My New Chinchilla Cage

[danakscully64]

It's still a work in progress, but I'm so excited that I want to show everyone pictures! The cage is more than 6' tall, 4' wide, and 2' deep. It's made out of very heavy melamine pressboard.

I have 3 chinchillas: Shadow, Midnight, and Twilight. When I adopted Twilight from someone who couldn't keep her anymore, she was supposed to be a he. Good thing I kept the chins seperate! After a while, I got annoyed with the amount of space the cages were taking up in my room (I also have a huge rabbit cage in there). I decided to build a new cage which could house the 3 chins. My grandpa did most of the work, but here's what I got so far:

Moving the cage upstairs (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/new-chincage02.jpg)

Cage frame (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/new-chincage01.jpg)

Cage with doors on (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/new-chincage03.jpg)

It's been a real challenge planning it all out (slideout trays were the worst). All I need to do is figure out a way to prevent the chins from chewing on the wood shelves I'm putting up and figure out something to put between the 2 slideout trays (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/new-chincage04.jpg) on each section (2).

I had to make the trays smaller than the space or the doors would have had to go completely open for the tray(s) to come out.

I'm so excited! And if this cage works out and isn't as loud as their current wire cages, I might be able to start sleeping in my room again! YAY!

Here are my chins: Shadow and Midnight (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/boys-free01.jpg) (Midnight on left) & Twilight (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/twilight-dust-edit.jpg) (just out of a dust bath).

[Pescas]

I want your cage! :D

[danakscully64]

You can't have it! :lol: Do you have any chinchillas? Or do you want to live in it? :p

[animallover7249]

I have a really big cage for my chinchillas, too. I didn't build it, though! It's around 5ft tall and 4 levels.

[danakscully64]

Do you have a picture?

[Pescas]

I dont have any chinchillas, but if I had a cage like that I would adopt some! Well, probably not, I have too many pets already :(

[danakscully64]

haha... I completely understand. As much as I'd LOVE a green iguana, guinea pig, and rat, I don't have time, space, or money for anymore pets. I was crazy when I was younger... I had 21! I had more time and energy then :p

[animallover7249]

:lol: I have alot of pets.

I don't have a full shot photo of their cage on this computer, I'll get one later and send it to you!

[danakscully64]

Is it made out of plastic? Twilights current cage is and it's dangerous. The boys were in a plastic cage for a while and they ate it apart practically overnight! I found that the girls are less destructive than the boys though. She doesn't chew much, so I trust her being in there.

Is it this cage? (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/cages.gif) (left)

[Pescas]

I saw on your profile what pets you have :D
I have 2 rabbits, a dog and a cat, but like you I've had a lot of pets throughout my life, I havent counted though :D

[danakscully64]

:D I love my critters. I'm the animal rescuer. My dogs Sweet Pea and Chewy (chewy died in May) were strays. My rabbit was found in my sister-in-laws yard, but I think he was someones pet before. I adopted 2 of my 3 guinea pigs from people who didn't have time for them anymore, ditto 2 mice. I took in a stray dog (with a collar on) a few months ago, but had to take her to the animal services because her and Sweet Pea got into a fight over food (blood all over me). Don't think anyone claimed her :( Had signs out and everything. I would like a cat, maybe in the future, but for now, the neighbors cats double as my own :) Jasper and TomTom are the cutest!

What kind of rabbits do you have? You should check out Pikapet.com. Animallover right above introduced me :) You can make profiles for each one of your pets.

Here's one of my pets (http://www.pikapet.com/pet/view/2869) (to see more, they're under "My Family" on the right side.)
And here's one of animallovers pets. (http://www.pikapet.com/pet/view/2331)

[animallover7249]

Is it made out of plastic? Twilights current cage is and it's dangerous. The boys were in a plastic cage for a while and they ate it apart practically overnight! I found that the girls are less destructive than the boys though. She doesn't chew much, so I trust her being in there.

Is it this cage? (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/danakscully64/cages.gif) (left)

No, it's not plastic. I would never give them a plastic cage - way too dangerous! It's a large metal cage, but I have mats tied down so it's not metal on their feet. It's similar to the cage on the left, put with a metal pull out pan.

[animallover7249]

Here's one of my pets (http://www.pikapet.com/pet/view/2869) (to see more, they're under "My Family" on the right side.)
And here's one of animallovers pets. (http://www.pikapet.com/pet/view/2331)

:D I love that site! All of my pets aren't on there, though. It stopped letting me add pets. :stinkeye:

[Pescas]

I got my dog when he was 18months old, his first owner treated him like dirt and had him caged up 12 hours plus each day as a puppy...Its a wonder he turned out like a wonderful dog. Hes an english bulldog, pitbull, bullmastiff, american bulldog mix! :D

I have one female rabbit that I rescued myself. She lived in a transport cage inside a smelly dirty barn, with a male rabbit. Of course she had children with him constantly ( they were siblings too..) but none of them lived up (the parents ate the children). In total 18 children were born and died, and she was soo young when she gave birth to them...
I asked the farmers if I could take the rabbits, and they said yes because they didnt want them anymore anyways. They had lived on chicken food...

Anyway, I was going to take them both, but the male escaped and was killed the same day I was picking them up! So I took the female, and she was pregnant.

I dont know the breed, probably a mix. Shes a wonderful rabbit! She had two babies, and they lived up, and I still keep contact with their owners.
Ive had her for 1,5 years now, and shes 2 years old.

My other rabbit was 6 months when I got him. His owners moved out of the country, and needed someone to take him. He was castrated, and I took him to live with my female. He is purebred and has a pedigree.

:D

[danakscully64]

No, it's not plastic. I would never give them a plastic cage - way too dangerous! It's a large metal cage, but I have mats tied down so it's not metal on their feet. It's similar to the cage on the left, put with a metal pull out pan.

Good! Most people don't know that. I had to learn the hard way because even though I did hours of research online before getting my first chin, I never read that. Plus, the people at Petco don't know what they're doing... they carry plastic cages which just shows they know nothing about chins (what about the company that makes them?). The person who gave me Twilight worked at Petco and had that cage for her, that's how I ended up with it. If she had a chewing problem, I would have purchased her a new cage immediately. Another chin owner said females are usually better in terms of destructive behavior... not as bad.

There are 2 major cons I have with the wire cages: the poop flies out EVERYWHERE and they're loud. I'm hoping this new cage will be much better, not so loud. I'm afraid the chins will chew on the wood though. I'm trying to come up with good ways of fixing that issue.

[danakscully64]

I got my dog when he was 18months old, his first owner treated him like dirt and had him caged up 12 hours plus each day as a puppy...Its a wonder he turned out like a wonderful dog. Hes an english bulldog, pitbull, bullmastiff, american bulldog mix! :D

I have one female rabbit that I rescued myself. She lived in a transport cage inside a smelly dirty barn, with a male rabbit. Of course she had children with him constantly ( they were siblings too..) but none of them lived up (the parents ate the children). In total 18 children were born and died, and she was soo young when she gave birth to them...
I asked the farmers if I could take the rabbits, and they said yes because they didnt want them anymore anyways. They had lived on chicken food...

Anyway, I was going to take them both, but the male escaped and was killed the same day I was picking them up! So I took the female, and she was pregnant.

I dont know the breed, probably a mix. Shes a wonderful rabbit! She had two babies, and they lived up, and I still keep contact with their owners.
Ive had her for 1,5 years now, and shes 2 years old.

My other rabbit was 6 months when I got him. His owners moved out of the country, and needed someone to take him. He was castrated, and I took him to live with my female. He is purebred and has a pedigree.

:D

Aww.... poor animals! Farmers like that should be arrested for animal cruelty. I would have reported them. My rabbit is wonderful too :) Mason is my first rabbit, so I didn't know what to expect when I got him. He's a sweetheart. The only con... he sheds like crazy and doesn't let me brush him often. He lives in my room.

That's good you were able to find homes for the babies. :) I tried to find Mason a home when I took him in with no luck. People around here don't care enough to rescue or adopt.

I want to see pictures of your pets :)

[Pescas]

I dont know what reporting would do though. I mean, they were fed, and they werent physically abused. Besides, Norway doesnt have an animal police, only food safety control, and the rabbits werent for food anyways...

Yes, my two best friends received the rabbit babies =)
My rabbits have actually never been inside =o They live outside, but seem happy there.

[danakscully64]

I dont know what reporting would do though. I mean, they were fed, and they werent physically abused. Besides, Norway doesnt have an animal police, only food safety control, and the rabbits werent for food anyways...

Yes, my two best friends received the rabbit babies =)
My rabbits have actually never been inside =o They live outside, but seem happy there.

The fact that they were being bred irresponsibly and fed chicken food is abuse. I bet laws aren't as strict there since you don't even have an animal police. Rally to get one there :)

My rabbit lived in the garage for a while, then I had a hutch built, then recently, I built him a C&C cage. His outside cage was nice, but the only place it could be put was in the corner of the yard. Sometimes his cage got hit by the sprinklers. It scared me having him outside though because where I live, it gets EXTREMELY hot (120 F) and even though bunnies are supposed to be able to handle colder weather, I felt guilty leaving him outside during the winter. He loves being inside now because he gets much more attention. But when he sheds his coat... everything in my bedroom gets a new fur trim :p

[Pescas]

Well, I dont think most would agree that breeding is abuse, even though I think so too.

Its rarely hot here, mostly cold, and they seem to do fine. In the summer I attach a fan to their cage and icepackets under towels for them :)

[born2shoplc]

I have a chinchilla too, here's her cage:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v287/diet-sprite/?action=view&current=mycage.jpg

Me & my dad made it a couple of years ago.

[TreeManEarthSteward]

I want your cage! :D

I want to be put IN THAT CAGE !!! Its where I belong :yes: :wayne: :D ;)

[TreeManEarthSteward]

I have a chinchilla too, here's her cage:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v287/diet-sprite/?action=view&current=mycage.jpg

Me & my dad made it a couple of years ago.

so where does your sock monkey live?

[danakscully64]

I have a chinchilla too, here's her cage:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v287/diet-sprite/?action=view&current=mycage.jpg

Me & my dad made it a couple of years ago.

That's very nice! Was it a challenge to build? Does she chew on the wood? Does she pee on the wood shelves? How do you change the bedding? :D My chins still aren't in the new one... I went to ACE hardware and bought the things to hang the shelves from the ceiling, but no one has had time to help me.

[danakscully64]

I want to be put IN THAT CAGE !!! Its where I belong :yes: :wayne: :D ;)

:lol: I'm sure Twilight would share... the only thing is, the shelves don't hold more than 2 pounds... are you under 2 pounds? :p

[TreeManEarthSteward]

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=438&pf_id=4343

Twilight will not notice I am really human if I cover myself in chinchilla dust. :rockon:

I bet the chinchilla is not supposed to have water on it, coz its fur would get dreadlocked I suppose and I don't know, whats the true reason? What do you do about 'bathing' your Twilight ? I read on the website selling the product that which I say.