# finishing touches for my cage?



## suburbandipitymommy (Apr 20, 2012)

This is My cage. It's still a little incomplete as I have not put the accessories in and the loft need more coroplast but I could use some advise on a few things.
First My liner is too small on a few edges. Making the liner was a pain so I'm not abaout redoing it. I velcroed it down but does anyone have suggestions to fill in the gaps I was thinking some smmoth rocks or fake plants ( if peeta won't chew on them). Is appreciate other suggestions. 
Also the walls are so plain and I was thinking about sprucing them up with some fun zebra print duct tape? I'm going for a safari theme so any advice is appreciated. Or if there's anything I can do to make My cage better.

Ok My pic won't upload because its too big but is still appreciate some input


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

Pictures are best. You might register an account with Imgur, Flickr, or another of the many photo sharing sites, and then just link to the picture. Email pics to [email protected] and I'll resize in Photoshop and post for you.

Cutting liners a little large and then folding under (or trimming) might be good. I have one that shrunk for some reason and use a scrap piece to 'hide' that it is too small from Sophie. She doesn't liner dive at all, and I'd rather not tempt her. The wheel and litter pan are in one corner, her house in another, food and water in another, and she's got a big PVC tunnel (over 2') set along one wall. So far, so good.


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

suburbandipitymommy sent me images for cropping/resizing. Three in this post and one to follow. Three in one post seems to be the maximum.

[attachment=2:jw25ckxl]suburbandipitymommy-1.jpg[/attachment:jw25ckxl]

[attachment=1:jw25ckxl]suburbandipitymommy-2.jpg[/attachment:jw25ckxl]

[attachment=0:jw25ckxl]suburbandipitymommy-2-cr.jpg[/attachment:jw25ckxl]


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

Here's the last picture. Comments to follow.

[attachment=0:4kvpbb8q]suburbandipitymommy-3.jpg[/attachment:4kvpbb8q]


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

I think it's pretty slick the way you 'lowered' the upper level. I like that a lot. That should help make it very stable and also reduces the angle and height of the ramp. Very nice indeed!

I would 'hinge' a couple of grids to finish the top. A couple of zip ties on one side for the hinge and a binder clip for a 'latch' would probably work. That's what I did for part of Sophie's top because the CSW wheel is taller than the cubes.

Part of the top is 'open', but unless Sophie turns into Spiderman and navigates the grid while upside down . . . .
http://serenebreezes.com/Sophie-images/top-c.jpg

You may need to watch watch the 'column'. Can she or will she dislodge it? Because I don't have a crossbar for the top, I had to do something similar with Sophie's setup. It needed a little support in the center and I used a 13" x 12" x 2" USPS box to support the top. It had the added benefit of not taking up all that much room in her cage and acting as a partial 'wall', helping to define the cage areas. Mine is 2 grids x 4 grids, so I have the space. To prevent her shoving it out of the way, I put an antique brick in the bottom. Only about 3" high, it weights five pounds, making the boxes extremely bottom heavy. She hasn't moved it an inch. The box can be replaced if it ever gets dirty.

http://serenebreezes.com/Sophie-images/top-a.jpg

I love the fabric pattern. Things will be easier if you have several liners. I would suggest making one thing at a time so that it is never a huge job, and making notes for improvements after each effort. If you are like me, you will just be getting good when you are done. Ha!

I like the idea of 'decorating' the walls.

You will probably get warnings about the open side of the ramp. With the custom loft set down in as it is, what is the maximum distance that your hedgie can fall? As with children, there is a line between 'safe' and 'over protective'. Opinions will vary about the ramp being okay as is or needing a higher side.


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## suburbandipitymommy (Apr 20, 2012)

Wow thanks for the input. I don't think the column will go anywhere. But if peeta manages to budge it, then the loft isn't going anywhere. I used so many ties on that thing, the column is just there to level it up a bit. I used a thick cardboard tube to make it, curtesy of my snapfish order lol. Good idea using a binder clip for the lid closure. I was going to zip tie one side onbut wasn't surely how to lock the other side in place. The bOttom of the loft is about eight inches high and that's how high the ramp is. I didn't want it to be so steep which is why I placed the loft halfway in the cage rather than on toP. It also makes a darkened small space under it so I though of throwing lots of scraps underneath for burrowing. I think the ramp sides are about Two inches high. The floor of the ramp is removAble fOr cleaning. It's basically a strip of a plastic folder that I wrapped fabric around and glued. One thing I was wanderIng if I should raise the coroplast along the ramp but I may just hang some material or something there if he attepts to scale the side. I havnt exactly tested the cage out yet. What do you think about the rock and plants along the side to cover the gap from my short liner? I also though about velcroing a tube to part of it.


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

I was just kind of thinking about the ramp. What if you just sewed a simple tube from fleece and slid it over the ramp, then used binder clips to secure it to the grid on the upper level. Then, if Peeta fell, then she'd just kind of slide down instead of dropping. Just an idea. I love that fleece. I use a lot of jungle prints for my hedgies. They've never been to Africa, but it's important to know about your roots.


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## suburbandipitymommy (Apr 20, 2012)

Good idea on the fleece tube I may try that. My fabric is not fleece though, I wish I'd have thought of fleece but didn't realize how important is was until after my liners were made. I'm def going to use some on the next


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Oh, fleece is only important if you are going to leave the edges unfinished or not sewn. If you sew all the edges so no loose threads can get wrapped around their legs, then you could use any fabric. I just assumed it was fleece because I have the same animal print in fleece.


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