Homemade Ferret Cage

Ferrets enjoy natural habitats in which they can play. A cage should be at least 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, large enough for the ferret to play. It can be several feet high, with multiple levels for climbing.

  1. Materials

    • Use grating for the sides of the cage. Material from grocery store cases, retail store cases and other shelves can be used. You also can buy grating from a hardware or metal supply store. The wire must be heavy gauge, at least 1/8 inch. Chicken wire will not do. Heavy duty fencing wire and mesh wire with 1/2-inch or smaller holes is also ideal. For the bottom of the cage, use a large plastic tray or container that is 4 inches high or less. Wood is not a good choice because ferrets may get splinters in their paws. It will also soak up urine and other stains.

    Designing the Cage

    • Have a design in mind and then work with your materials to complete the project. Adjust your height, width and length to suit the materials' length and width. This will provide a stronger cage. Measure the materials first, then decide where you can bend the wire grating to create your design. If you have a long wire rack, it will make sense to design a cage that has sides as high as the rack is wide. The cage can also be as wide as two sections placed side by side, or double the width of the rack.

    Building the Cage

    • It will be easier to cut the material, using a hacksaw, into sections after you have a design plan, and then attach them together with zip ties, or by bending 1/8-inch wire around the ends of two connecting sides. Use pliers to accomplish this task. Start by creating the bottom, either by lashing two sections of rack together side by side, or simply by laying out one wire grate section cut to the width and length you decided on. Then attach the sides at the corners. Now you can insert an additional level that covers half the cage, or runs along one side of the cage, before attaching a top.

    Creating a Door

    • There are several ways to make a door. You can cut a section from the grate, and then reinstall it using wire or zip ties. Make a latch by wrapping wire around one side of the opening and bending the end into a hook. This can then be pushed across the door when it closes. You can also attach the top with zip ties along one side, leaving the adjacent sides unattached. Then you can build latches as described above for the opposite side. The top will open and it will be easier to get your ferret out of the cage.