HOW DAVE BUILT HIS CAGE WHICH IS SECURED TO HIS CHILDRENS PLAYHOUSE ONE END
AND A SHED THE OTHER.

To keep the cost down I used some left over bits of timber which were sitting around in the garage. The kids play house provided me with one end to the cage onto which I secured the larger of the boxes. The box was made from 3/4'' ply wood with a hinged front to give easy access for cleaning out. Inside the larger box, 2 smaller boxes were placed which I thought might be handy if they wanted a little bed each. After cleaning out the boxes a few times though this was clearly not the case. One of the boxes was being used as a larder and the other as a toilet, so at least they come in handy even if it was not what I had in mind. The other end of the cage was direct from the garden centre, who as luck would have it had 2 shop soiled aviary end pieces complete with entrance doors. Two doors are a must especially when your chipmunks follow you along the length of the cage for a treat. The second door allows me to enter the cage, lock myself in and then open the main door without fear of any escapes.To create the front, back and top of the cage four 8ft lengths of 1.5in square timber were secured from the play house to the aviary door, two at the bottom so that wire mesh could be secured along the floor of the cage (essential as chipmunks are great escape artists) and two at the top to give the roof of the cage. The frame of the cage was ready for the meshing. 1inx1/2in is ideal, anything larger and they will squeeze through the gaps. A staple gun saved lots of time and effort for this job. As you saw, there is a tree through the middle of the cage, this proved to be the trickiest part of securing the mesh. with a little patience and some sharp snips it was made to fit the trunk and secured again using staples. Once the cage was fully meshed the floor was lined with bark chippings ready to introduce the new residents. They loved the extra space and settled in really well. Drainage pipes made excellent ready made tunnels for them to shoot down at any sight of danger and a few rocks in the cage made excellent places to sit and take in the sun. Most weeks I will go in and change things around to give a little variety and keep their curiosity going. Since the family increased in size, more boxes have been added and as they are growing older the boxes have slowly been turned into nests. The little one's you saw when you were last here have grown up to be very cheeky, checking pockets for treats as soon as anyone enters the cage and if the pockets are empty a friendly nip is to be expected to see what you have in your hands. They have been great fun to sit and watch and I hope anyone who has chipmunks either as pets or living wild nearby as you do, get the same enjoyment from such a beautiful animal. I know its not a great description of cage building but if anyone needs any advice or help don't hesitate to give me a call