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Post by critterfriend on Mar 3, 2019 10:30:00 GMT
Hi, would a Liberta Explorer second edition cage be big enough for degus without extensive modification? It is 96* 65 = 11700 CARA without counting the small additional metal shelves it comes with or any wooden ones added in (I'm not sure of the dimensions of those).
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2019 10:37:56 GMT
Hi, would a Liberta Explorer second edition cage be big enough for degus without extensive modification? It is 96* 65 = 11700 CARA without counting the small additional metal shelves it comes with or any wooden ones added in (I'm not sure of the dimensions of those). Ledges and shelves don’t count towards CARA. How many degus are you thinking of using one for? 😊
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Post by critterfriend on Mar 3, 2019 10:45:23 GMT
Hi, would a Liberta Explorer second edition cage be big enough for degus without extensive modification? It is 96* 65 = 11700 CARA without counting the small additional metal shelves it comes with or any wooden ones added in (I'm not sure of the dimensions of those). Ledges and shelves don’t count towards CARA. How many degus are you thinking of using one for? 😊 I don't know; that's why I'm asking if it would be suitable. I don't own degus yet but there are some beautiful rescue youngsters for adoption near me and I am giving my chinchillas a cage upgrade, so their old liberta will be empty.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 3, 2019 10:48:52 GMT
Yes, it's suitable for 2 degus without modification.
We count shelves that are half the floor area or more, so I think the Explorer shelves are a bit borderline. Is anyone selling kits for shelf extentions at the moment? If it's the woodworking that is putting you off?
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Post by critterfriend on Mar 3, 2019 10:51:08 GMT
Yes, it's suitable for 2 degus without modification. Thank you. I know shelves and ledges don't count towards CARA but what about full size floors - effectively adding in 1 - 2 more levels of 95*63cm? Does that count as a shelf or another floor?
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Post by bouncy on Mar 3, 2019 10:53:42 GMT
Ditto Moletteuk, two can live happily. If you take out the two half shelves and substitute with full ones, you can fit three If you plan to take three now, then make modifications, they'll be ok. I gave my three a few weeks in the liberta to get used to it before I started making mods
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Post by bouncy on Mar 3, 2019 10:55:59 GMT
Yes, it's suitable for 2 degus without modification. Thank you. I know shelves and ledges don't count towards CARA but what about full size floors - effectively adding in 1 - 2 more levels of 95*63cm? Does that count as a shelf or another floor? Yes, full levels count. It's all about cumulative running space. They would be flying if they tried to run across those half shelves, but they can run around happily on full ones
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 3, 2019 10:59:31 GMT
Sorry, I modified my post while you were writing.
Anything over around half the footprint or around 2500sqcm counts towards CARA, extra full area shelves in the Explorer are excellent. What people tend to do is to extend the half shelves into full ones, which makes a great space which is OK for 4 degus. Things like a basement extension are also possible.
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Post by critterfriend on Mar 3, 2019 10:59:31 GMT
Brilliant, thank you. Is it possible to buy full ones or do I have to find someone to make them for me (I'm the sort of person who ends up chopping off their own fingers when they try and do DIY....!)
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Post by bouncy on Mar 3, 2019 11:04:56 GMT
A basic shelf just needs a piece of board that rests on bolts fixed to the bars. If you buy from b&q, they'll cut to size for you. If you want to put woodshavings on it, just nail on some pine to the sides from the underside. You will only really risk squishing your thumb with the hammer.
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Post by critterfriend on Mar 3, 2019 11:13:19 GMT
A basic shelf just needs a piece of board that rests on bolts fixed to the bars. If you buy from b&q, they'll cut to size for you. If you want to put woodshavings on it, just nail on some pine to the sides from the underside. You will only really risk squishing your thumb with the hammer. Okay, thank you so much for all your help! :-)
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Post by savvy on Mar 3, 2019 11:40:25 GMT
Also, cover any wooden additional shelves with something to stop their urine soaking in and making it smell. Self adhesive floor vinyl flooring tiles are excellent for this.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 3, 2019 11:41:14 GMT
You can sometimes buy kits that include shelf perimeter edging too, check out ebay, or someone posted in our for sale area I think, or another forum member might know.
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Post by ntg on Mar 3, 2019 12:04:39 GMT
Some of the sellers on ebay will build custom made shelves for the cage if you ask. Quinton's pine may be your best shot as I think they already do full length shelf kits for other cages. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/22520/wooden-cage-accessoriesOr I think Paul Spooner may be able to make custom metal pans for the cage if you'd prefer. www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/cages.htmlThe important thing to consider is how you'll get a wheel in as it can be a bit of a squeeze. What I've done is used both half levels that come with the cage, ome in its normal halfway place, the other sitting on the lowest horizontal rung and then put a full level above it so that I could maximise the space while still fitting in my two 14" wheels (see the post quoted below). Just realised I've never shown an image of S&Ws modded liberta explorer cage. Top level/wheels everywhere/Sherlock's favourite perch Cardboard tube graveyard The most exciting level - the one they get out of the cage from The extra shelf is made of plywood with 5x5 cm (2"x2") kiln dried edging. The pop hole is 15x15cm (6"x6") and the bottom edge is protected by plaster beading. It's laid flat on top of 3 strips of 2.5x5cm (1"x2") strips of kiln dried pine that are bolted to the side of the cage. Ladders between levels are either bendy logs you buy with hook attachments drilled into the end or pine doweling cut into 12cm lengths, drilled through and held together by gardeners steel wire (and hooks attached to one end). Wheels on the top shelf are 5" deep 14" diameter wheels using tins bought from tic tac wheels (you can of course buy your own instead - easier but more expensive).
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Post by bouncy on Mar 3, 2019 15:09:35 GMT
And here's my overly modified one! All added shelves on this level are shop-bought. The full shelf on the lower section is made from 6mm perspex, with aluminium L profile stuck on. This is their Chelsea extension, made with another tray at the bottom, and perspex attached to the outside of the cage stand using Velcro.
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