NIC Cages- suggestions

[Jenalynn]

I think building my own bunny cage seems like the right way to go from what most of you have been telling me….

I am going to look on more sites for more info… but I had a few questions…

You guys do not use the connectors when building? You use a lot of Zip ties when connecting the grids or did i read wrong???

Also how do you maintain the sturdy shelving?

ANy where you suggest I look to buy the grids for cheap? I saw a place that wanted 30.00 for 5 Cubes, is that too expensive?

[jerseygirl]

I can’t really give suggestion where to get cubes as I’m in Australia….but there was recent thread on this, so here’s the link:-

https://www.binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/forumid/2/postid/92864/view/topic/Default.aspx

Also, Cool Habitats gallery has links on condo building at bottom of page.https://www.binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/CoolHabitats/tabid/71/Default.aspx

Goodluck!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I got my cubes for… 28 dollars??? at target. But if you decide to get them at target make sure you get the ones with the smaller openings.
I think 30 dollars would be a fine price but how many grids are in it I seem to remember mine had 20 something in them. 24 I think?? I bought three boxes, but then again my condo is pretty big.

Yes we use zip ties to connect the grids. I used more that 1000, but I doubled them over for extra support. Zip ties work surprisingly well. When I first heard that I should use zip ties I was a bit skeptical but they work wonderfully and my condo is very stable.

I used the grids as shelves but put some PVC piping under them for extra support. You could also use dowels (which you should if you have a heavier bunny) but I used PVC piping because it was cheaper and my bunny is a mere 3-4 pounds so she is pretty light.

Here are some pictures of my Newer condo! I used coroplast as the flooring and Pvc piping as the shelf supporters I used three boxes here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Also…

Here is a picture of my older condo! I used linoleum as the floor on this one, and I used dowels to support the shelves. Here I only used two boxes so it is a floor less and does not have a top.

[Dave]

This is Steve’s cage.  I like it because it is very easy to clean at only 2 grids high.  Steve seems to like it.  Whenever I come home for lunch he is in his cage lounging.

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[Jenalynn]

Yeah, I think I am going to go for it. Is the Linoleum easy to clean. ALso can i ask why people don’t use the connectors??? are they not as stable??

[Beka27]

they are really not stable for what they’re used for. i have made shelves before, and they work fine for that b/c everything is at right angles, but for the condos, not so much. they can slip out of place easily. also, there is a half inch gap inbetween grids when you use the connectors. when we make condos (most of us) we prefer the grids right up against each other.

my suggestion would be to get the grids, get a bunch of zipties (Home Depot has bags of 8 inch black ties, 2000 count for about 20 bucks) be weary of less expensive ties because they can break easily. play around with the connectors if you want, but i bet you won’t like them as much as just using zipties.

this page has a bunch of sites about NIC condos (some of the links may no longer be good b/c it is an older site)

homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/nic.html

this page has some good plans for a pretty basic condo.  i like how the whole front can open, that is very convenient for easy cleaning…

NIC Cube Rabbit Cage Construction - Long Island Rabbit Rescue

[Ruffles&Daisy]

where do you guys get chloroplast?

[dlscanne]

I use the connectors and cable ties together, which works great althought the connectors are a bit of a pain to assemble.  I found the combo to be pretty stable, but try a few ways maybe and see what you like. 

As for my large shelf, I enlisted the help of my guitar-building father to cut the wood to the right size.  It was an extra think piece so he could use a router to make groves that fit perfectly over the joints like a puzzle…with the shelf there it actually cements everything in place really well.  Dont know if that helps.

I like the inclusion of my store-bought cage because I put Winston’s litterbox and hay in there, to keep the mess under control. 

I got my cubes at Bed Bath and Beyond…$15 for a 4 cube set.  I think my cage took 2 boxes.  I got the carpeting at Home Depot for very cheap, and staple-gunned it underneath the shelves. 

My cage is pretty simple compaired to a lot of people’s here but I still really like it!  My bunnies love it too.  Before I had WInston Frank would hang out in their all day long, even though she’s free range all the time. 

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[dlscanne]

oh an p.s. I put some plastic sheets under the carpet just in case. My bunnies dont chew the carpet but if yours do I would use something else. For cleaning I just take a dirt devil to it once in awhile to pick up extra hay and hair, but they are pretty meticulous bunnies. The store-bough cage I just wipe down once in awhile.

[BunnyLiz]

I have some cubes from Target, some from somewhere off the internet (office supply place maybe..?), and a few from Bed Bath and Beyond. My favorites are from bed bath and beyond because they are just painted silver (like Discanne’s cubes) and the dont have that white plastic/rubber junk thats on all the white ones. My bunnies chew off that white stuff in their free time and it drives my crazy. So with these they can chew all they want but they are not going to eat stuff they shouldn’t!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

A way you could find were to buy either coroplast, or the cubes go to and put your state in and see what you can find.

http://www.guineapigcages.com/where.htm

[Author]

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