How to Build a Ferret Cage

With the proper planning, you can build a ferret cage just a few hours. Here's how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Metal tray
• Vinyl tiles
• Glue
• Plywood
• 16 feet of wire grid fencing
• 36 feet of narrow vinyl tubing
• Gaffer's tape
• 10 binder clips
• Substrate
• Wire cutters
• 2 ceramic dishes
• Litter box
• Cat litter
• Ferret toys

Construct Your Ferret Cage

1. Know that ferrets are escape artists and require a solid, well-built cage.
2. Design your ferret cage with enough room for a food and water dish, litter box and nesting area. Consider a multi-level cage to maximize space and create a play-friendly environment for your ferret.
3. Purchase a metal tray for your ferret cage and then create the base by nailing plywood together to create a space that measures two by three feet. You can find a metal tray at a pet supply store or at a salvage yard.
4. Trim your vinyl flooring squares and cover the floor of the cage.
5. Use glue to fill the cracks between the vinyl tiles.
6. Bend your long wire cage section at three points to create a cage shape.
7. Cut off the very edge of the wire at the raw edge, leaving one-inch cross wires. Remove all cross wires except for one every five inches and one at each end.
8. Bend the wires to create loops and secure the cage.
9. Create a door in your ferret cage by cutting a hole at least six inches up.
10. Cut another piece of wire that measures two grid sizes larger than the hole you've cut for the door.
11. Hinge the door by trimming off the very edge of the wire door, leaving one-inch cross wires. After trimming the cross wires until you have one every five inches, loop the wire edges to secure the door.
12. Protect all raw edges by cutting open your vinyl tubing and securing it with gaffer's tape.
13. Place your ferret cage upright on its base.
14. Attach your cage top by cutting off the edges, leaving the one-inch cross wires, and looping them to the cage. Add vinyl tubing and tape to protect against scratches.
15. Use binder clips, found at any office supply store, to secure all edges that have been hinged together. Place the binder clip sideways at about eight-inch intervals.
16. Line your ferret cage with substrate such as paper pellet litter.

Decorate the Ferret Cage

17. Collect the necessities for your ferret cage. You'll need two heavy ceramic dishes for food and water.
18. Add a litter box filled with cat litter to your ferret's cage. Ferrets always relieve themselves in the corner of a cage, so they will naturally gravitate towards your litter box when placed in the corner with a few droppings.
19. Add fun toys for your ferret to play with. They enjoy simple cardboard tubes, baby-safe toys and non-chewable plastic toys.

Tips & Warnings

• Domestic ferrets need to be kept indoors.
• Never use an aquarium to house your ferret.