Chinchilla Cage Plans

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A Chinchilla needs a cage which is twice as high as it is wide. This is because the chinchilla is a climbing animal that needs plenty of room. Although you can purchase chinchilla cages from many pet stores and pet suppliers, it's sometimes very difficult to get exactly what you want. There are also many cages which are suitable for other animals which can also be adapted for the chinchilla. To really get a cage that is to your exact specifications you can always build your own and there are plenty of chinchilla cage plans are available for to use.

The best thing about building your own chinchilla cage is that you can adapt it to the environment in which the cage is going to reside. Any chinchilla cage plans that you purchase can be altered according to your own needs, or you can just draw up your own plans. There are a few things that you have to decide upon before you begin building your chinchilla cage. The first thing is whether you want a cage with mesh sides and mesh top, or solid sides and solid top. Most people will go for a solid base although you can put in a mesh base with a sliding panel for easy cleaning. One of the requirements of a good chinchilla cage has to be good ventilation. The chinchilla is prone to overheating because it cannot regulate its own body temperature. Therefore, a mesh sided cage is much more conducive to being your chin cooled.

If you're building a cage with mesh sides you need to source the appropriate wire for the job. You need galvanized welded mesh with about 3/4 inch squares. One inch squares are fine for an adult chinchilla, but if you intend to breed your chin, you will have problems with the babies. The gauge of the wire is also very important. If you're cage is self-supporting then you are going to need a stronger wire, possibly 12 to 14 gauge. But, if you're chinchilla cage plans require a wooden framework, you will be able to use 16 gauge wire.

Another consideration is the wood that you are going to use for your chinchilla cage. Chinchilla's will usually gnaw at wood. Most coniferous wood should be avoided because they sap can be poisonous for the chinchilla. A wood such as willow or apple is much more suitable. The same goes with any wooden toys that you might build into your chinchilla cage plans.