Scott
01-03-2013, 01:19 PM
Less than a month ago, with my 10-year-old son assisting, I built a custom cage for our Syrian hamster, Snickers.
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-11-10_20-56-15_4111-150x150.jpg
We had a chest of four drawers with hutch support in the basement and decided to turn it into a two-level hamster home. Below are pictures. Below the pictures is more information about the project. I'll try to answer any questions anyone has.
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-11-30_20-22-58_3171-339x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-12-04_22-01-14_697-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-56-30_527-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-46-58_7021-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-49-44_220-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-19_12-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-11_220-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-54_180-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_09-25-29_493-225x400.jpg
First I cut out the front drawer dividers with a jigsaw.
We used shelves we had left over from an old Ikea bookcase and cut them with a circular saw to make a floor for the lower level. We used L-brackets and mending plates to connect the floor sections and attach them to the inside walls of the furniture.
We had leftover vinyl flooring that we cut to size for both levels of floor to keep it safe from moisture.
We removed the back of the furniture.
We used 1/2 inch yard roll wire to line the inside of the lower room walls so they could not be chewed through. That yard roll also covers the entire back of the furniture (staple gun) to provide ventilation.
We used a 2 1/4 inch hole saw to cut holes for Crittertrail tubes to connect sections.
We cut wood to size to build a front frame for the top level (on the surface of the furniture) and drilled it into the furniture and stapled yard roll wire from the top of this wood frame to the top of the furniture. Acrylic sheets and aquarium silicon were used to seal the sides.
For the doors, we bought two expandable screens that are used for windows and we ripped out the screen and siliconed plastic in its place. Using hooks and loops, these doors are secured on each end to the furniture itself, on the lower level, and to the wood frame we built, on the upper level. Both doors can be completely removed. Cleaning is very easy because Snickers is potty trained. She only urinates in the litter box Crittertrail outhouse above the structure (on the left), and only defecates in the tunnels.
The main level is about 612 sq. inches 34×18. The two rooms on the lower level are about 270 sq. inches each 16×17. Snickers has over 1,100 sq. inches of floor space. She uses all of it.
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-11-10_20-56-15_4111-150x150.jpg
We had a chest of four drawers with hutch support in the basement and decided to turn it into a two-level hamster home. Below are pictures. Below the pictures is more information about the project. I'll try to answer any questions anyone has.
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-11-30_20-22-58_3171-339x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012-12-04_22-01-14_697-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-56-30_527-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-46-58_7021-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-49-44_220-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-19_12-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-11_220-400x225.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_08-48-54_180-225x400.jpg
http://whenfallsthecoliseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-01-02_09-25-29_493-225x400.jpg
First I cut out the front drawer dividers with a jigsaw.
We used shelves we had left over from an old Ikea bookcase and cut them with a circular saw to make a floor for the lower level. We used L-brackets and mending plates to connect the floor sections and attach them to the inside walls of the furniture.
We had leftover vinyl flooring that we cut to size for both levels of floor to keep it safe from moisture.
We removed the back of the furniture.
We used 1/2 inch yard roll wire to line the inside of the lower room walls so they could not be chewed through. That yard roll also covers the entire back of the furniture (staple gun) to provide ventilation.
We used a 2 1/4 inch hole saw to cut holes for Crittertrail tubes to connect sections.
We cut wood to size to build a front frame for the top level (on the surface of the furniture) and drilled it into the furniture and stapled yard roll wire from the top of this wood frame to the top of the furniture. Acrylic sheets and aquarium silicon were used to seal the sides.
For the doors, we bought two expandable screens that are used for windows and we ripped out the screen and siliconed plastic in its place. Using hooks and loops, these doors are secured on each end to the furniture itself, on the lower level, and to the wood frame we built, on the upper level. Both doors can be completely removed. Cleaning is very easy because Snickers is potty trained. She only urinates in the litter box Crittertrail outhouse above the structure (on the left), and only defecates in the tunnels.
The main level is about 612 sq. inches 34×18. The two rooms on the lower level are about 270 sq. inches each 16×17. Snickers has over 1,100 sq. inches of floor space. She uses all of it.