Would this cage work?

[Neut]

Hi! I don't currently own degus but they're something I'm considering for the future and want to make sure I have as clear an idea as possible.
I'm really curious as to whether this cage, with the addition of some holes in the floors of the upper two cages to make it one big cage, could be suitable for a pair of degus? If not are there any alterations that could be made to the design to make it suitable or would it be best to look in a completely different direction?
I've no DIY experience but watching the video it didn't seem too outlandish a project to take on.
I warn you now numbers aren't my strong point which is why I felt it best to ask! Sorry if this is a really daft question. Thank you!

[ntg]

Hi neut!

The cage sounds like a great idea with three levels for 2/3 degus I find a group of three/four to be ideal. Feel free to add a 4th level if you're feeling generous; they'll always appreciate extra space!

Things to think about though though - edge any corners on shelves and the level hatches with either kiln dried pine or aluminium corners - plaster angle beading can be a slightly less attractive but a cheaper and just as effective method than aluminium corners.

Wheel - it's high enough to fit a big enough wheel but you obviously can't attach a wheel to a corrugated sidewall - you'd probably have to get something like a 12-14" wheel on a stand (tic tac wheels do great metal wheels on stands).

Double doors may be better for degus as you'll have more than one and they are quicker than you can believe at times. They also like to double-team their humans at times so that one or both can escape

[zenaida]

Hi Neut! Welcome!

It's always nice to have more people interested in diy cage building around here! I like you did research and built before getting my girls.

So I believe she said in the video that it is 100 x 60 cm. That is good. That is the general recommendation for the area (floor space per level) for degus. This page here is the forum's size recomendations overall: deguworld.proboards.com/thread/9396/forums-cage-size-recommendations If the measurements from the vlog are accurate then 3 levels at that size would be about 18000 CARA which puts you in the "required" category for 3 degus and "recommended" for 2 degus.

About the construction from the vlog: the general design of the whole cage would likely work well. A nice simple "three boxes stacked up" general design with a sturdy door. You're good there.

Materials: This is the sticky part... So yes, the coating would be good for pee and all that, but I think you would have chewing issues. Ikea stuff is pretty much cardboard on the inside. I can show you lots of pictures of degus shredding cardboard to pieces. They wouldn't be able to get a grip on the flat surface, but they would chew at anything they can. If my degus were in that lady's cage, I have about a week before they have gotten through somewhere on the door. I like the design of her back shelf, but again, it would have to be metal or wood so the degus don't chew the plastic lining. Likewise when you cut out their holes in the floor, they will chew at those openings, so they need to be chew safe.

There are two ways to correct for this: First, use materials that are safe for chewing, so the shelf is made from normal wood instead of Ikea stuff. AND/OR You can line all the edges with metal guards or mesh to keep the degus from chewing those places.

For now, keep looking at materials and resources! I did HOURS of research. I sort of wish this vlog was out when I did my build, I would have likely taken influences from it. I really like how she is able to stack 3 and could take it apart for a move if necessary.

Also keep asking questions! For me I kept asking people here when I had an idea, but I didn't know if it would work and people helped walk me through until I had my current design.

[ntg]

Good point on the material zenaida - if it's not a very smooth finish then any degu will love to chomp their way out! Even when smooth there is a small risk that you'll have one of those pesky degus that's capable of chewing flat surfaces and then it won't take too long for them to get out. You could line the inside with something to prevent them from chewing though

[Neut]

Thank you both! That's really helpful and honestly really encouraging too. I'll definitely be doing more research and no doubt coming back here to check things. Plaster angle beading looks like, although it's not the prettiest, it may be the most versatile. Plus solid wood for the shelf would definitely be great so long as the ikea back can support it.
Do you reckon this could be something where I put together the cage as per the video and then make adjustments to it or would they need to be incorporated in the initial build? (again, DIY novice) It might be nice to have a project I could keep adjusting and then getting feedback on.

Don't worry though, this isn't something I plan to do any time soon! I'm looking into it way in advance so when I am in a place where I could get degus I'll have already done tons of research and have a plan or two in place.

[savvy]

Nov 23, 2017 21:41:32 GMT ntg said:

Good point on the material zenaida - if it's not a very smooth finish then any degu will love to chomp their way out! Even when smooth there is a small risk that you'll have one of those pesky degus that's capable of chewing flat surfaces and then it won't take too long for them to get out. You could line the inside with something to prevent them from chewing though

I had one of those ntg!  Pixie managed to get out of a plastic tub I was using to move him from one cage to another by chewing through the side.

It took him about 5 minutes! 

[zenaida]

Nov 23, 2017 23:08:01 GMT Neut said:

Do you reckon this could be something where I put together the cage as per the video and then make adjustments to it or would they need to be incorporated in the initial build? (again, DIY novice) It might be nice to have a project I could keep adjusting and then getting feedback on.

So I would say it is a "both-and" on getting it right the first time and making continual adjustments. There are some things that you really need to get right at the start. For instance almost all of us who have non-metal cages need to account for chewing right in our initial designs. You need to plan on the wheel, plan on ventilation, plan on ways for them to get up and down. That being said, it is impossible to determine every last detail and you will have to plan on adjusting based on what they do.

If you want an example of that, here's my build log: deguworld.proboards.com/thread/21159/zenaidas-enclosure-build (I don't recommend reading all the text, the pictures pretty much tell the story. Text is only helpful if you want to see my thought process or methodology on something.)

In that thread you can see what I initially built, but if you skip to page 5+ you'll also see things that I had to do to modify and respond to the girls trying to chew their way out. I'm still fighting that battle with them, but at this time I have the upper hand. Regardless, as I type this, I have two girls vigorously chewing and digging at those doors on page 5. They can't get out now, but that doesn't stop them from trying. 

NTG: you responded about the height and a wheel. I didn't catch how tall the inside space is, do you recall it? I ask because on my build, I thought that I could fit an appropriate wheel on 2 of my 4 levels, but it turns out that the wheel with a stand is taller than that and would only fit on the tallest level I have. Somewhere in that build thread is information about my tic-tac dimensions that might be helpful if vertical space is tight.

[ntg]

The height of the side boards are 50cm (19.5"), so probably 46-47cm (18") once the thickness of the board is taken into account.

Thinking about it - this build would be exactly the same as using sheet wood. If you are in the UK you could get b&q to cut the boards to the right size for you (take a measuring tape with you or borrow one from the shelf to double check yourself though) or you might have a local wood merchant who could do the same. This way you could customise it however you like in whatever sizes you want (up to 2440x1220cm for most sheet woods).

If you decide to go the sheet wood route, the benefits are that it's more solid and you can easily make it bigger in length or depth if you want to (don't go any smaller than 100cm length though), and you can add wheels and shelves to the walls easily as there are no hollow bits to consider.

The big negative is that the solid pieces will mean that the cage is a lot heavier to shift around than the one in the video seems. It will also be more costly if that's a factor for you.

Your best bets with sheetwood are plywood or melamine-faced chipboard (MFC). MFC is easier to wipe clean but the edges do need good protection with a sealant to prevent wee from getting into the cracks and expanding the chipboard. Both need edging on any exposed corners to prevent chewing as all sheet woods are held together by some nasty glues that aren't intended to be eaten.

[zenaida]

Good catch! That would work then. I have a 14 inch tic-tac wheel on a stand in my 47cm high bottom cage level.

Neut: NTG outlined the most important pros and cons. I just want to add that with melamine or plywood, you also can screw fixtures straight into the wall/ceiling of the cage to do things like hang a hammock or use a wheel without a stand.

It is quite heavy though. I can move my build by myself, but only by using my entire body weight to push it along the ground. I have thought about heavy duty wheels, but I like that for playpen time the girls can't get through and the cage very rarely needs to move. I do worry that if we decide to move to a new apartment that it won't even be worth it to move our cage and I'll just build a new one at the new place.

[zenaida]

I was thinking more about this build idea (particularly because I like it), perhaps consider using the cardboard like Ikea stuff for the walls and getting melamine for the floors? The two materials should have a uniform look, you would retain the lightweight on the sides, but the floors would be much more solid and easier to prevent chewing on.