Natural Habitat Projecto for a Robo

[Robo JoJo]

I've kicked off a project to build out a natural habitat for our Roborovski. I plan to document my progress here.

My idea is to build a 2x6 habitat enclosure and then begin building it using some craft projects to create furniture, if you will, as well as add natural features such as rocks, etc.

[Robo JoJo]

Here's what is built so far. Over the weekend, I put together a lumber support frame that will hold the habit.

[Robo JoJo]

It's currently being tasked to support IttyMouse's (our Robo) current setup.

[Leila0420]

Your project looks awesome!! I presume you're going to give it glass/ perspex or mesh sides? Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out!!!

[Robo JoJo]

Your project looks awesome!! I presume you're going to give it glass/ perspex or mesh sides? Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out!!!

At the moment, the concept is just a 2x6x1 pine box, open at the top. I have a mind to open large windows in the front, so I'll likely back the opening with some thing clear. Acrylic is an option but pretty expensive. Float glass is cheap and I am likely to end up going that route. I've considered leaving the interior as bare pine. Even though I'm building this for a robo, I'll need to determine the climbing ability of hamsters in general, as there is the potential to re-task the habitat in two years or so. I may end up banding the top few inches with glass to create a slick surface for the hamster to not climb out over. Either that or install an eaves around the interior perimeter to accomplish the same. I'm leaning heavily towards not having any sort of cover, if I can get away with it.

[Robo JoJo]

Update: Here's the box in final join:

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0359.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0359.jpg.html)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0358.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0358.jpg.html)

[Robo JoJo]

And the the completed box after it's final sanding. Waiting for a light coat of urethane. (and some attention from the shop vac)


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0361.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0361.jpg.html)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0360.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0360.jpg.html)

[Robo JoJo]

While I was joining the box and waiting for the glue to cure, I created stock for a burrowing box. These are going to be run over the router table to create a box joint.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0362.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0362.jpg.html)

[Robo JoJo]

Light coat of urethane, final sanding, and the box is done. Just letting it set in the garage for a couple of days for the urethane to finish curing and to out-gas.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0363.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0363.jpg.html)

[ZippyRIP]

Wow... am well impressed. Makes mine look small :)
Look forward to seeing more!

[Robo JoJo]

So I've put the box into service. I've added in all the furnishing we currently have for the critter. I'll replace them with natural features as I get them built.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0370.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0370.jpg.html)

[Robo JoJo]

The new home owner:

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn16/UberCoinage/IMG_0368.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/UberCoinage/media/IMG_0368.jpg.html)

[racinghamster]

What a wonderful idea Robo Jojo! Massive space, but you also have a Habitrail/Crittertrail cage in there for him to hide in should he wish to. Access to the cage needs to be simple for him though. You could always remove the cage and replace it with a big upturned cardboard shoe box he could use as a sleeping area? Having a `dark area` like under a shelf or digging down inside a dark box gives them a secure feeling when all that space is available! Fab job though, well done. :cool: x

[Piebald]

Oh my gosh she looks soo tiny in there lol! How is she doing? That's fabulous I can't wait to see when you get the natural set up you want. Is urethane like Plastikote?

[Robo JoJo]

What a wonderful idea Robo Jojo! Massive space, but you also have a Habitrail/Crittertrail cage in there for him to hide in should he wish to. Access to the cage needs to be simple for him though. You could always remove the cage and replace it with a big upturned cardboard shoe box he could use as a sleeping area? Having a `dark area` like under a shelf or digging down inside a dark box gives them a secure feeling when all that space is available! Fab job though, well done. :cool: x

Access to the cage is via a J-tube attached to side of the cage. I'm leaving the cage in place for the moment primarily because its the source of water. At some point I'll redo the watering point to match the decor. Also, I'm leaving it in place because it's familiar and it has some neat features inside.

The next addition will be a burrowing box that's roughly 6 inches square and 17 inches tall. Entrance at the top, exit at the bottom, with internal ledges with a pass through to allow the hamster to pass through but not too many shavings. Air holes in the side to allow diffusion through the box. It should allow about 10 inches of burrowing.


Oh my gosh she looks soo tiny in there lol! How is she doing? That's fabulous I can't wait to see when you get the natural set up you want. Is urethane like Plastikote?

Comparable. Urethane, or more correctly, poly-urethane is one of many polymer coatings available on the market. Plastikote seems to be an acrylic based coating and their market seems to be primarily automotive. It's possible that their products may be suitable for hamster applications but I'm a bit lazy. Rather than parse the key differences between an alkyd based polyesters (Plastikote) and a urea based isocyanate (urethane), I just go to my big box store and get what's suitable for coating my kitchen table, which is now has a 15 year old urethane coating that hasn't killed me... yet.

I like working with urethane. It's easy to work with. Just spread the stuff on with a sponge, make sure the surface is sufficiently wetted and move on. Come back behind and sand after it's completed its initial curing. Care should be taken for clean up. Simple disposable gloves are recommended as well as a drop cloth. Urethane functions as an adhesive so make sure that you clean it of areas you don't want permanently bonded.

Some things to bear in mind if you're using urethane: you'll need to let your project sit a few days by itself while it undergoes its initial curing. During this time, the solvents used to transport the urethane will out-gas, leaving only the urethane behind. Then slowly over time, the coating will take up oxygen as the polymer coating begins to cross-link to form its final hardened coat.