NIC Cages Only-Now Closed

[hunnybunny63]

Spring wrote:

It's not too horrible. I sweep atleast once a day. If I have hay loose, I usualy put it towards the middle. Otherwise, it's in the hay rack. Poppy is also litter trained, so that helps reduce the mess.

Just a few seconds each day is all it takes .

thats good to hear!

 

[Snuggys Mom]

I put grids on the bottom (underneath)of my NIC cages, but I'm wondering if I could remove it.

The girls' cage is three stories and pretty heavy. If I remove the bottom grids, will it still be sturdy enough?

I have coroplast on the bottom with the sides flipped up, but I want to remove it. They've chewed it and it looks horrible, plus, poos get caught in the nooks and crannies where they've chewed and I've patched over.

 

[Spring]

Do you useconnectors? It's probably alright to remove the grids from the bottom.

I screwed the connectors to the coroplast and wood to keep it very sturdy.

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Spring wrote:

Do you useconnectors? It's probably alright to remove the grids from the bottom.

Yes, I use connectors and zip ties. I really want to remove the coroplastbecause all kinds of junk gets caught in between. It's a pain.

Spring wrote:

I screwed the connectors to the coroplast and wood to keep it very sturdy.

Really?The connectors didn't crack?

My cage sits on a big piece of linoleum (on top of carpet).The weight of the cage makes indentions, so I don't think it wouldshift anyway.

It sounds like I now have a weekend project!

 

[Spring]

Nope, they didn'tcrack.

Worth a try.

 

[Snuggys Mom]

aurora369 wrote:

Dawn,I'm making one this size for my girls (four gridswide/two deep). Where did you put the door(s)? Iwould like to have two double doors in the front middle, but I wonderif that will make the cage too weak. I'm using connectors andLOTS of zip ties.

 

[Haley]

Laura, have you seen my new one:

Its so easy to clean when it opens up like that!

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Haley wrote:

Laura, have you seen my new one?
Its so easy to clean when it opens up like that!

Thanks! That's what I want to do. Thedoorin the girls' current cage in only one grid wide, which makes itdifficult to get in there and clean.

I've built the exterior of the new cage. I just need more zipties so I can put in the shelves and topand I'll beset. It should be finished tonight. I'll put picsup.

BTW, I got a box of 23 grids at Target yesterday for $12! Yeah!

Haley, do you have grids on the bottom (underneath)?

 

[Haley]

Nope, no grids underneath. Thats just coroplast.The base of the cage has connectors everywhere except where the dooris, so that holds it in place.

And I dont know if you can see it in the pic, but if you want the topto swing back like that, use a dowel rod thats zip tied to the top.

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Good. I'm sitting the new cage on linoleum and wondered about that.

Now I have to figure out whether or not to put a ramp in. Ihave one now. They don't use it to go up, just for comingback down.

 

[Haley]

Is it just one level? I dont think you need oneif they are good jumpers. Lucy is tiny and she has no trouble gettingup there without a ramp

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Yes, the shelves are no more than one levelhigh, but they won't come down withouta rampbecausethe floor is slippery.

If Baby would quit peeing everywhere, I could cover it with something, but for now I can't.

 

[Haley]

Would it help if you put down a puppy pad (ortwo) on the lower level? I do that for Basil and Max because they cantseem to remember to use the litter box

 

[Snuggys Mom]

I'll have to look into those. Can theytear them up? If it's possible,mygirlswill do it.

 

[Haley]

Yeah, they can tear into them. Theyre thosewhite pads with blue plastic on the bottom. They work great though. Itmight be worth a shot. It makes cleanup very easy and you can get a bigpack of them at walmart for like 7 dollars.

 

[aurora369]

Snuggysmom: I had a door using themiddle two sections. The top two would swing up, and thebottom two opened out.

I hope you can see it in this picture:



I also found that using zip ties on the corners where all the gridsmeet, and using a X shape makes the cage much stronger and less proneto sagging.

And you should also try to find some L brackets. They workwonders for supporting shelves and roofs. You need a smallerzip tie to fit in the holes, but once you've got these in the cage isrock solid. I would put three under your shelf and maybe 2 onthe roof.



I hope that helps a bit...

--Dawn

 

[peapoo_bunny]

binkies wrote:

Thank you Haley!!

wow good idea binkies! i might copy it for my room since thereis limited space.. poofy the frogs cagecan go on top of therabbits if they stay inside... although the plan right now is to buildthe bunnies a big run and hutch outside

 

[Snuggys Mom]

I finished the girls' new condo. I took these before I put any of their stuff in:

Snuggyclaiming her throne and giving us thebutt:

Two bunnies on one shelf. I knew they'd do this:

They seem to really like it.

I need to put ramps in for the shelves. Snuggy freaks out alittle when she has to jump down becauseit'sslippery.

 

[JadeIcing]

Umm care to share? How many NIC panels?Length...width..

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Oh, um, 38 panels, and about 300 zip ties (everypanel secured at all four corners and the middle of each side - that's12 zip ties per panel).

Dimensions: 4 x 2 x 2 (approximately 60" x 30" x 30")

I have Coroplast on one shelf and peg board on the other. Linoleum on the bottom.

The old condo was 3 x 3 x 2 and a pain to clean. I like this one MUCH better.

The doors are on the front and I can get in there and reach every nook and cranny when I need to.