Meshing a Guinea Pig Cage, and Maggie's Debut!

[BrainGirl]

Thought I would make a picture diary of Maggie's cage-in-progress to show you how I do it. If you have any ideas for how I can do it differently please pipe up!

First, I tempted Maggie partway out of her nest with a treat so I could get a picture for you. Her nose is pointing to the left as she grabs the treat and the white patches you can see are her slicked-back ear tufts:)

I feel bad that her Zoozone2 setup is so incredibly boring but given that it's about 4 times the size of her old cage I figure she's not doing too badly!

[BrainGirl]

Ok, so far I've got 2 panels (the front and the back) cut out and attached with zap ties. The front has a cutout for the door and latch. I'll cut a small square for the door itself later. I'm doing it in stages because I have so much stuff to move, mine and my friend's, and I work on her cage when I need to sit down for a minute and take a breather:) And yes, I'm doing it in the bathroom:p

[DrKMcK]

Braingirl, I love this idea! It really shows how it's done. :-) Looking forward to the next post.

[BrainGirl]

Oh, forgot to add my "hot tip"! It's best to put the edge zap ties on last, that way you can use them to join two panels together and you can use about half as many ties ;)

[Munchalot]

Looking good! :D I've wanted to mesh a guinea cage for ages, looking forward to the next post! ;)

Oh, I have a question (one I've asked myself quite a lot!): when you cut the mesh, what do you do about the sharp edges? I bought some mesh for my boys' bins, and the stuff is so sharp! I was wondering what I could do about it? :)

[kimlck]

@ Munchalot.
Ive meshed a few zz lids and i cut as close as i can then filed the edges with a metalwork file to blunt them.

[BrainGirl]

One of the end panels and my cutting tool! I've been going since about 4am and I really wasn't as awake as I like to be when playing with sharp objects so only cut out and attached the mesh to one end panel:p

Munchalot: The tool I'm using is called an Aviation Snip (there are other names for it I can't think of right now) and even though this particular one is the cheapest junk available it's still incredibly sharp and precise! I can cut a single wire of that mesh in half lengthwise so all I do is keep shaving the edges down until there are no more rough spots. I know I can file them but this is the lazy way;)

[Cheetobandito]

@munchalot

Use a hot glue gun on the nubs!

[BrainGirl]

*Correction* That cage she's in is a Zoozone1, not a 2. I don't know why I always mix those names up!

Ok, today I didn't get much done on it but I'm super tired and I suspect I'm suffering from mild exposure to carbon monoxide thanks to my friend's truck :-? Anyway, I put another of the small ends on and got the large top pieces roughly cut. I opted to do a single panel with a cutout in the middle for the door with this cage*. On the other two I found it easier to cut out each piece of mesh separately and assemble it like a frame around the top door. This is more difficult but will look neater and thanks to the design of this particular cage won't be so difficult as the others would have been.

Pictures below, including a couple of gratuitous shots of Bonny and Peaches\\:D/

*when cutting out an inside shape you need to use the tip of your snippers to start it and I find it's best to start a corner. Then as you cut away in two directions you can begin to lift up the corner which gives more room to cut.

[The Hamster's family]

Looking good! :D I've wanted to mesh a guinea cage for ages, looking forward to the next post! ;)

Oh, I have a question (one I've asked myself quite a lot!): when you cut the mesh, what do you do about the sharp edges? I bought some mesh for my boys' bins, and the stuff is so sharp! I was wondering what I could do about it? :)

I use a Dremel to cut the edges... Takes less time and it's easier, for me anyway... :p

[BrainGirl]

I actually have a Dremel (well, a cheap knockoff anyway) and I never even thought to try it for cutting the mesh. Partly because I have no idea where I've put it, but also because the cutting wheels I got with it are junk and shatter unexpectedly:-? The snips I have cut through almost like it's paper so it's not a huge deal but I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next one:)

[The Hamster's family]

I actually have a Dremel (well, a cheap knockoff anyway) and I never even thought to try it for cutting the mesh. Partly because I have no idea where I've put it, but also because the cutting wheels I got with it are junk and shatter unexpectedly:-? The snips I have cut through almost like it's paper so it's not a huge deal but I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next one:)

The mesh I had was a nightmare to cut !! SO my fiance got tired of seeing my skin all ripped off ! That's when he took his Dremel out... :shock: It was love at first sight ! We've been inseparable ever since..... (The Dremel and I, I mean...)

[BrainGirl]

The mesh I had was a nightmare to cut !! SO my fiance got tired of seeing my skin all ripped off ! That's when he took his Dremel out... :shock: It was love at first sight ! We've been inseparable ever since..... (The Dremel and I, I mean...)

LOL! That's hilarious:D I feel sorry for your fiance though:p

[The Hamster's family]

LOL! That's hilarious:D I feel sorry for your fiance though:p

Believe me, he was sorry too !!!!!!!! :mad:

[BrainGirl]

I'm afraid it will be a few days before I can get back to updating this project. Partly because I'm into the home stretch on the house move, but also because I've lost my camera in all the uproar:-? On a positive note, I've found my little grinder tool!

The furkids are getting much reduced playtimes but Maggie was hanging by her front paws from the top edge of her zoozone so I relented:p

[Sanctuary]

Looks fantastic, cant wait to see it finished :D

[Munchalot]

(Thanks for the mesh tips guys. :D xx)

It's coming along great. :) And Bonny and Peaches are both stunning! :D xx

[Truffle]

It is looking great :) I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[chinesehammy]

This is just fab BrainGirl x

[BrainGirl]

Sorry guys, I finished the cage last night but still haven't found my camera! I couldn't wait any longer because Maggie was going stir-crazy without a wheel:-?

All I did was trim the edges of the pieces for the top that I showed cut out in the last pictures I posted on this thread, plus the small door panel for the front, and zap tied them to the inside of the cage like I did for the rest of the parts. I cut a small hole for the spout of her water bottle, then loaded up the base with substrate (including the semi-used stuff from the Zoozone so she'd have her scent in there) and then the Wobust Wodent Wheel. Add Maggie. Done!

I didn't have any oil in the place yet unfortunately but the wheel wasn't squeaking and I had vowed to put up with it if it did because she needed it. I was grateful that it didn't. At first. But then as Maggie got the hang of it she started to go faster and at a certain speed it would emit this eerie moaning sound, rather like what you get when you rub a wet finger around the rim of a brandy glass. Scared the crap out of me until I figured out what it was. Then she put some food in the wheel so I had to put up with what sounded like a sick loon with a rattle all. night. long. She was still running on it when I left at 8 this morning! She looked exhausted but happy when I checked on her:D