C&C Alternatives Our new "furniture style" cage

[Nicolene]

We finally got around to building our "dream" cage. Well, sort of, we're still adding odds and ends. But so far we're really happy with it. Our 2 piggies live upstairs (6'x2.5') and our 2 rabbits use the bottom 2 levels. The fleece is Velcro-ed to the cage all the way around. This keeps them from burrowing and getting to the wood. The pigs get floortime outside of their cage and the bunnies have free roam when we're home. Everyone seems really happy with the new arrangement.



See the rest of it here: (broken link removed)

 

[Varcoda]

that looks like a lot of effort

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

It looks awesome! Do you have something protecting your wooden floor like plastic or linoleum?

 

[Nicolene]

The floors inside are actually caulked and sealed and we have linoleum inside that goes 2inches up the sides like you'd do with coroplast, so it's all contained.

 

[Nika Lee]

Wow that is beautiful, great job!! It absolutely has a great aesthetic. I like the C&C cages because they are simple and effective but definitely a bit of an eye sore in the home. Good for you!

 

[Nika Lee]

Wow and your guinea pig that has a silver body and brown head is really pretty!! I've never seen that coloring before

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

The floors inside are actually caulked and sealed and we have linoleum inside that goes 2inches up the sides like you'd do with coroplast, so it's all contained.

Awesome! That's the way I did it with my wooden cage too. So worth it and so much easier than coro. Love you cage! Love, love, love it!

 

[KaileighRussell]

This is absolutely amazing! Great great great cage!

 

[Little One]

I just love this cage!

 

[Nicolene]

Wow and your guinea pig that has a silver body and brown head is really pretty!! I've never seen that coloring before

He's actually a redhead , and has the spunkiness that comes with it..

 

[Nicolene]

Thank you for all the nice comments, it took much longer to complete and a little more pricey than we had hoped, but we've had it for a month now and it has been fantastic, it's easy to clean and it takes up less space than 2 cages used to. Our friends and family mostly make fun of the "McMansion", and the fleece bedding, so I tried to explain that both the aesthetic and the bedding is for my benefit but mostly we only get snarky replies, so I figured I would share on here with some people who understand.. Ya know?

 

[NJPKL]

You should totally sell those! I'd buy one! Open an Etsy shop and only make them with a paid pre-order.

 

[Nicolene]

Well, I designed it, and my husband's retired uncle who has a wood working shop in his backyard made it for us from my plans and we just did the painting and flooring and such. I've convinced him to start looking at advertising on Craigslist around the Bay Area where we live, as both piggies and buns are plentiful here. He delivered it to us in pieces, so we could just screw it back together after painting, which is great because I can take it apart for bi-annual scrubbings. BUT, it did cost us $300 just in materials and 2 weeks of painting, sealing, doing floors and sewing the fleece, so I don't know what market price for something like this would run. We joke that he would build them, I would sew the custom fleeces and the aunt would do all the holiday decor (she's talking Christmas wreaths for the doors)

 

[NJPKL]

Well custom animal cages are definitely worth it if you have the money. Maybe if you guys work out a deal with a lumber yard you can buy in bulk to get the cost down. Also, you would have to pay yourselves an hourly rate. Maybe you can sell them for a discount not painted and let people choose to pay for a paint job or get it for a lower cost and paint themselves. Kinda like Gothic Cabinet Furniture, where they sell awesome wood pieces unfinished for less.

 

[RoseNRiver0523]

Thats a really nice cage!

 

[farmersdaughter]

I think you could sell those on Craigslist and possibly small animal shows. In my area there is a guy that does custom habitats for reptiles and small animals. He advertises on craigslist and he had some of his prototypes at a reptile show. There were a lot of people at his table at the show so I did not get a chance to talk to him. I say find out when there is an animal show in your area and have pictures and designs ready for people to see what other styles can be made.

 

[adelore]

What a wonderful cage. I'll bet you enjoy it very much. Yes those of us on the Forum understand this wonderful cage very much. Nice job.

 

[SheWolfSilver]

Wow, that is awesome! Your animals are adorable!