Chinchilla Community Forums

Chinchillas => Cages => Topic started by: LYChinchillas on December 17, 2014, 10:54:51 AM

Title: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: LYChinchillas on December 17, 2014, 10:54:51 AM
Hey everyone! Just wanted to reach out and see which of you have built your own cages for your babies - either from an armoire, wood, or other shelving unit that has been converted. My boyfriend and I have painstakingly built one last year and have been making more modifications on it lately.

I've found that having a custom-built wood-based cage makes it easy to make modifications at any point, new shelves and designs only take new pieces of kiln-dried pine and a few screws (and a few patient chinnies)!

You can find our custom cages here! They're constantly a work in progress, but we're very happy with what we've accomplished most recently.  :::grins::  http://lychinchillas.com/2014/12/17/custom-chinchilla-cages/
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: GrayRodent on December 17, 2014, 11:03:14 AM
I didn't technically build my cage but I did build some parts for it to convert a parrot cage into a chinchilla cage. So far it has served me well.

http://www.chinchillaclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4091.0.html
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: LYChinchillas on December 17, 2014, 02:23:48 PM
I didn't technically build my cage but I did build some parts for it to convert a parrot cage into a chinchilla cage. So far it has served me well.

http://www.chinchillaclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4091.0.html

Wow that's really spacious! Cool. I assume you change out some shelving since it's modified and that keeps it interesting!
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: GrayRodent on December 17, 2014, 05:11:12 PM
Actually I had to replace the shelves once after my chinchilla came down with coccidia (he had it when I got him but it flared up much later) and he kept trying to jump on a shelf that was missing while I was installing some hardware for it. He had no idea why he couldn't get up and kept jumping as if there was was something there. It was pathetic and quite hilarious. Someday I am going to have a video of that. I have a very stupid chinchilla and moving shelves would be a mean thing to do to him.
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: kageri on December 18, 2014, 10:28:52 AM
Giant new custom cage is in process.  Planning 2'x6'x6'h.  Or I might breakdown and pay the money for a walk in aviary of similar size.  Our carpentry skills are not so great.
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: LYChinchillas on December 18, 2014, 01:15:06 PM
LOL at Kulu.

Also, 2x6x6 is awesome! Right now we're working at 4x3x2 per chin, but they just don't get along so they all need their own... ends up taking up much more space divvying them up!
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: LYChinchillas on December 24, 2014, 09:16:05 AM
Hey everyone! A quick addition to this thread - I just wrote a lengthy post on exactly how to build your own custom chinchilla cage! :) Hope you are all enjoying your holidays! <3  http://lychinchillas.com/2014/12/24/how-to-build-a-custom-chinchilla-cage/
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: chillamom2012 on December 24, 2014, 03:12:17 PM
Thank you for sharing your cage-building tips! I love your ideas and I really enjoyed reading your blog.  I can see how much you love your chins:-)  My husband and I have only been chin owners for a couple of years, and there is so much for us to learn! I look forward to trying out some of your ideas and continuing to read more of your stories.
Title: Re: Custom Built Chinchilla Cages
Post by: LYChinchillas on December 29, 2014, 06:41:38 PM
Thanks chillamom for your feedback! :) Looking forward to sharing more with you.