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Happen to be a new hamster owner? Did you know that a basic plastic storage tote can serve as the perfect home for your pet? A lot of hamster newbies do not realize just how much space their little furry pals need, and start out with much smaller cages than they should be using. By the time you realize you do need a larger cage for your hamsters, you may be frustrated to find out just how much they cost. Well, you do not need to spend a ton of money on a hamster cage. You can just build a hamster bin cage.

To do this, the first thing you will have to do is purchase a suitable bin. Get a large clear plastic container to use. It needs to be a clear plastic tote for obvious reasons. Other considerations include a lid which snaps, and all-around sturdiness since you need it to hold up to years of use.

As for supplies, you will need the following materials:

• Serrated knife
• Wire cutters
• Sandpaper
• Zip ties
• Scissors
• Mesh, or alternately, recycled cage bars from a previous cage
• Marker
• Soldering iron (this is optional, but it can speed things along)
• A well-ventilated area in which to work

Now let’s check out the steps to turn a plastic container for storage into a functional hamster cage. There are quite a few of them, but once you read through them, you will see that the entire process is pretty straightforward and simple—and sure a lot less expensive than buying a large hamster bin at the store.

Directions

1. Start by measuring and determining how large you want the window to be in the side of the bin.

2. Mark the edges of the window all around so that you will know where to cut.

3. Next, figure out how large the mesh should be. You want at minimum an inch of extra mesh all around the window.

4. Make marks where the edges of the mesh will go. The marks should just be little dots. You will be putting cable tie holes where these dots are.

5. Next, you should line the perimeter of the window where you will be cutting with duct tape. This is a trick to help prevent cracking as you work your way around with the knife.

6. If you will be using a soldering iron to help you out, at this point you should make sure you are working near a window or door, and put your mask on. The point of the solder is to soften the plastic to facilitate easier cutting, but you can skip it if you want.

You are now ready to really get to work on your hamster bin cage! Read onto Make a DIY Hamster Cage Using a Plastic Storage Bin, Part 2 to find out the rest of the steps and complete your new cage. You will then have a large, safe, cheap, and comfortable home for your hamsters!