Interest Check: Custom Bin Cages

by chiroptera Sun 26 Nov 2017, 11:30 pm

Hello! I'm still new to the forum but I figured this would be a good place to put out feelers for this so !

Anyway, after I got my two recent girls, I researched bin/tub cages and made one for them. Through doing it, I found out that I actually really enjoy making them, so I've been thinking about trying to take commissions for custom bin cages, if anyone out there would be interested!

If anybody would want to take me up on it, until I'm more comfortable with everything, I'm going to only charge the price of supplies and shipping, and not for the actual labor, because I want to practice!

Here are some pictures of my first cage, Trouble and Yahtzee's current home (featuring the original layout):

Interest Check: Custom Bin Cages IDvb3nwvjkyKdamVcbyIg4jfMU53zc9_tkEoECX_KEaOXPgxGZ-BkuNR-UsmS50_PGqoGWD4qJqO2yAJhfbHzbe9l-VAfx9jnuyYHf7ePvqkP9qT1aEmhKBcqSTuxnkdFbGXi0BqTkNMGERnhBAkQUBEFtB5Jo7zvqTwjiiUzjF_S-iQ5UQvI-Q_ARLtrDtKqs42_cXtQfU3LbLAKKSghrey7g4ue-KQvzyLPeJK6_oqOOORJzLipHmGeD7qxwcXnRnyj3HbUsGrFTU31zUUiETK75y3ZA2WPaZFWjL-Tk1EiAjc-LGvwmZOHU5nux66Q10PpOP2aNEUEvkzC2Gc8qLeyaYQQTcZoMy_73Cw9fI_PnDxfEvVBXAP1bu2ZD2yWGd7d1QHu1BlglVnVlmiR9cAGVR-EhTy5rXLdSAGptw1xRiU5dLKkoMsSPmAXQAZwr32dDIS1SmL7Jeu-YzG98PSpF2TKCciluscS6fw8yBmY1TMk_QD_7yWP_SQxZe9j4Qn6L-QcD4Wr1TTtDeQJGBHzCL7KCFe331OHmZ0ZW3xKg6r5K91Cdps0peL8asxctw5T9vmzXkb3UcwgCv-C3rKWxdEzYHYixUzC6WsVLIoxYxw9cGbWU701dDi5ea88HLf77KLYIN_mMR32g_kEqGSIAZUdsCTuU8=w903-h677-no

Interest Check: Custom Bin Cages MnQKImNijr-2xStj2ysmlDv6WF7GHjqburYXsolu6zLzyQdV5WjNR8-M_gdQsYouARCpB2R97IYvJZt9XMJwzEf1y81tBLurRjgWvyqddz0xnkmvMBuVyLv1kzrxUKl2pdlEkI7gIZedm1rQ0YH6-ACYjWVR5QdUCSWwSyeiECHdoyh7dNhd_u2Uif2tbk1fkjtLIyHKonquaNXqzQy_pAXPE90pkgLdUiAYeniNIohDUq_YjlImT5cyLTcp9dcPr88CdDkvGm9d5msvb2az8UDXHuZ8YGr9Qnbjejy46DKVKruqV9xZXpPKVjhqTzPVWw-INKiCWL7vYmU09aUdnyCUvX39JXYPm-sZuMrynSdD0JewYKJaOdB1HBrEqlxjRz6lHlayS0EsgkJx71rNB5xB70aCQL0_K45ABSFe9aROxqe_6vYjEx-C6uuhx8--auTlzYCBhxyKDaHDPKGg369vrlK6Q_HCo-hET27xKyZ9n_-lFaQJ6aputDioZavmcITRgRgCVQ0heM0wDZM1bSCBj2DpGmNHFGFH2V_puqEQMxoBS3roF3qDL-5YaOWt_cDjDxXP2N99w9v_hYWDKamiiD74f5RLmI7hlPr47YWjwOz5WsYNQVvsamNWzzl_pzb1tRvCaDnWH-bH4TzuvBO9tryMxHCDL60=w903-h677-no

Interest Check: Custom Bin Cages J4kkNXQZobwC3edLCuc1mXoS71Ff0Dnrue41z9H_5NBT9M7iLtN09wcaxgu0dmgvxTgZL1Lc_EUcdzkDCHaxu6unSgLEF48kN6EIj9edAQ0Irk5wN-ZQdy1J-BPQtDFeYloFDgj3LDBkQlwi3I776gIYjAHoRpJVQw0ZleTaPrX3Tm8k9bQe4Vt0E8nRIsJ57wGyRtMpHVsCO5Cd4cTCL7ORIxhKHuVzHy7hYHLcIjuWMucVd1DaSNyqTfcnKDJfcaAdX_6g60UV0f94GJrFdGlkSXP6zoP2fX1oPzEHCpvQfVTwLD9iakXpz6gmPsd4tUveY7sR5H-vfNwpBt9iFsbf1DLk6D9uOIfTj9zDFVBlGYSKWVfAPDS_p-fXlFFKEphd09JRGyxn3OWVe5Ar07VzqyZcQI6sEs5cDX_dCtWtxd-zvkfXvNis9y1g6gUXA_pkaadE4wfix4yYtT3ZPsXavZj80yVSvc8Y3jl0QB0KOjvJsln3GPO1w64PtySTZmWwe0qXZ4AhPlAIwoGoXYcuZGfH-2rECUWhsbb7QoEGOqfwpqWZmWyZQBVjybjxgFG6Psvr8DZhz7NJ6oXp__YvKiVyiZc7LcSl2wqm-rfSgiTd9KPBWlGERGNWtlKWcV41CyMwXe8iGMMRDXKjgUiduH7d7IJGhpQ=w903-h677-no

Interest Check: Custom Bin Cages GWaAAhLZPjAqbqygGvGSy7Gjfjj9CpzuYKikT9tFlDlC-xBRnXhZ3s-HYvZJioOOE7zOulwzcQeunDHPSH6Cgshim4tdghv7BRcqhKn259BL7ZCShSHGILF_HSbayV92rwkC46aV3UaIslP3JW9Sek0HxcFq2ao2FKJowSPa-49YKw-oOzC4JUWf1h44fVj79LeDsn2sii1fbUrlSkwPBqUPwrAkahCvxmz9KkkDopwPOXOFGjlX3L--W2TKhHgEwofmm3ThX_eIJ0QFYRtSuJ0g6R0AutmDQb38nZdssYjSXfAVKvvhb9pfRW6RTXDPtHvJ2zkVvW-7dDnF7hjBX33lkcgfH82KHjfLKBm7f2l4e2DnakX2IgE5D9iDpIznPBcyMyHNoFIiagVZ_A_I4a3OOq4U50VCxWK9dwGE2aRA9FGXZkfO3c1dvud3ETMLqsMk_5zkouRAE1foUILvHQGHihfbaaWVQXCPYBWPa6aSipUQOIlXoKflcYSgvpRbJeKweRVIhxUe8Fre-lbbqyJWMYDZdOIx3Ch7rABruBr5o0npv-sg_2WbXY9IbSLR_qbLtRowFt4f_koQgvpyqQz2BltyXo_vzPZ6s19cJfOjjzr88aCN19WY_WZg99ht7HQDe0Kxnpw383afvVD6holW-kvBQl46kk8=w903-h677-no

And you can find the gallery of this bin cage right here! Sleep

please feel free to talk to me about this/make suggestions/ask questions, etc etc, i would appreciate feedback!!

by stephlisa Mon 27 Nov 2017, 2:03 am

I like your thinking with this! But I sadly wouldn't want one a) because I don't use them and b) because shipping from USA is always dreadfully expensive for me no matter the item.

I think the good people to market them to would be first time owners who are looking for a cage. (This means that this forum might not be the easiest place to get some custom - I don't want to sound negative, I'm just trying to give you some ideas). The other good people is anyone wishing to upgrade their cage which I would guess means making sure you get picked up on a google search!

by Peachy Mon 27 Nov 2017, 9:44 am

When I first got really into mice I probably would have been delighted with a practice bin. Using old cages for bin cages was something I really wanted to try, I love the idea of having a door, and I wanted to incorproate side panels as climbing areas. I just hated cutting those darn holes.

These days, I've spent nearly $250 on two large mouse cages that are amazing and I wouldn't give up using them for anything. I'm also quickly downsizing and am excited to just have one or two cages again. It's been a few years since it was so simple. Laughing

Maybe you could eat the cost and see if any rescues could use them? Don't hesitate to bump your thread, either. Smile

by Mice Are Cute Mon 27 Nov 2017, 2:14 pm

I really think this is a great idea! I absolutely hate making bin cages! This would be great if I was expecting to buy another pet. I would have faith in this idea, it seems as if it would work Very Happy

by scaredymouse Mon 27 Nov 2017, 6:15 pm

I personally love aquariums because you can see them clearly and take pictures when they are playing. I mean of course you can take pics from above or through the bin... but I like the clear glass of an aquarium.

I've made a few bins before that I use to house overflow or when I have someone in quarantine... but I don't really like using them.

They are super easy to clean though!

by chiroptera Wed 29 Nov 2017, 4:59 pm

stephlisa wrote:I like your thinking with this! But I sadly wouldn't want one a) because I don't use them and b) because shipping from USA is always dreadfully expensive for me no matter the item.

I think the good people to market them to would be first time owners who are looking for a cage. (This means that this forum might not be the easiest place to get some custom - I don't want to sound negative, I'm just trying to give you some ideas). The other good people is anyone wishing to upgrade their cage which I would guess means making sure you get picked up on a google search!

@stephlisa That's totally understandable! I'm worried that trying to ship these things at all is going to be too much to even bother, so overseas would definitely be a problem. (Hopefully since they don't weigh anything, it won't cost too much, but I still need to look into that.)

And yeah, it makes sense that new mouse owners would be more interested in these, I wouldn't quite know where to start other than posting here, though. Never had much luck making myself Google-able, unfortunately.

Peachy wrote:When I first got really into mice I probably would have been delighted with a practice bin. Using old cages for bin cages was something I really wanted to try, I love the idea of having a door, and I wanted to incorproate side panels as climbing areas. I just hated cutting those darn holes.

These days, I've spent nearly $250 on two large mouse cages that are amazing and I wouldn't give up using them for anything. I'm also quickly downsizing and am excited to just have one or two cages again. It's been a few years since it was so simple.

Maybe you could eat the cost and see if any rescues could use them? Don't hesitate to bump your thread, either.

Yeah, I really enjoy making them honestly, which is part of why I wanted to do this to begin with. I used the cage from PetSmart to make the door, which I like to have on top of the lid so that I don't have to grab them from above (don't want to be associated with scary predators from the sky). I wish my wire cutters had been better at cutting through the bars so I didn't have to have the whole panel up there, but for my first attempt I'm still rather proud of it.

Cutting the holes is always a pain, especially since my tools were fairly limited... I might try to find a better blade before I make anymore. I did crack the plastic a bit, but I fixed it up by gluing part of the lid that I'd cut off over the cracked parts to keep the wall solid.

I definitely don't blame you for loving the cages that you have, there are some absolutely gorgeous ones out there. For me at the moment, bins are more practical and affordable, plus I enjoy being able to control and customize things myself.

Mice Are Cute wrote:I really think this is a great idea! I absolutely hate making bin cages! This would be great if I was expecting to buy another pet. I would have faith in this idea, it seems as if it would work

@Mice_Are_Cute If you do end up adopting/buying a new friend and want me to make a bin for you, please do let me know!

And thank you for the confidence! c:

scaredymouse wrote:I personally love aquariums because you can see them clearly and take pictures when they are playing. I mean of course you can take pics from above or through the bin... but I like the clear glass of an aquarium.

I've made a few bins before that I use to house overflow or when I have someone in quarantine... but I don't really like using them.

They are super easy to clean though!

@scaredymouse I'm a fishkeeper (don't have any right now do to moving recently/expenses but I still consider myself a fish person... in my heart at least), and I think that might turn me off from glass aquariums. They're very heavy and can be hard to find space for... that said, they're probably a lot lighter when they aren't filled with water. Plus, there aren't any wires necessary for mouse tanks, which is a plus... drip loops, wires, filters, air pumps- it gets crowded very fast.

My mice when I was younger were mostly in tanks, and it worked out fine, and I definitely understand liking the clear glass better (though my bin is pretty clear, so I don't mind too much). Grabbing an aquarium from Amazon or Petco is also a lot less time consuming than making a tub, too.

Cleaning really is a breeze, which is great. Takes me at most 20 minutes (not including me trying to decide how I want to decorate. but that's just me)

Also, it isn't allowing me to edit my first post of this thread for some reason? The edit button just isn't there... I wanted to change out one of the pictures for the one that I took after cleaning the cage yesterday but it isn't giving me the option.

oh, and sorry for the double pings, I didn't realize that quoting a user automatically pings them