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How to construct a mouse cage?

hey there

i was hoping for some advice on how to make this idea come to life. mice can squish to escape through bars but with squared mesh 12mm gaps are fine because it is reinforced in both directions. there also can be no plastic as mice love to chew and i don’t want them chewing their way out. also a way to add shelving to give the mice more room to roam. i plan on making ladders for them out of dowels and twine. ideally the bottom portion would be boarded up to contain the bed shavings but i need to be able to access it. so im unsure about my design. there’s also the thought of converting a set of drawers into a cage as there’s already a back, top, bottom and sides so any ideas to do it that way would be amazing.

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JacobZ

Hi @olliex5402,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, we're glad to have you with us.

This sounds like an awesome project, and your design looks great so far. I think we should try to create something with enough strength that you have the option to make additions at a later date if you choose to do so. This could be done by making a robust frame from untreated timber, which, if chewed on, would be friendly for your furry friends.

I'd suggest using Porta 42 x 42mm 1.2m DAR Square General Purpose Pine to create the main frame of the cage. This will give the frame its strength and can have additions like your ladders and shelves attached to it in the future. You can use 75mm timber screws to connect your frame and make it nice and solid.

You could then make your hinged gates out of smaller material, such as Porta 18x18mm 2.4m DAR Square Clear Pine, as it won't be acting structurally. You can connect it together with 30mm timber screws.

You can then attach Mouse Mesh to the outside of the frame using staple nails to connect the mesh with the frame.

I'd start with having a good think about the top and the bottom of the frame, as they are the "functional parts" of the cage, and everything else will be attached to them. I've created a render using 42x42 timber as the frame and going off your rough measurements.

As an example, the base of the frame could look something like this -

The top like this -

And like this, when it's all connected together -

You would then add your mesh and board up the base of the frame with something like 9mm plywood to hold in the shavings.

Any thoughts on how we could tackle the issue of cleaning out the shavings?

Would you be fine with using a dustpan and brush to clean them out through the top of the cage, or should we get creative and add something like a trap door so they can be swept into it and drop out the bottom of the cage?

Perhaps some of our wonderful members, such as @Noyade, @DIYGnome and @Dave-1 have some ideas.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @olliex5402

Welcome 🙂 Think this is a good place to start with for ideas for a Mouse cage for sure! 🙂

I really like the design that @JacobZ has supplied right down to the mouse mesh at 6.5mm squares. the 12mm would be like an open door to them 🙂

I use to keep a LOT of mice at one point when i was younger. Think I maxed out at 38 of them lol

They will chew, poo, mess up everywhere. I had them in fishtanks with a grill top and that way limited my issue with waste. In a cage I would plan on something that makes it easy to remove the bed shavings. Maybe a long opening along the side so you can tilt the cage and empty it that way (first removing the mice 🙂 )

They will chew the timber, they will wee on the timber and believe me you wont be able to get the smell out easily. I would actually suggest two seperate cages, you rotate them out each week and let the sun sterilize and dry them out outside. That was the only way I got rid of mouse smell of their toys/climbing stuff I made for them.

Maybe modding a birdcage might be an easier path. The mousemesh applied to around the cage and roof, the sliding base to remove the waste and the air being able to circulate freely, plus you can hose it out as needed. I wouldnt use cable ties to secure the mesh, I would use wire without insulation and tie it off.

After 3 years I sold the mice back to the pet shop for 10c each and bought a small fish tank instead 🙂

Dave

olliex5402

after taking your advice i looked into getting a fish tank and managed to score one on trade me!

i’m only planning on getting one little boy as this is my first time owning mice. (i’ve had experience with ratties)

the dimensions of the tank are 910mm(L) x450mm(H)x 380mm(D). i was hoping for advice on creating a mesh frame for the top to stop him escaping and to keep my kitties out (he will be kept in my study so the kitties only have supervised access to that room).

i was thinking of building some multi level structures too as adding shelves might be a little hard unless i figure out some super strong magnets. I only have a very limited diy skillset.

Dave-1

Good Evening @olliex5402

😀 Cheering! Now on to "shelves, things to climb on and generally make it interesting!

I would use that mouse mesh @JacobZ has suggested to make the lid, easiest way I can think of is to make it so the mesh will "fold over" the edges of the fishtank. Even attaching a length of timber to the edge of the mesh either long side of the lid.

Imagine a rectangle lid, the long edges a little longer then needed (10cm either side)

40mm * 19mm DAR length along the long side of the lid. The mesh is attached to this so the weight can "hang" over the tanks opening.

If you want to make something a little more advanced, then you could make up a rectangular frame that would fit over the tank just. Then attach the mesh with multiple screws along the DAR . You could screw some 40mm screws through the long pieces into the shorter ends. Predrill the holes so the DAR dosnt split. With the rectangular frame and mesh, it will self support and form a weighted lid.

Toys and ramps, Id start with some off cuts and if you look in the middle of the timber aisle there are usually some cheap cuts of timber.

Some ideas of what not to do 🙂

Dont make anything too high, mice stretch extremely well 😲 think of their height and a half. So nothing where they can get to the lid and climb on the underside.

Nothing to complex to clean and wash down.

Bedding material, something that is cheap and easy to clean and compost.

Looking forward to ideas, you have had rats before so I am sure you have a whole bunch of knowledge and ideas 🙂

Dave

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