My Homemade Cage!!*Pics*

[whos_ur_ratty]

My best friend and i made a cage for the babies.It's not the nicest looking thing but It works wonders.When we cut the doors, they were pretty scratchy so we put some small hardware piping over them and it works awesome.I need to get them proper food dishes(the ones that attach to the side of the cage)I will be doing that on Fri.We defiantly have a couple of design flaws but its safe and it hold them in and keeps the kids out .I need help deciding what to use for a door latch,right know I'm using twist ties(but that is a pain)I have 2 small kids (4 & 2) so i need something that they couldn't easily get into.The kids is the reason we supported the corners of the cage with the wood too(i didn't want them to push on it and have it crumble under their weight.Anyways let me know what you all think(your the experts )What could i use for the door latch??
Anyways here it is





I will post new pictures of the girls in the mug-shot forum.......

[thalipauriel]

That looks really nice!! I have a cage (no rats) at the moment, but it's completely bare right now. I need to 'furnish' it and when my boyfriend and I have finally got our own place, I will finally be able to get 2 or 3 girls to live in the nice home I'll make them....

Greetz,
Marion

[aphoeniceus]

Thats a nice cage, congrats! 

[jorats]

Good job!!

[Sapphire_Rats]

Nice! wish I had that much patience! lol

[whos_ur_ratty]

Thank you all for the replys.After like 6 hours and a ton scratchs it was completed The girls really like it and they have a ton of room(i've been meaning to ask...Do rats like their living space cluttered with toys and what not or is it better to have just a couple of toys to leave them more room) I am still stumped on the latch thou 

[Sapphire_Rats]

Jeeze, after 30 min I finally found them!

These (decorative plate hangers) http://www.reuels.com/reuels/product10867.html And you can get some of those little key locks, lock the cage, and hang the keys up above the kids arm length when they reach up.


goodluck (just an idea)

[Dearpie]

Nice cage!! I'd add a few more balconies/shelves for more 'floor' space, and maybe another 'complete' floor in the middle somewhere.  I like having a LOT of interior floors, instead of so much 'empty air'.
 Here is an idea for a door latch. 

[jorats]

Floor space is important, try hanging the toys off the wall? Or you could buy baskets and tie wrap them on the cage?

[Keltikka]

What a nice, large cage! You must have some very happy ratties. 

On one home made cage we used the plate hangers and x-large "lobster claw" type clips (Like on key chains?)

On our second cage, (made out of an unfinished Victorian doll house I found at a thrift store for $19.00) we used regular spring-hook door latches. These are some with a special slide on the bottom the keeps the hook locked into place so little kids would have a hard time opening it.  You can find them at any hardware/home depot kind of place. I think Wal-Mart has them, too.

[SunWolf]

Nice cage. I too would suggest more levels.  Floor space is much more important than "open air" spaces that are not really being used.  As for door latches, I use "mini bungie cords" that you can get at walmart in the automotive section.   Like $3.00 for 6 bungies.