Cool Homemade Hamster Cages

Hamsters are small pets that usually live in cages. Some pet owners buy wire cages or aquariums from the pet store, but it is easy to make your own at home out of plastic storage containers. Once you have constructed the cage itself, and made holes for ventilation, you can decorate it or connect it to other cages for a cool and unique home for your pet.

Things You'll Need

  • 2, 90 quart plastic storage bins with lid
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • Scissors
  • Mesh
  • Super glue
  • Hamster shavings
  • Water bottle
  • Food dish
  • Toys
  • Bubble paint pens
  • Paper towel roll
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Instructions

  1. Basic Cage Construction

    • 1

      Turn the lid of the plastic storage container upside down. Use the ruler and marker to mark out a rectangle on the bottom of the lid. Make the rectangle 18 inches long and 6 inches wide.

    • 2

      Puncture a corner of the rectangle with the scissors, then cut the rectangle out. Measure a rectangle on the mesh that is two inches wider and longer than the hole in the lid. Cut the rectangle of mesh out with the scissors.

    • 3

      Super glue the mesh rectangle over the hole in the lid. If the mesh curls, weigh it down with rocks or another heavy object. Leave the superglue to dry for one hour.

    • 4

      Fill the bottom of the plastic storage container with two inches of hamster shavings. Lower the food dish, hamster wheel, or any other toys into the container. Use the scissors to poke a small hole in the side of the container, and slip the mounting bracket of the water bottle into the hole to hold it up.

    Customizing the Cage

    • 5

      Decorate the lid of the cage with bubble paint pens. Write the name of the hamster, or draw designs on the lid. You can also draw designs on the side of the cage itself, but that can block your view of the pet.

    • 6

      Construct a second cage in the same manner as the first cage. Use the scissors to cut a small hole in one side of both cages. Make the holes the diameter of a paper towel roll, and cut them as close to the bottom of the cages as possible.

    • 7

      Insert one end of the paper towel roll into each of the holes, creating a tunnel for your hamster to pass through between the cages. Squeeze a bead of super glue around the paper towel roll, where it meets the cage, so the roll doesn't come out and leave exposed holes through which the hamster can escape.