How to make a cage out of bookcases

[NorthernAutumn]

Had this sitting in my blog since last year, guys. Hope you don't mind me cross posting it... might inspire someone
Ignore the mess too, if you would... I took the photos right after building it at like 4 AM.

***

The day after my Birthday, I had a huge brain fart... Nate and I scrambled around town, trying to think up new cage ideas for Evie and Stuart, as the mess has been getting out of hand for a while now... Hay all over, pees all over (Evie :X), unreachable parts of the house...
So we made THIS!!!!

Another Angle:

It is two bookcases bought from staples, built together and attached to eachother. The levels are shelves
Note the use of NIC grid as caging. We bought the bookcase with the right width so the NIC panels went on as a series of doors, hinged withe electric wire holding devices (courtesy of my grandfather).

Happy bunny master, checking out the new digs...

Complete with "elevator" for maximum bunny space:

Note rabbits on top level... Evie didn't come down for 3 days... So I took it out to ensure she was eating properly They like to snooze up there, looking out at the world
Shelves are covered in fleece blankets, secured by duct-tape for easy removal of dirty fabric.
Litterpans in the bottom.
Having laminate wood makes it really easy to wipe off the messes!

TOTAL COST: $70
TIME: well, lets not go there I was still up at 4am tinkering... But I'm kinda OCD like that

 

[pherber12]

wow, that really looks great!!!

that gives me some nice ideas for a new cage for roxy... looks like it will be really easy to keep neat and clean.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Nate made me one out of a china cabinet for Slatey... Will post that one as well. How much does Roxy weigh, about?

 

[BethM]

Wow, Autumn, that's really nice! I never would have thought of something like that.

 

[irishbunny]

I have heard about bookcase cages for rats but never for bunnies!

 

[pherber12]

She was 9 lbs when she was spayed in April. I am guessing she might be 10 lbs now. Is that too heavy for a beautiful bookcase cage?

NorthernAutumn wrote:

Nate made me one out of a china cabinet for Slatey... Will post that one as well. How much does Roxy weigh, about?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I don't think it would be at all I'd just keep an eye on it, and potentially do metal bracket support under each shelf.
(Heck, I think I better go bracket my own stuff!)

This book case is made out of pressed OSB (oriented strandboard)... If you can find a bookcase or two made out of REAL wood, even better!

 

[Malexis]

Where'd you get the bookcases from? I really like this idea.
Also on the last picture i was wondering if they have to go to that little fenced in area (of nic grids at the bottom off the shelve) to get to their litter boxes?
What a cool idea. How is cleaning it?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Hey Morgan (who has my Evie's twin )

I got the identical bookcases from Staples on a sale. You can pretty much get the same bookcases anywhere... Just choose the deep ones.
They use the little fenced in area essentially as an elevator. Otherwise, my staggered arrangement of shelves would have resulted in limited space (only one shelf wide). So, the little fenced in area permits me to have one complete level for them to bounce around and muck about in.

Cleaning isn't bad at all. I've got a lint brush to clean up the fleece (if it's bad, I just pull off the ducttape and wash it. You could probably put velcro there on the shelves if your buns don't mess with it too much.

Litterboxes are in the basement as you noted. I'm using deep square ones. Cleanup is all good, as the surface is slightly laminated. At least 3 layers of newspaper though, just in case of accidents (as it is particleboard, it can warp due to puddles of pee causing the laminate to swell). If a shelf were to swell on one side, I'd just flip it over
Look in the electrical section of the hardware store for plastic wire holders... That's what I've got on my doors now.

I love this cage so much... it really maximizes their space vertically!
Anything else you want to know?

 

[Malexis]

Autum i didnt know we both have Evies
I really do like this cage! Its nice how its exactly two grids wide. Right now i have my girl in a 2x4 NIC cage, but i think if im ever cramed for space then this would be the perfect cage! It seems like so much room for being made out of a book case (I like how the space is up instead of out), i didnt really think people would be able to do that.
I will for sure use this as a referance if i decide to make one of these, good idea