ideas on bin cage extension?!?!

amyXlovesXhamstersX · 09-20-2010, 12:26 PM

hello

i am thinking about attaching my Syrian hamster muffin's cage onto a bin cage because her cage is getting too small for her . its about 41x29 and 37 cm high
i don't want to connect it by tubes outside the cage but i was thinking if i got a much bigger box than the cage then i could cut a hole in the base and the lid and put a ladder between them?for ventilation i would make some holes in the lid and around the top. It would give her much more space for digging and running about! please post pictures and ideas what i could do to improve my idea and what would make it safe

fluffymunchkins · 09-20-2010, 12:32 PM

You may need to mesh some of the bin to make it ventelated enough

But its sounds like a brilliant idea!

amyXlovesXhamstersX · 09-20-2010, 12:53 PM

yay! I will start when i get the box, what size do you think would be good?and how do i mesh it?

fluffymunchkins · 09-20-2010, 01:06 PM

well whatever size you want really

Meshing is best done using a soldering iron to cut out the plastic part you want to mesh. then melting holes around the bit you've cut out and attaching the mesh through bolts or cable ties.
There is lots of info Around the D.I.Y threads!

amyXlovesXhamstersX · 09-20-2010, 01:16 PM

ok! would a knife or drill work because i dont know if my dad has a soldering iron!

Faerydae · 09-20-2010, 01:32 PM

I think plastic bins are a bit think for a knife to easily cut through but a drill should work fine

fluffymunchkins · 09-20-2010, 01:32 PM

knife and drills would work but the plastic could split!
maybe if you heat up the knife it'll help!
I got away with a drill though without it splitting (a block of wood behind the plastic to support helps)
Soldering irons are pretty cheap though £7-£10

mangoandmimi · 09-20-2010, 01:36 PM

When me and my dad were cutting a hole in a plastic box for our homemade pond filter we used a knife/drill type thing from wilkinsons... their really cheap. but it was kinda thick plastic so i dont know how thinner plastic would cope... i guess our box was abut 4mm thick

and the plastic didnt splitbtw.
soldering irons aree good too aparently - i failed in our tech lesson so i steer away from them but they're actually cheap and easy to use (i managed to burn myself tho...) lol

goodluck x

louisbs · 09-20-2010, 02:39 PM

My housemate is very patient and has steady hands.
She managed to make my hole with a stanley knife, took a while though.

amyXlovesXhamstersX · 09-25-2010, 05:34 AM

i've changed my idea a bit... im going to do the same but i'm not using the bottom of her cage, i'm going to tie the metal bars bit to the to with metal ties, d you think that's ok? im going shopping today hopefully ill have made it by tomorrow! how do you post pictures without photobucket? xxx