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Old 04-11-2019, 03:33 AM   #1
Ellie Bee
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Default Detolf advice wanted please!

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to upgrade my Syrian's cage in the next few months - she's currently in a bin cage that, according to online measurements was supposed to be 700+ sq inches, but is actually only 513. She was happy in it for a while but now is begging for more space.

My ideal option would be a detolf cage, however: I have two very, very, VERY determined cats. The current bin cages/tanks I have for my hams and gerbs are secure, but from what I can tell the usual detolf DIY lid rests upon the wires that run along the cage - this is ok for a lightweight lid but that wouldn't be secure enough for me to feel safe. I would want to use a lid that was heavier (harder to move), so with more dense wood in a greater ratio to the mesh, and somehow secure it with additional measures such as locks to the wooden ends. My mother suggested a concetina-style lid with hinges inbetween four sections.

My questions are:
- to those who are DIY-inclined, could my mother's suggestion work? How could we make it, and how could we make any style lid more safe with locks?

- to those who own detolfs, how strong are those wires? Can they take the weight of a chunkier lid? Is there any other surface to rest a lid upon?

- to those who own detolfs AND determined cats, how have you managed this?

Unfortunately we cannot put the cage in a room where the cats will never go. They will not have access to it overnight but may go up to a few hours where we are not directly supervising them around it. If this really won't work, I'm thinking of making a DIY cage similar to the one Erin (ErinsAnimals on YouTube) made for Iodine.


Thanks for your time and help guys!
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Gerbils - Salt, Pepper, Treacle, Sparky, Muffin, Sandy. Cats - Mabel, Molly
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Old 04-11-2019, 04:04 AM   #2
Shannonmcn
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Default Re: Detolf advice wanted please!

Hi Ellie!

I have a detolf and I like the sound of this project A few initial thoughts

-A concertina lid sounds cool but I don't see how it would be more secure. The more sections you have the easier it would be to lift one section? A cat doesn't need to lift the whole thing to get in and cause trouble it just needs to shift one end. I would be more inclined to make the lid one piece. A lot of people split the lid only to make it easier to lift which is the opposite of what you want.

- You may be able to fit standard bolts on each end of the lid, if you make the lid side-pieces wide enough for the main barrel of the bolt and only have the small receiver end screwed into the end piece. This would take some careful measuring to make sure the timber you use for the lid is the right thickness to have the top lid surface and the end pieces flush with eachother.

Something like this might give you a bit more leeway for things not lining up perfectly
https://www.diy.com/departments/smit...1733036_BQ.prd

- The wires are fairly sturdy, more like bars, and you can flex them sideways towards the center of the cage (if you get me) but vertically there isn't much give in them. I don't know how heavy you want this lid (what is your cat's deadlift like haha) but you'd be doing well to make it heavy enough to risk the bars. You will know if it's too heavy when you see the bottom bars flex in the centre. I've had my lid weighed down with a 3kg bag of sand and no problems but I haven't tested it beyond that.

What you definitely want to avoid is supporting a heavy lid on the glass since that won't give you any warning, it'll just shatter

This is so hard to talk about without diagrams!

Just as an aside, is it the DIY cage with the Linnmons you're considering otherwise? I'm actually just in the middle of upgrading my syrian girl out of the detolf and into one of those.
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Old 04-11-2019, 07:36 AM   #3
Ellie Bee
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Default Re: Detolf advice wanted please!

Thank you for your suggestions Shannon, they sound fab! Our resident DIYer (Dad) is currently away so I'll show him this when he gets home. That's comforting to hear about the bars, but the situation I'm thinking of is more like a weight of 8+kg... a lid plus two eager kitties! They're unlikely to both sit on top of it but it's a possibilty I need to consider. The cats haven't ever tried to lift lids before - more just bat paws helplessly at the glass. Those locks you linked look a great idea, too.

It's not that I think; it's her own design. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8HWcdeED1I
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Forever in my heart:
Hamsters - Harriet, Bubbles, Firefly, Nibbles, Willow, Henry, Cookie, Munchkin, Fluffy, Daisy.
Gerbils - Salt, Pepper, Treacle, Sparky, Muffin, Sandy. Cats - Mabel, Molly

Last edited by Ellie Bee; 04-11-2019 at 07:42 AM.
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Old 04-11-2019, 10:39 PM   #4
larry ben kenobi
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Default Re: Detolf advice wanted please!

My detolf bars hold two modified metal terrarium lids, which are very heavy. They are secured to the detolf bars using very strong rare earth magnets. We added wooden dowels to the sides (the lids were too narrow) and put the magnets on those
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Old 04-14-2019, 02:25 AM   #5
Ellie Bee
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Default Re: Detolf advice wanted please!

Thank you Larry, I'll look into that!
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Forever in my heart:
Hamsters - Harriet, Bubbles, Firefly, Nibbles, Willow, Henry, Cookie, Munchkin, Fluffy, Daisy.
Gerbils - Salt, Pepper, Treacle, Sparky, Muffin, Sandy. Cats - Mabel, Molly
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