How to make a display case for a chinchilla with your own hands at home

In order for a chinchilla to live in comfortable conditions, it must first be provided with a good, comfortable and spacious cage. The best option would be a display case for a chinchilla. It can be purchased at a pet store or, if desired, you can make it yourself.

Important. For health and good spirits, these animals need space.

Why a showcase?

The most suitable housing option for a rodent would be a display case. It must be completely closed, this is necessary for the animal to feel comfortable and protected. The main difference between this type of housing and a cage is the ability to use various types of materials when making it yourself.

The best material, of course, will be wood, since this material is environmentally friendly for the animal. But the material also has disadvantages: wood absorbs moisture and odors that come from the animal very well. In addition to this material, fiberboard, chipboard, and aluminum profiles are used. The aluminum profile option will be the most convenient and durable, but its cost will also be higher than other options.

Advantages of the showcase:

The area around the animal’s house will always be clean, as no debris will spill through the bars.
Cleaning is quick and easy.
There is much less noise from an animal that lives in a window.
The pet will not chew metal rods that are painted.
By making a contraction according to your own drawings, you can make the display case an element of the room’s design.
By screwing the wheels to the bottom of the display case, it can be easily moved from place to place.

This housing option is very convenient and this will become immediately clear as soon as the animal is moved into it.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

Showcase drawing To make a display case for a chinchilla yourself, you first need to draw up a drawing.
An interesting suitable option can be found on the Internet - when using, substitute your dimensions to see if you can make the model you like. If you do not have sufficient experience in construction work, it is better to take a simpler drawing, as in this photo: After all the measurements have been taken and transferred to the diagram, all drawings are made on paper on a reduced scale. At this stage it is important to carefully check that all dimensions are correct.

Then, using a ruler, marker or chalk, the details of the drawing are transferred to life-size pieces of wood or chipboard. Next, the following steps are performed:

The parts of the rack are cut out from the prepared materials using a hacksaw or electric jigsaw exactly in accordance with the diagram. For metal, a grinder and appropriate cutting wheels are used. If home conditions do not allow you to work with parts, or there are no suitable tools, you can contact a workshop. Such a service will not be free, but still will not require large expenses.
Windows are cut out in the side walls for ventilation and covered with mesh. Pieces of mesh are cut using metal scissors and then attached with wide-headed screws. To disguise and protect the mounting points, you can use metal profile thresholds.

Windows for ventilation are covered with mesh
Ventilation holes are also often made in the ceiling - you can cover it entirely with a mesh. It will be convenient to attach fastenings for hanging toys and hammocks to the metal mesh cells.
In the marked places, drill holes for the tie screws. Their task will be to fasten the parts together.
First, the rear and side walls are attached to the pallet, then the ceiling is installed using the same principle.
Install fastenings for shelves and the shelves themselves.
Screw the door hinges holding the glass facade.
In places where chipboard cuts are visible, glue PVC tape.
To protect pets from drafts, the display case must be raised to a height of 30-50cm. For this purpose, you can cut out wooden legs, but it is better to make a bedside table. Then this space under the shelving can be used to store food, sand, bathing suits, toys and other accessories for keeping animals.
In order to assemble the bedside table, screws and self-tapping screws are used, the hinged door is attached to furniture hinges, and special magnetic fittings can be used as a lock.

Cage from an old closet

The simplest and most economical option. If you have an old cabinet with glass doors at home, it can easily be converted into a spacious cage. To do this, several windows are cut out on the sides for ventilation, which are covered with mesh. You can also make a window on the roof. The internal space is divided into shelves, in which convenient openings are made and ladders are installed. A special lock must be attached to the glass door. Several drinking bowls, a feeding trough are installed inside, and a manger for hay is hung separately. The upper level is most often equipped with a house and hammocks, and in the middle there are toys and tunnels.

Popular cell types

Sand for its composition, special attention is paid to it, since the beauty of the fur skin depends on it. The animals perform hygienic procedures in sand, while the use of river sand, as well as quartz sand, is excluded. With sharp fragments, the material does not clean the fur, but spoils and cuts the hair.

Breeders began to use a composition made from volcanic dust. It provides excellent cleaning with good moisture absorption. It is believed that the animals behaved this way in their natural environment, and bathed in this substance.

You can check the quality of dust content in the package only after opening it; the color of the composition should be matte; any shine indicates foreign particles. If you rub them in your hands, there should be a trace left on them, like powder, when poured with liquid, the real dust will dissolve, and the heavy quartz will settle to the bottom of the container. Before arranging a swim, you need to resolve the issue of housing. Home cages are somewhat different from professional cages.

The following designs were included in the review, the most popular among breeders:

Houses connected with metal rods. Similar options are presented by sales representatives; they are easy to build yourself. The advantage of such buildings is their low cost and ease of installation.
Manufacturers, in general, completely supply all the necessary parts; it will not be difficult for the owner to assemble the elements and not worry about further arrangement.
Dwellings presented as a kind of showcase will be needed by those who decide to start a family of chinchillas. In this constructive space there are all the details necessary for future offspring. The material chosen is different, but suitable both for interior decoration, where wood is preferred, and for external structures made of metal elements.

A thrifty owner is not prohibited from starting construction on his own, using improvised products that have fallen out of use among household members. The best solution would be to first display the building plan on paper. The drawing will allow you to calculate all the necessary parts by size and quantity. A display-type dwelling can be built from old furniture; cabinets and chests of drawers are suitable for various configurations.

Chinchillas have become a profitable business because of their fur. For commercial breeding, cages of other sizes and designs are needed, designed for the constant reproduction of individuals.

Breeders take into account the number of females required for one male for effective productivity.

A male can serve up to 8 chinchillas, but the owner tries to keep a good sire and prefers to give him no more than 4 future mothers. The cells are arranged in cells arranged on floors, where each is intended for one family. The uteri are separated from each other by their own space, but the rodent moves freely between them through a special passage built into each combined cell wall.

Features of creating a design

First of all, a do-it-yourself chinchilla display window should be at least eighty centimeters high.
Many also leave space below for food, nutritional supplements and a variety of toys. To do this, you will need a space of at least another thirty centimeters.
When creating a drawing of a future structure, special attention should be paid to the appearance. The house must fit completely into the existing interior.
You also need to clearly calculate the dimensions of the cabinet that will be located under the display case. The average size is considered to be one hundred and forty centimeters, taking into account the experience of other owners of such interesting animals.
Depth is also given a special place. It must be at least thirty centimeters. It will be convenient for the animal to run around in such a cage, and such dimensions fit quite well into the existing interior of an apartment or house.
If we talk about width, then in this case there are no special restrictions. The only condition is that the minimum must be thirty centimeters. If the cage is narrower, the chinchilla simply will not be able to stay in it.

Plexiglas cage

This version of the cage is made according to a similar principle - a metal frame is assembled from corners, but the walls of the cage, as well as the door and lid, are made of plexiglass. In a home for chinchillas with plexiglass walls, it is necessary to provide windows for ventilation, otherwise the animals will suffer from high humidity and musty air.

The windows are cut out in several places and covered with a metal mesh. The advantage of such a cage is greater cleanliness around, good sound insulation. Animals do not chew plexiglass, and if the panel is scratched, it can be easily replaced. The downside is that you need to carefully consider the ventilation system and wash the glass regularly.

Requirements for the showcase

The minimum size of an enclosure for one animal should be 80x80x50 cm. If you plan to keep two pets, then, accordingly, the area should be doubled.

The display case should be made of durable and environmentally friendly materials, since the rodent will probably want to try it on its teeth.

Also among the requirements for a showcase, you should pay attention to the following:

dryness;
warm;
cosiness;
sufficient lighting;
good ventilation.

Important! Keeping a chinchilla in cramped conditions and in violation of the above requirements will lead to the animal getting sick often.

The minimum set of items that are vital for a pet is a feeder, a drinking bowl, and a tray.

For a more comfortable pastime, you will also need a sleeping area closed from prying eyes, a hay feeder, play complexes, and other devices for relaxation and physical activity. We will talk about them in more detail in a separate section below.

How to set up a display case for a chinchilla

For the comfort of the animal, you should make sure that in the enclosure, in addition to the mandatory attributes - feeder, hay feeder (hay bowl), drinking bowl and toilet, there are items and accessories for its proper rest and wakefulness.

Holiday house . Its purpose is to seclude the animal from prying eyes. The house should be somewhat larger than a chinchilla. She can be in it, stretched out to her full height. The house is made of wood. It can also be purchased ready-made at a pet store.

Shelves . If your display case does not have a large area and it is impossible to install a house in it, then you should take care of arranging wooden shelves on which the pet will rest. They should be located low from the floor so that if the animal falls, it will not be injured.

Hammock . Chinchillas love hammocks. They use them for both relaxation and entertainment. Hammocks can be of different designs, single-tiered and multi-tiered, from different materials and fabrics. They can be purchased, but most often owners make them with their own hands. However, be prepared that rodents quite often damage hammocks with their teeth.

Toys . Like any creature, the chinchilla loves to play. Therefore, if the size of the display case allows it, you should take care of purchasing gaming complexes: tunnels, a running wheel, toys made of wood, branches, stumps.

Sand bath . As you know, chinchillas love to bathe in sand, so you will give your pet great pleasure if you find a place in the display case for a sand bath.

Video: how to set up a display case for a chinchilla

Items that should also be in the cage include a mineral or salt stone - for grinding teeth.

Also find out how to choose and arrange a home for a guinea pig and a hamster, and why you need a walking ball for a hamster.

What structures cannot be used

Sometimes chinchilla owners, trying to save on the purchase of a specialized cage, keep their pets in structures that are completely unsuitable for this. Under no circumstances should you use the following as a home for chinchillas:

Small cages - furry cats need space to move freely.
Plastic containers and glass jars. Firstly, such structures are too cramped. Secondly, jars and containers do not allow air to pass through well, which is dangerous for the health and even the life of chinchillas.
Carrying. Such structures are intended only for short-term transportation of animals.

Some chinchilla owners manage to place fluffies even in large cardboard boxes. But a pet will literally chew such a flimsy house within a day.

Advantages of a display case for chinchillas

The main advantages of chinchilla display cases include:

saving space. These structures are often placed along a wall, opening up a lot of space for mobile play, but take up less space than cages;
Aesthetics. Such designs have a neat appearance and fit harmoniously into the space around them;
opportunity to watch animals. In such designs, the facades are made of transparent glass, which makes them convenient for observation;
low noise level. Unlike a cage, cages are more enclosed and do not have metal bars that animals like to chew on;
Large interior space to accommodate numerous shelves, racks, ladders and other rodent toys;
No trash and quick cleaning. Unlike an open cage, there will be no food, hay, or other trash that animals often throw out scattered around the cage.

Showcases must be a certain size

How much does it cost to house a chinchilla?

Buying a cage is quite an expensive undertaking. To purchase a standard design you will need from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. Prices for display cages have no limits at all. Even for a modest house for a pet you will have to pay 5-7 thousand. And for a spacious, equipped display case with an interesting design, manufacturers will ask from 20 to 30 thousand.

In order to save money, you can look for a cage or display case for a chinchilla on specialized ad platforms such as Avito or Yula. Former furry owners sell used cages for 2-3 times cheaper.

What materials can you use to make a display case for a chinchilla with your own hands?

You can make a chinchilla with your own hands from various materials:

natural wood. This is the safest and most reliable option. The advantages of wood are environmental friendliness, aesthetics and resistance to negative factors. And to the disadvantages should be added: absorption of unpleasant odors, expensive costs, difficulty in operation;
LDPE. The simplest and cheapest option. LDF is available in a wide range of colors, textures and structures. The material is easy to work with and can be used for the construction of structures of any complexity. One of the disadvantages is that it contains harmful substances. If an animal chews on the material, it can be poisoned;
plexiglass. This option will prevent the absorption of foreign odors, will be characterized by easy cleaning, transparency and a beautiful appearance. Such designs will harmoniously fit into the modern style and become its main decoration. As for the disadvantages, it is the difficulty of cleaning. The glass will have to be constantly wiped with window cleaner and stains removed. In addition, this material scratches quickly and can cause cloudy stains;
from an old closet. The easiest option. Old furniture can be easily and quickly turned into a fairly convenient and comfortable home for rodents. In this case, you will spend a minimum of free time, materials and finances. As a rule, the entire process of creating an apartment for rodents from an old wardrobe consists of making special ventilation holes and dividing the apartment into separate floors.

What is a showcase for?

A display case for chinchillas is essential for a comfortable and fun life. Animals feel uncomfortable in cramped enclosures. For protection and maximum comfort, the chinchilla display case should be closed. In its manufacture, various materials can be used (chipboard, natural solid wood, plexiglass).

Naturally, natural wood is considered the best material. It is safe, does not release toxins and is durable. But at the same time, wood absorbs odors and deteriorates due to high humidity. Products made from chipboard and aluminum profiles are considered a good choice. They are more practical, durable and resistant to negative factors.

Important: veterinarians recommend keeping mobile chinchillas in tall buildings with numerous shelves and stairs. It is also necessary to place wooden objects in their home so that the animals can sharpen their teeth on them.

Advantages of a display case for chinchillas

The main advantages of chinchilla display cases include:

saving free space. These structures are often placed along a wall, opening up plenty of space for outdoor play but taking up less space than cages;
aesthetics. Such structures have a neat appearance and fit harmoniously into the environment;
opportunity to watch animals. In such structures, the facades are made of transparent glass, so it is convenient to observe them;
low noise level. Unlike a cage, the windows are more closed and there are no metal bars that animals love to chew;
large internal space for placing many shelves, racks, ladders and other toys for rodents;
lack of debris and cleaning efficiency. Unlike an open cage, food, hay and other trash that animals often scatter around will not be scattered around the display.

Requirements for the showcase

There are requirements for arranging housing for animals. The dimensions of the display case must be no less than:

length - 80 cm;
height - 50 cm;
width - 80 cm.

An animal will fit comfortably in such an area. If you plan to keep two rodents, the area will need to be almost doubled.

Since chinchillas are rodents and tend to taste everything, their home should be made of environmentally friendly and safe materials. An excellent option would be to use natural wood. In addition, when maintaining them, it is worth taking into account temperature and humidity. To ensure that the housing is well illuminated, special lamps are used.

Warning: Before placing an animal in a new home, it is necessary to carefully inspect it for any sharp edges, otherwise the animal may be injured.

Before placing an animal in a house, it must be equipped with toys, a drinking bowl, feeders, a hay barn, game simulators and a sleeping area.

Main types of cells

Cellular structures come in different types. To choose the right one, you need to know their advantages and disadvantages.

Ordinary cell

Standard cages can be found at any pet store. An ordinary cage for a chinchilla costs on average from one and a half to five thousand rubles. There are also more expensive ones, depending on quality and size.

You can choose by price, color, size.
Easy to disassemble and move to another location.
All amenities to maintain hygiene.

Poor sound insulation, given that chinchillas are nocturnal.
The rest of the hay, corn husks and stuffing are scattered around the room.
The plastic parts of the cage are not durable.

Sometimes another drawback appears - the dimensions of the cage cannot always fit inside the room.

Wooden showcase

The showcase is usually made independently from scrap materials or made from plywood, furniture chipboard, or wood.

You can use your unnecessary wardrobe as a basis for free;
excellent sound insulation if the walls are wooden;
place for an animal, you can raise a family;
the ability to adapt the design to the interior of the apartment.

difficult to disinfect;
If cleaning is not done properly, a smell may appear;
non-demountable design;
short service life.

The last drawback can be eliminated if the display case is made of high-quality durable materials.

Professional showcase

An option for a durable product is a model made of aluminum, wood, chipboard, or glass. Such designs are used by professional breeders.

How to make it yourself?

If there is no furniture suitable for transformation, you can make a display case yourself. To ensure the most comfortable working conditions, you will need:

screwdriver;
self-tapping screws of different sizes;
puzzle;
new door hinges;
drill;
drill/swing;
packing tape.

Since it is difficult to guess with dimensions, there are no ready-made drawings “for all occasions” - you will have to make them yourself, measuring the allotted area of the room. As a result, the required amount of material is also selected. This could be a rough sketch for a medium sized room.

Typically the posts are used as legs if the floor of the display case is made of mesh and some space is required between the mesh and the floor to allow for a waste container to be included under the chinchilla mesh.

In addition to simple perforated shelves, the chinchilla display cabinet is also equipped with some accessories. For example, a small house can serve as a pit, that is, a shelter from daylight, which is easy to make based on the size of the display case itself.

It shouldn't be too big or too narrow.

The feeder can be made in the form of a wooden feeder or the same wire mesh, where you will have to put hay or other food.

If your chinchilla is limited in physical activity, it will quickly gain weight. Therefore, the so-called city will be very appropriate. It must at a minimum consist of:

racing steering wheel;
multi-level racks connected by transitions in the form of a suspension bridge, tunnel or staircase;
swing/hammock.

Town

Chinchillas are animals prone to obesity, and they need active movement just like food and water. You can make chinchillas move by building them easy-to-climb routes in the “town.”

The town includes:

running wheel for chinchillas;
shelves fixed at different levels;
transitions between shelves.

The variety of transitions is limited only by the imagination and skill of the chinchilla owner.

It can be:

suspension bridges;
tunnels;
stairs;
swing.

The only requirement for all these products is natural wood without paint or varnish. You can make transitions from unsanded branches of edible tree species. And change it periodically.

The role of a transition, a toy and a place to rest is simultaneously performed by a hammock for a chinchilla suspended in a display case. It is made from dense non-stretch fabric. Denim suits well. They secure it so that the chinchilla can jump into the hammock, but cannot swing it too much.

In addition to shelves and passages, the town must have a running wheel and a treadmill. The wheels are sold in pet stores and are designed for all active small animals. You need to buy a wooden or plastic one, as a metal wheel can be dangerous for a chinchilla. But you can do it yourself.

DIY chinchilla wheel

To make a wheel you will need:

2 sheets of plywood with a side of at least 40 cm and a thickness of at least 1 cm;
up to 10 figured meter slats;
automobile tension bearing;
drill;
drill 12 mm;
self-tapping screws;
2 bolts with a diameter of 12 mm: long and short;
screwdriver;
washers for bolts;
nuts for bolts;
jigsaw

Manufacturing technology:

Find the middle in the pieces of plywood and drill holes. Using a jigsaw, cut out 2 circles of 30 cm in diameter.
One is left, another circle with a diameter of 25–27 cm is cut out of the other. Only a large circle will be needed from this circle.
The slats are cut into pieces about 15 cm long. The size of the slats depends on the chinchilla. The animal must fit freely into the wheel.
The cut slats are attached closely to the ends of the circle and the cut out circle.
Put a washer on the long bolt, insert the bolt from the inside into the wheel, put on another washer and screw the structure with a nut.
A hole for a bolt is drilled in the wall of the display case.
The center of the bearing is aligned with the hole in the wall and the bearing is screwed in with self-tapping screws.
The wheel with the bolt is inserted into the bearing and tightened with a nut from the outside of the display case.

The video shows in sufficient detail how to make a running wheel for chinchillas.

Treadmill

For chinchillas, this is an additional device, and it is easier to buy it in a store. There it can be sold as a treadmill for decorative hedgehogs. She looks like this.

Now the display case contains everything necessary for a happy life for chinchillas. All that remains is to figure out what a walking ball is.

Chinchilla ball

This is a device that a chinchilla should not have. The plastic ball transmits infrared rays very well and heats up from the inside. Chinchillas do not tolerate heat well. Half an hour in such a ball is enough for the animal to die.

In such a ball, some careless owners of small animals let them “walk” in the fresh air and eat the green grass that falls into the cracks of the ball. Juicy food is contraindicated for chinchillas. And the stress of a walk is much more harmful than being in a spacious display case.

Pros and cons of products

We have already looked at the main types of cells. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages for the breeder and the animal. Let us consider separately the pros and cons for all types of cells. They will come in handy when choosing between a homemade and purchased option, plus when selecting a suitable cage model in a store.

Metal cage

Among the advantages of this choice, we have already noted affordable prices with the house included in the kit. What else relates to the positive features of metal cages:

However, nothing is perfect. Such housing for a pet also has a number of disadvantages:

Despite all the advantages of metal compared to other materials, it does not tend to suppress noise. On the contrary, when a domestic rodent moves around the cage, it will begin to rattle against the metal bars. This is especially unpleasant if the chinchilla lives in the bedroom or study;
the second negative difference is that the floor consists of a mesh, even a fine and durable one. This does not prevent various debris from passing through the cells and then ending up on the floor in the room. Consequently, you will need to clean the room more often;
and the third, completely fixable feature is plastic or, less often, metal shelves inside the cage, which is not convenient for the animal. Instead, it is recommended to install wooden shelves.

Display cage

This type of cage is made primarily from wood. The products look more attractive than their metal counterparts, plus they are much more popular with rodents. No wonder. Let's consider all the advantages of wooden showcases:

natural eco-friendly material, familiar to animals;
rodents can always sharpen their teeth on wood;
the cost of such a cage will not hit the owner’s wallet.

Let's pay attention to the other side of the coin. What problems might you encounter?

Wood absorbs moisture and odors well. As a result, over time, the smell inside the display case will become too specific and pungent.
Aggressive disinfection of a wooden display case for a chinchilla is also not allowed. The disinfectant will remain on the wood. Later, when the animal tries to sharpen its teeth on it, the poison can enter the chinchilla’s body and kill it.

The manifestation of imperfections can be reduced with the help of special models of display cases that use combined materials with special processing. However, you will need to monitor changes in price. Or use an alternative option - showcases from the profile. They are more reliable and convenient.

Advice! Before buying a ready-made display case, you need to check its quality. In addition to a strong frame, glass and mesh must be firmly installed in it so that the chinchillas cannot escape from the cage. Otherwise they may get hurt.

Homemade cells

Let's move on to the last of the proposed product types. Their main advantage is the ability to use old furniture or, in principle, limit ourselves to the minimum available materials. Another plus is that such a home will be original and, if necessary, can be safely thrown away. The only significant drawback of this approach is that if the owner does not have sufficient skills, he will need more time to work. Or the result will not live up to expectations.

Where to put the cage

Once the cage is ready for the furry to move in, you will need to choose a suitable place to install it. This point is very important, since chinchillas are very sensitive to environmental conditions. Therefore, when choosing a place to install the cage, you need to consider the following recommendations:

The room should be cool. The optimal temperature for keeping a chinchilla is +18-22ᵒС. When the indicator increases to +24-25ᵒC, the pet’s well-being noticeably worsens. Chinchillas naturally live in the mountains, where the climate is quite harsh, so they do not tolerate heat well.
The air humidity in the room should be between 45-50%. The fact is that chinchillas have very thick and dense fur, which instantly gets wet in high humidity. At the same time, the fur coat of fluffies takes a very long time to dry, which often becomes the cause of colds.
Chinchillas are very timid, they fall into a stupor at every foreign sound or at the sight of a stranger. Therefore, it is better to install the cage in an isolated, non-passable room, where no one and nothing will disturb the pet.
It is necessary to protect the chinchilla cage from direct sunlight. Chinchillas are crepuscular animals and prefer to sleep during the day. Therefore, it is better to place the cage in a shady room. If this is not possible, it is necessary to protect the windows with thick curtains or blinds so that the sun does not interfere with the animal’s rest.

It is also worth considering that the activity of chinchillas increases noticeably at night. Therefore, people who are sensitive sleepers should avoid installing a cage with a pet in the bedroom.

To ensure that your chinchilla always feels comfortable, it is recommended to install a split system in the room with the cage. You just need to install the air conditioner in such a way that cold air does not fall directly on your pet.