DIY Guinea pig cage material recommendations

[jamesjualo]

Hi all,

I'm looking to build a cage for my 4 guinea pigs which will be indoor in my room/office.

I just saw that Bunnings are giving away free wood pallets and I was wondering if its okay to use those wood pallets to build a cage for pets (considering my pets are guinea pigs and they might chew on it)? I read online that they were treated for heat, etc. 

If wooden pallets are not  safe then I guess I'll get everything from Bunnings but can you please give your expert recommendations?

- For the base and the wall, should I use MDF? Or is there a better option

- For the cover on the base, I used a PVC pond liner before to protect the base from pee/leaking water bottle and it was okay. I was wondering if contact paper is a better option?

Regards,

James

[Brad]

I would avoid pallets as the wood can be toxic.

If pond liner has worked and I assume you cover it with shavings or something similar? Maybe Formply could be suitable, MDF is usually not moisture friendly, @MitchellMc might have access to more information on what products are available and if they are non-toxic.

[Jason]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @jamesjualo, and many thanks for your question. It's great to have you join us and we are looking forward to seeing how this project comes together and reading about all your other plans for around the house and garden. We're sure you will get plenty of helpful information, advice and inspiration from our clever and creative members.

Great to see Brad has provided a typically helpful response. I'm sure @MitchellMc will also be happy to assist when he is back on the site on Friday.

In the meantime, you might find these previous discussions useful:

• Looking for an alternative insert for a Guinea pig cage

• How to build a bird cage

Hope that helps,

Jason

[MitchellMc]

Hi @jamesjualo,

It's great to see you've received some expert advice from the knowledgeable @Brad. I'd agree that the pallets are not suitable for your intended purpose. I would also never suggest their use for food serving platters, as you can't be sure what type of treatment has been applied to them or what they have been used for.

Oddly enough, I have seen MDF used on animal enclosures before and as a child had mice in a store-bought unit. From my experience, MDF absorbs moisture and its associated smell, so it wouldn't be my first choice of materials to use. I like @Brad's idea of using Formply as it comes with a waterproof coating on it which would save you having to use the pond liner.

Please let us know if you need further help or had questions.

Mitchell