# How do you build an NIC cage?



## Konotashi (Apr 19, 2009)

I feel kinda bad for Salem having a small cage that's big enough for him, a water bottle, and a food dish. I doubt it's even big enough for a litter box. I want to build him an NIC cage, but I have NO idea how I'll do the shelves and the floor.

What'd you guys use for the floor and the shelves? 
For those of you who built an NIC cage, how much did it cost, and what size did you make it? I want to make one that's 3 squares long, 2 squares deep, and 2 squares high with two shelves, each that are 14" x 28".


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## Spring (Apr 19, 2009)

Hi there!  I love NIC cages! Although I have ventured from using them as cages, to just assembling the grids into pens, I still love the set up of NIC cages.

This would be for an indoor cage, right? Depending on the price of grids, you'd easily be able to construct a cage to your liking for around $40-$60 depending on how cheap you manage to find the grids. The ones I usually buy come in packs of 17 for around $20 CAN, but I'm sure you'd be able to find them cheaper.

What is the flooring like where the cage would be on? When I used to use the NIC grids in a cage set up, I would have a table cloth to protect the carpet then a fleece blanket over the table cloth. For the shelves, you could easily wrap a towel around cardboard then zip tie the cardboard to the shelf.

I definitely recommend using zip ties along with the connectors to add to the stability of the cage. Also, if your bunny isn't litter trained and you are concerned about the flooring the cage is under, you can easily make a coroplast tray to keep in any mess.

Here is two threads on NIC cages for ideas! 

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15348&forum_id=21&highlight=NIC+cages
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=37295&forum_id=21&highlight=NIC+cages


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## Crazyt123 (Apr 19, 2009)

Ok i would also recommend zip ties

I belive it cost me about 35 bucks to build mine 2 which is

4 grids long 2 grids wide and 3 grids tall it has 3 levels in all.Also only half of the top has a ceiling while the ther is open.



For mow im using card board for the shelvings that i replace regulary until i get some tiles.

Heres a pics of Kaspers cage














* i was in thechanging the card borad when i was taking pics that why the 2nd shelf dosent have any cardborad in these pics*


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## myheart (Apr 19, 2009)

This is the condo I built for my little foster boy Andy Allen. It was really easy to build and is self-contained in the respect that it has it's own "floor". The best feature about it is that it is on wheels. I can roll the entire condo out to clean behind/under it because it is that easy to move. If you scroll down far enough, you will see the pics of the condo I made. Andy loves it because he has his choice of floors to flop on. 

How to make a condo

myheart


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## mouse_chalk (Apr 19, 2009)

Also, this tutorial is great for getting to grips with the basic assembly of cages:

 NIC Cage Tutorial 

I currently have 2 cages made out of grids- both are 3 wide, 2 deep and 3 tall, with 3 levels altogether. I used grids for the shelves, but supported with strong wooden dowels underneath. For the shelving floor I used hardboard sheets cut to size and covered with self-adhesive (pink!) lino.

For the flooring underneath our cages we just have the click-together laminate floorboards, because we couldn't think of anything better quickly at the time (and cheaply), but it does probably need revising now.

Good luck! Cages are so fun to build and it's so rewarding to see a happy stretched out bunny in one afterwards


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## Konotashi (Apr 19, 2009)

Awesome ideas guys! Thanks for all the links. 
The floor that really caught my attention is the one that Haley has in the bottom of the cage that she posted here:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15348&forum_id=21&highlight=NIC+cages

I PM'd her and asked her what she made it from, but I'm not sure how long it might take to get a reply. onder:


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## Spring (Apr 19, 2009)

That would be coroplast. You can get it at any hardware store such as home depot ect. Then you score the sides to make a 'tray' type bottom. Really helpful with these type of cages!


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## BunLuvvie (Apr 21, 2009)

NIC cages are the best. I followed there instructions:http://breyfamily.net/bunnycage.html
and used carpet squares on top of thick cardboard for the floor, and for shelves, I covered the plywood with more carpet squares. It cost me about $60 for everything includin the plywood, dowels, and cubes. Mine is 3long, 4deep, 2 wide.


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## Konotashi (Apr 22, 2009)

I'm having the hardest time finding the NIC cubes. I'm not even looking for that specific name brand, I'm just trying to find anything like them, and I've been to two Wal-Marts, Target, and I called Costco to see if they have them. No one had them. I'm going to try going to Bath and Body Works, then Home Depot tomorrow. :/


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## AngelnSnuffy (Apr 22, 2009)

At Wal Mart they're called storage cubes.But, they are or should be, in the orgainization area of the store.

Brandname is Whitmor at Walmart, here's the link:


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5005199


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## Konotashi (Apr 22, 2009)

I looked in the kid's section, the furniture section, the organization, the school supplies, office supplies... couldn't find them. 

On the website, it says online only. :cry2


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## Konotashi (Apr 23, 2009)

Okay. I have literally never looked for something that has been so unbelievably hard to find! I went to Target, two different Wal-Marts, Home Depot, and then I FINALLY found what I was looking for at Bed Bath and Beyond! I almost got some hardware cloth at Home Depot, but I wasn't sure if it was safe to use, and plus, it would have been a HUGE pain to make a cage with. (I've made a cage for my suggies out of it. It took me about a week.)
SO I decided to put that back and thank GOODNESS I did, because I found the shelves! I was so happy! I'll get some pics up in a second.

It's not 100% done, because I still need to get the coroplast, but we're close!


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## Konotashi (Apr 23, 2009)

Here's the cage! I put a towel on the shelf that I put the hay on since I don't really have anything else to put on it right now. I don't expect that he'll try to get on the higher shelves yet, but I'm going to make ramps and stuff and cover them with coroplast. You really can't see him, but he's under the shelf with the towel.

(Sorry about the cruddy photo. I took this on my phone.)


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## AngelnSnuffy (Apr 23, 2009)

Yay!arty0002: So glad you found them!

Make sure you show us pics!


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## kmc5 (Apr 23, 2009)

Cloroplast is impossible for me to find. So I thought about getting scrap linoleum from the flooring store and putting it on plywood. And how about those sliders you put under furniture so you can slide the cage around. I use the sliders on my very heavy glass desk and I can move it with one hand. 

I have a single level cage. I see in the pics levels without ramps. How do the buns get up to the next levels?


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## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 23, 2009)

I have a two story Cube condo and storm jumps to the second level. The first time or two he would miss jump And I was going to add a grid or two for a ramp. And when I was going to add them he had figured it out.

The one thing I am trying to figure out is what to put on the second level over the card board right now I have a towel but he chews the card board under neith but he wont walk on tile. I had it in there for about a week.

Oh sorry got side tracked yeah storm just jumps


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## kmc5 (Apr 23, 2009)

cool thanks. My g-pigs have two levels with a ramp. I have no idea why I didnt level up the rabbits cage. But you know I will now, lol

I even use the grids for my outside iguana cage. I just love the stuff!


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## Konotashi (Apr 23, 2009)

He just hops right on the lowest level. I think he can get on the other ones just fine, but I'm going to go ahead and get some coroplast and make some ramps and then wrap hardware cloth around it to give him some traction. I imagine it'd be hard for a bun to get up coroplast with nothing on it. lol It'd be like a slip-n-slide!


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## Konotashi (Apr 23, 2009)

I got the coroplast! 
First store this time! We went to a sign store. Quick service! We walked in, asked us what we needed, I told them, then they said they have scraps in the warehouse, so we went around to the back, and I got two good sized pieces for $3! They normally are $5 a piece, but since the corners were a little beat up and they were dusty, they let me have them for cheap! I'm cutting off the corners anyway.


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## Konotashi (Apr 24, 2009)

AAAANNND the COMPLETED product!


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## Lolpigs (Apr 24, 2009)

Looks Great 

Here is Cuddles Cage

http://acs.7.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=9896


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## Konotashi (Apr 24, 2009)

He's starting to figure out the ramps.  When he got to the top, he wasn't totally sure how to get down, so he tried a Superman move and crashed. I need to put some carpet or something on the shelves.


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## Lolpigs (Apr 24, 2009)

Mine dosent use ramps he just hops up and down from his ledge. Carpet or fleece attached to them should help


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## AngelnSnuffy (Apr 24, 2009)

That looks wonderful!! You've come a long way baby!


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