foot wide and 3 foot deep, because I agreed with my husband when e said lengthening the units while having them end to end would make the entire cage as long as a couch. Which would be ok providing we can shuffle some furniture around.

Like I said in a previous post, it's mostly idea shuffling at this point.

For materials for these drawings we're thinking of using PVC pipe for the frame, and coated wire for the sides. There would then be a sheet of cloroplast or plexiglass on the bottom to provide a smooth, sturdy surface for little hedgie feet. Whichever end is facing out into the rest of the room will then be made so that it is able to open fully and that end would be the door into the unit.

 

[Alastrina]

I wanted to post an update on the search for the ideal hedgie cage for our new arrival(s) and Charley.

We've decided to go with the following dimensions and materials to build cages:

24" wide, 48" long, 24" tall. (Plenty of space for a CSW on one end and a second level later on )

Materials:
PVC pipe for frame - 3/4" and standard elbow joints. This will mean the cage is assembled in panels and then fixed together (hubby says he plans to screw them together). Top panel will be hinged to allow for access to the cage proper. There are 3-way joints for the pipes of the frame, and we may go with them, it's still in the decision phase there.
Plastic garden mesh - 1/2" honeycomb style. It's very durable while at the same time not rough or sharp. I wanted coated wire, but the hardware store was out when we went materials scouting. They ad a spot for it, so I'm still hoping.
Coroplast - 24" x 36" for $5.50... not too shabby methinks. Using for the floor of the cage if I can wrangle it (wish I could get the desired 24" x 48" floorspace in one sheet, but that would man involving the sign shops or getting two pieces and taping them together or something, and I don't like that idea. Suggestions here are welcome. Also using coroplast for the sides, at least 6" high. Should I go 8" just to be safe?

Altogether, this will come out to be about the same (within 5 dollars) of the price of the only tubs I could find that I would accept for cage use (90gal rubbermaid). So why not expand? And it gets my hubby involved, he's really looking forward to bringing Mac (his little guy) home in a few weeks.