How to Build an Outdoor Cage for a Chinchilla
Chinchillas are a member of the rodent family and like houses in quiet places away from direct sunlight and drafts. Chinchillas are nocturnal animals, but do require at least one hour of exercise each day. Chinchillas can be taken outside for exercise time as long as they are monitored and in a sturdy outdoor cage in a shady area. Although chinchillas need to live indoors all the time, this cage will keep a chinchillas safe during outside playtime.
Things You'll Need
- 4 two-by-four0inch pieces of lumber, 8 feet long
- Table saw
- Drill
- Wood screws
- 1/2-inch chicken wire
- Staple gun
- Staples
- Wire cutters
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut the two-by-four pieces of lumber in half, giving you eight 4-foot pieces of lumber. Saw those pieces in half lengthwise for a total of 16 1-by-2-inch pieces of lumber that are 4 feet long. Cut four of those pieces in half again, giving you eight 1-by-2-inch pieces of lumber that are 2 feet long.
-
2
Lay out four of the pieces of lumber on the floor or ground in a square, and using the drill and wood screws, connect the pieces of lumber together with two screws at each corner.
-
-
3
Lay out four more pieces of lumber on the floor or ground in a square and attach at each corner with two screws using the drill.
-
4
Attach four of the 2-feet long pieces of lumber to the corners of the square on the ground by screwing the posts into the outside edge of each corner with two wood screws. Add another 2-foot-long piece of lumber to the middle of each side for extra support, for a total of four corner posts and four support posts.
-
5
Lay the second square on top of the four posts and attach by screwing through the outside edge of the post and into the square frame. Do this for both the corner posts and the support posts in the middle of each side. You should now have what looks like a square box.
-
6
Unroll enough of the chicken wire to cover the top wood square and staple it onto the wood. Trim any excess chicken wire off from around the edges using the wire cutters.
-
7
Unroll the rest of the chicken wire around the outside edges of the box, bending it where necessary to fit snugly against the wood. Staple the chicken wire to the wood posts and the bottom and top edges of the box. Trim off any excess chicken wire from the edges of the box using the wire cutters.
-
8
Lift up one corner of the box, and place the chinchilla underneath in the grass in a shady spot for up to one hour for exercise. Monitor the chinchillas by staying near the box and watching at all times.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Like other rodents, chinchillas like to dig, so it’s important to monitor the animal the entire time it is in the new play yard.
Attach the chicken wire to the outside edges of the wood only, and trim off and staple down any sharp edges.
Do not leave your chinchilla unattended outside.
Do not place the play yard in direct sun. Chinchillas are very sensitive to heat, so a shady, grassy area is best.
Check the edges of the pen, and make sure there are not gaps between the bottom edge and the ground.
References
- Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
