You have two options when it comes to cages for chinchillas. You can build your own or you can buy one ready-made. We've actually done both.
Our first cage was typical of pet store cages. Its dimensions measured 3 feet x 1.5 feet x 2 feet and it had two levels. It seemed to be a decent size for one chinchilla, but it didn't take long before we started to think about coming up with our own design. The main advantage of a store bought cage is immediate availability. Pre-built cages can also be reasonably priced given the economies of scale inherent in mass produced products.
Our second cage was one we designed and built. We wanted to build something as large as possible, but still be small enough to move around our house as needed. This meant the cage had to be no wider than 2 feet so that it could fit through a doorway. The length was determined by figuring out what we could maneuver around the hallways of our home. This turned out to be 4 feet. And the height was also 4' mostly because of the size of the materials that we selected (more about that below).
The custom chinchilla cage we built has a 5-sided base (i.e. 4 walls and a bottom) made out of melamine. Melamine is particle board covered with white plastic that is easy to clean with Windex and a paper towel. To make moving the cage easy, we attached strong caster wheels to the bottom of each of the 4 corners.
The sides and top of the cage are made out of white Elfa shelving you can buy from the Container Store. Holding the whole thing together are 1-inch square pieces of wood that run length-wise or width-wise throughout the cage. These pieces of wood also provide support for wooden shelves (4 levels) that the chinchillas can jump onto. The Elfa walls and ceiling form another 5-sided box that sits within the melamine base. Both the melamine bottom and Elfa have a door to allow for entry to and exit from the cage.
To make the cage easier to clean, we put together a 5-sided wooden box which we filled with bedding as a cue to our chinchillas. The wooden box also has a melamine bottom, but it has pine sides since they're exposed and may be chewed.
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September 3rd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Hello. I just adopted a chinchilla from a friend of a friend and inherited a rather small cage. I figured out pretty much how to build a cage like yours but have read to watch out what kind of wood. I read you used pine wood for the shelves. Did you buy the wood at a place like Home Depot or did you get it from a specialty lumber yard? I have read on other sites that the pine must be kiln dried and untreated and I am unsure if that is what you get at your local Home Depot or Lowe's. Also, how often do you clean the bottom? When you clean out the bottom do you remove the bedding too that has been peed on? Thanks!
September 1st, 2008 at 10:36 pm
This cage is lovely. Do you find it is cheaper to build a large cage or to buy a cage and modify it? Also I have been considering building a habitat for my 8 chinchillas, something large and zoo quality, but I was a little concerned about housing more than 1 male in the same cage with my females. I was wondering how large a space would be needed to assure my males would not fight. I also wrote some tips regarding housing baby chinchillas on my site chinchillaplace.com here is a link if anyone is looking for more info http://www.chinchillaplace.com/chinchilla-blog/?Tag=Introducing+Chinchillas
August 18th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Hi. I have never owned a chinchilla before but have done a lot of research and may be getting a chinchilla soon. I read that you don't want to get plastic cages because the chinchillas can chew and digest the plastic which can lead to future health issues. Is that correct?
Or does it depend on the chinchilla? I was reading the reviews of certain cages on PETCO or Petsmart and some owners say their chinchilla chewed through the plastic while other chinchillas didn't at all.
Thank you so much.
Also, this site was very helpful.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:59 am
where did you get the melamine boards?? I can't seem to find them in stores
July 20th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I forgot to say if i cage has heaps of shelves, they prefer to go on the higher ones! the only thing that goes on the bottom of my chin's floor is poop!!