Cage Critique (I made these)

[Vyxxin]

In advance, these are some "prototype" cages I've made for customers. Previously I've only made cages for myself. Recently, due to customer demand and supply availability I've offered my customers starter packages which include cage and basic supplies. I will give the back story on each cage and hope to get some input on these.

Cage1: 24" wide across the front, 18" deep to the back and 36" high. The pan is 2.5" deep. This cage was made for a customer purchasing two recently weaned chinchillas. Taking that into account, I put the shelves (which are 1"x8") spaced ever 6" up with the fleece hammock in the middle. The customer wanted one door which I placed front center, and it is 14"x10". All but one shelf is full length either across or deep. The customer wanted a matching fleece liner and hammock which I mad. The hammock is in the middle to prevent falling all 3 feet. Customer got an apple hanging toy as well as toss toys, sticks, water bottle, feed dish, log hidey, chin chiller, feed...dust for an extra $75.

Cage2: 27" wide across the front, 16" deep to the back and 36" high. The pan is 3.5" deep. Cage was made for a customer purchasing two recently weaned chinchillas. The customer wanted three doors, I put one on the top center, one on the upper right side and one front/close to center. Shelves are placed ever 6" alternating front full length and back full length up to the last 12" at the top where I placed a PVC fleece half tube (I did NOT make this) on the back center. Shelves are 1"x8"x27" so with them alternating front to back they "overlap" so that a fall will not be more than 6" to the next shelf. Purchase includes a willow hanging toy and some sticks as well as water bottle, feed dish, bag of bedding, feed, and dust for an extra $75.

NOW, both cages have 1"x1" wire spacing to account for the chinchillas being young. They also have door liner. The first cage with larger door has it on both sides of the door while the second cage with three doors only have it on the inside of the door. All shelves are attached with hanger bolts and ARE moveable.

For anyone who's built cages...ya'll know I'm not especially making anything on the "deal" after cost of supplies but I really wanted customers to have an option outside of the crap local petstores were offering. I'm not TRYING to make money on the cages and in some instances am actually losing a tiny bit. My first customer (the first cage) is thrilled. But I want to know what ya'll think of the design of these cages and their accessories. Anything is helpful and for those that are handy, if you have made your own cages I'd love to see pics! It gives me ideas. When I make these cages I give the customers many options to choose from. The height of the cage, the number of doors...for adult chins the number of shelves and wire spacing. For young chins I insist on certain features such as smaller wire spacing and shelves/hammock every 6". Just trying to get some input. This is nowhere near beneficial to ME so much as my customers, many of which are new chin owners and hoping to find good chin safe products. It takes me about two days to get a cage built with the shelves installed. It's a lot of work, but I know my customers will have what they need.

Which reminds me, these cages are expected to be acceptable for ADULT chins once the babies grow up. How do ya'll feel about the size for two pet chins? Do you think they're excessive for YOUNG chins (9-11wk old chins)? Safety?

 

[Sycamore Chins]

I think they look like good options for buyers. I completely agree that it's hard to make any money off of cages - I'm lucky if I make enough to pay for my time at nearly minimum wage. I've made cages for only a select few people, but don't have much free time anymore and don't foresee having much free time when I enter the "real-world" either.

As for critique:
I think the size is absolutely fine.
I much prefer the 1/2" x 1" wire mesh - I feel it give the cage a lot more stability for stacking and longevity, decreases their ability to chew on the wires of the cage, and decreases "outside forces" like poking dog noses, cat paws, and kid fingers.
Also I like my doors to be nearly the size of the front of the cage - maybe 6-10" ALL around smaller. I want to be able to pull a chin out of a cage quickly and not fight with the cage.

I'd love to offer buyers a starter cage...perhaps when I have my dream garage with all the fancy tools...

 

[Dreamlite]

The bigger the door the better. I love cages with big doors. All of my customers ask where they can get cages with slide out trays, so they don't have to move the whole cage to clean it. I don't know how much harder that would be to make.

 

[Vyxxin]

Alicyn- that's a VERY good suggestion about the smaller mesh, I'll have to offer it. The only drawback is that locally that size mesh only comes in 30" height I think. Oh, as for durability, this is american made 14g. wire. Much too hard to cut by hand. I don't know if 1/2"x1" even COMES in 14g anywhere. I know locally the stuff is 18g. I can order 16g, but 14g I'm not sure. Also, good suggestion about door size. I worry about HUGE doors compromising structural integrity...especially when there's many. I wonder, I know I could do a massive front and medium top flap...I don't think I'd recommend doing an additional side door in those cases but it's another option for customers

Dreamlite- it's actually NOT any harder. It's a litter more expensive, a little more calculating but no harder whatsoever. I've done pull out pans, as I've built my own runs on more than one occasion I never even thought to offer customers, it's a very good suggestion!

 

[Vyxxin]

Alicyn- it just occured to me, the larger the door the more difficult of a time I have fastening shelves...when you have large doors is it only on one side of the cage with maybe a lid flap as well?

 

[javachin]

I think they're fine. I do prefer the 1/2"x1" wire better, but use whatever you have. Larger doors are always nice, but they may detract from stability if you have several? I recently delved into cage making and have a new found respect for those who do this for a living. Full wire runs are a pain to build!

 

[Vyxxin]

That they are, and not darned cheap either! For a set of average sized runs, 4 hole, with pans, I paid $100 last year! No joke Granted, I didn't feel that was too much...and the run was brand spaking new...as were the pans...but GEEZE! OUCH!

Like I said, a LOT of work and not really trying for profit. Just looking to offer customers a chin-safe "one stop shop" for their needs to get started. I include a pamphlet with care instructions listing everything in the cage and where they can repurchase it. It also has the link to this site with the "much much more available" tag

 

[Sycamore Chins]

I don't build cages nearly that big, but in every cage I've ever built I only have 1 door, on the front. This helps maintain the structural integrity - some of my cages only have 3-4 inches on the sides of the doors, and never any problems with sagging cages. (I use 16 gauge 1/2" x 1")
I, personally, line my cages up in columns. There is another cage on one side and an external hay rack on the other. So it makes sense to have the doors all facing one direction, keeps things simple. But if you leave 6-10 inches on either side of the door, you can still screw in a shelf on the sides, just make sure it doesn't interfere with the latches.

ETA: J/K - I have made cages where the entire top opens. Forgot those, but I stack them as well, so have a very large door on the front.

 

[Shooper]

They look great and it's awesome that you offer them!!

 

[Vyxxin]

Thank you. Normally I do shelving last, I think next cage I build I may do shelving after the four walls are together to see how much they sturdy up the cage. Reason being, I'd love to make a collapseable cage with a full open top but worry it won't be sturdy enough. Hmmm....