i'm itching to get Rhino's new cage set up!!!

[ChinnyMom]

well folks, as you may know i got a new cage for Rhino this week. only problem is the base (plastic) is not use-able and i'll need to build a base for the cage. base building won't happen until next Tuesday (April 12), since i can't re-arrange any funds to do it til next pay day.

well....... i'm itching to get Rhino into his new, much bigger cage right away!

i was considering laying a big piece of fleece down on the floor and just putting the metal wire part (the actual cage) on top and using it that way until i build the wood and tile base for the cage. Rhino faithfully uses a litter pan/bowl for going pee, so i'm not concerned with anything soaking through to my carpet (and steam cleaning is easy anyway, lol).

does anyone see an issue with this? the wire cage part is quite heavy, and i don't think Rhino could get out from underneath at all. his current shelves would allow him to use the bottom 2/3 of the new cage for now (don't want to put shelves too high without a big hammock or large shelf in the middle to catch him if he should fall).

what do y'all think? do it, or wait until the base is built? help!!!!! lol.

 

[Cookie]

Well if that was me I would probably wait, but I also like to have things all put together and perfect before my chins go in so it could just be that side of me showing hahaha. Just a thought though, even though he can't get his whole body out from under it would he be able to somehow get a paw/leg stuck under?? And also he might be able to pull the fleece up and get to the carpet and chew it...they can be surprisingly strong when they want to (Or it could encourage him to start chewing fleece in order to get to that soft cushy stuff underneath).
Well thats just my oppinion, whatever way you choose to go I hope he enjoys his new cage!

 

[ChinnyMom]

that is one thing i thought about - potential carpet chewing. i wish i had a big piece of sheet metal! lol. what about linoleum, as long as he couldn't get to an edge? i know there's a suite in my building doing renovations, i could see about getting a piece of the old lino from them (provided it's not ripped all to heck) and putting it under the fleece for now, with all the edges extending past the cage bottom.

there is no way he could get a leg or paw under the wire cage, the bottom bar sits right on the floor. and this thing is heavy! i could hardly lift it just to move it around for sanitizing. the base i'm building is definitely getting locking caster wheels on it! it's going to be a wood box that the cage drops down into, with a full tile floor. my brain is full of blueprints, hahaha!

i'm one of those 're-arrangers', so even if his shelf/hammock/toy placement was set 'just so' i'd be moving it around in a few weeks/month anyway, lol.

another idea i had was to use the new cage as a play pen for now, so that Rhino could have a change of pace from the bedroom and get to come out to the living room. i'd still put fleece underneath, extending past the edges of the cage. and of course i'd be supervising at all times. everyone's thoughts on that?

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I like the supervised play pen idea, but would be just a tad worried about not having a bottom.

What are the dimensions??? Could you get a large baking/cookie sheet or 2 if necessary, to make a bottom until Tuesday??? If that is too pricey, I'll bet there will be sheets of some sort of galvanized metal at the Home Depot.

 

[ChinnyMom]

it's 3 foot by 2 foot. i don't think they make cookie sheets that big, lol. as far as buying some sheet metal, there really isn't any point in buying extra stuff to make the cage work for now, when it's just over a week away that i'll be making the base. it's going to be one dang long week for me though! lol.

i think what i'll do is just use it as a living room play pen until i can get the base built. i have some cardboard boxes i've cut door holes and such in, i can put a couple of those in the 'play pen cage' so Rhino has something to do in there while out of his actual cage, since i've only got 5 shelves right now and they're all in his cage. when i build the base i'm going to make plenty more shelves for the new cage too.