Custom Cage Materials

[kayelljay]

So I want to make a custom cage for my guinea pigs as they are currently in a midwest but want to make a cage where nothing can really get kicked out the sides (boyfriend is complaining as they are messy pigs )

I want to use something more solid than C&C cage materials, I was thinking similar to the ones that people make out of the white glossy wood material (if that makes sense?)
I just don't know what material would be best to use, and if it's wood how can I make sure its sort of glossy and waterproof so that it wont get ruined quickly?

Sorry if that makes no sense, I couldn't find an example of what I meant!

 

[Wiebke]

You could also look at using perspex. Or have you considered just making a correx tray with higher sides and and a perspex front inside your existing C&C?

 

[Herbietheguinealion]

In the uk it called melamine, the wood covered in plastic. IKEA sells it for shelving.

 

[kayelljay]

You could also look at using perspex. Or have you considered just making a correx tray with higher sides and and a perspex front inside your existing C&C?

I was looking to build a brand new cage from scratch but I wanted something a lot sturdier and thicker than correx so that it would be solid so I was thinking wood or something similar.

 

[kayelljay]

In the uk it called melamine, the wood covered in plastic. IKEA sells it for shelving.

Thank you, I was actually looking at the ikea shelving & it was exactly the sort of thing I wanted - so glad someone knew the name lol! Thanks

 

[Kit06]

Laura from Piggiepigpigs describes how she makes her custom cages with ikea shelves and fittings and clear plastic fronts on YouTube. She details what everything is and how they were put together - might be worth a look? Think this is the one:

 

[Herbietheguinealion]

I've put a lot of thought, but very little action, into this very idea, if u google image search diy guinea cages there are some awesome ideas.
Someone has even used an upside down Ikea table and used the legs as posts to fix back and side panels then used a Perspex front. It's a long coffee table I think it's like £20 and is covered in the White coating we talked about earlier.