How to Build Your Own Ferret Cage

Domestic ferret

Commercial ferret cages tend to be expensive, despite their flimsy nature. Making your own ferret cage does not have to be expensive or difficult. It also allows for a significant amount of customization as you can build it to any size and style you prefer. When you build your own ferret cage, the results will last much longer than commercial plastic and wire cages, making this an excellent investment for your ferret.

Things You'll Need

• Coroplast
• Box cutter or Exacto knife
• Wire snippers
• Rabbit wire by the roll
• Packing tape
• Tie wire

Instructions

1. Design your ferret cage with its size, shape and accommodations matching with the needs of your ferret. If you have more than a single ferret, your cage should be larger. A suitable sized cage for a single ferret is 3 feet long x 2 feet deep x 2 feet high or larger. To suit additional ferrets, you should add a foot of length or height for each additional cage mate. The more space you create, the more room to sleep and play your ferrets will have.

2. Mark the dimensions for the cage floor on your sheet of Coroplast. Coroplast is corrugated plastic that is sold in large sheets. This plastic is light weight, easy to cut and simple to clean, making it a good choice for the bottom of a ferret cage.

3. Cut the Coroplast to accommodate the cage bottom and its sides. Higher sides are recommended for the cage floor in order to keep litter and waste from spilling out through the wire cage sides. Make sure that you accommodate for at least between 2 and 3 inches for the cage sides when cutting the Coroplast to size.

4. Score each of the sides of the Coroplast in order for the sides to fold up on the cage bottom. Coroplast is thick enough that you can score it using a box cutter or Exacto knife. Take care not to cut through the Coroplast completely.

5. Use the packing tape to tape the sides of the cage bottom together in order to form the tray bottom for your ferret cage. Take care to tape the inside edges well so that the cage bottom does not leak.

6. Measure the rolled rabbit wire and cut to size according to your design or blueprints. You should be cutting two identical pieces for the front and back of the cage, two identical pieces for the sides and a separate piece to make up the top of the cage.

7. Assemble the pieces of your ferret cage together; use the tie wire to secure them in place. The more wire that you use, the more securely your cage will end up. As ferrets are known for being escape artists; it is a good idea to secure your cage as much as possible.

8. Create a door for the ferret cage by cutting an appropriately sized door out of the front or top of the cage. Snip off any sharp edges from the cage door. Secure the cage door back on to the cage by securing one side using tie wire.

9. Attach clips or hooks to the other side of the cage door so that you can lock the door closed once the ferrets are placed in the cage. A hardware store should have numerous options for closures that you can use for this purpose.

10. Furnish the cage in any way that you please or to suit your ferrets. Rabbit wire can be used to create ramps and levels for the ferrets to climb and sleep on. Additional pieces of Coroplast can be cut to suit these levels as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Your ferret cage should be furnished with toys and bedding in order to make for the perfect environment for your ferret or ferrets.