The bottom of a cage

[WillClark]

Hi guys, i made a chinchilla cage out of wood ( dont worry its all safe wood i researched before i made it) the problem im having is my little girl sookie is only 9 months old shes a bit of a mad one she wee's on the bottom it and i've got a litter tray but she refuses to use it so shes stained the wood and wont stop doing it on the wood, what can i put down on the wood, please note a sheet of aluminum in the uk would cost me around £70, I dont want to use wood shaving's because of the dust ive used fleece an she just wee's on that and it stinks after a day so im stuck on what to use, any ideas????:banghead:

 

[ticklechin]

All my pine shelves are tiled and grouted, easy clean up and impervious to chinchilla pee. I have used tile in custom cages for 11 years with out one issue.

 

[Chins To Love]

All my pine shelves are tiled and grouted, easy clean up and impervious to chinchilla pee. I have used tile in custom cages for 11 years with out one issue.

I would love to see pics of your cages.

 

[tunes]

These are Dawn's cages - http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14872.

Even melamine would not work for the bottom of a cage. After a while it's going to suck up the liquid, no matter what kind of wood it is.

If Dawn's idea doesn't pan out for you (hehe, pun intended) do you have any kind of farm stores that you might check at for a plastic tray? The Ferret Nation cages come with plastic trays, and though plastic isn't ideal for some chins, others it works just fine for. The problem will be finding one to fit your cage since it's custom made.

 

[ticklechin]

Here are a couple of close ups

the pee spot with the shavings

 

[Carol~Anne]

On the bottom of one of my wooden cages I have a piece of arborite (counter top material) cut to size and it just sits over the wood and works great. You could try something like that.

 

[WillClark]

Tiles :hmm: i could them cheap or i think my dad gots a box of them layin around he doesnt want thats goin to save mea lot of money thank you so much:hug2:

 

[3CsMommy]

Dawn, those are gorgeous! I'm envisioning a custom cage with a mosaic tiled floor and want to go make it.

 

[ticklechin]

I REALLY wanted marble tile shelves but natural stone is porous and would absorb pee. They really like the tile since its cool after playtime, they sprawl out on the shelves afterward!

 

[NommyCakes]

Can you just use construction glue to put the wood and tile together instead of grouting it?

 

[GorillaJTA]

Can you just use construction glue to put the wood and tile together instead of grouting it?

If you cut the tile to fit, then you not have to grout as you can pull the tile up to clean them and under them. I have metal pans and they are mostly covered by tile (I have the tile to cover them completely, but have not cut it yet).

 

[ticklechin]

I used liquid nail to attach the tile to the wood and grouted the cracks so nothing could get to the wood. The tile are permanent.

 

[Idgie]

Do you have drop ceilings where you live? The covers for the flourescent light parts of the ceilings are lucite and cheap. Or there is plexiglass. You could get a sheet of it to cover the bottom--that's what I did. Not sure if it will work with the cage that you have or not. But it is easy to wipe down.

 

[missjess10475]

You could use fleece liners