My boy Delta is still cooped up in his tiny PocketPets cage. While trying to save up enough to get him a nice big cage, I was researching all the while & GliderCentral to the rescue yet again! I found a great design to build a cage for much less!

Getting all the materials was a breeze until I got to the nuts, bolts, & washers. I reached up & saw "zinc."

All I know is in my masses of glider research, I know I saw ”something something zinc poisoning something."

Just to be safe I looked around some more & found all the materials in galvanized steel instead. Just got home & realized that maybe I should ask. Is galvanized steel okay?

Also, the hook & eye latches only came in zinc & brass. Is brass okay?

Bah!! I just found a thread on another forum that said galvanized is bad, then later someone said that was a myth & it was fine. So confused!

Boo mixed signals. I went to a different store that had stainless steel & am ditching the galvanized. Did some research & the process of galvanization uses zinc. Some say it won't affect gliders but I'm not gambling 4 bucks & some of my time on my boy's health. No hook & eye latch in stainless though. Still researching brass. Will report back if I find anything.

Glide safe, everybody!

Stainless Steal is the best metal that I'm aware of. I never built a cage though, so I'm not sure about what to use for the latch. Hopefully someone with knowledge will be on here soon to help.

I'm looking forward to seeing your cage when finished.

You will be happy with the stainless steel. Galvanized will rust quick from glider pee.

You will have to post pictures of your cage when you are done with it.

I'm excited. I just finished washing all the pvc. Fleece just went in the dryer for crafting my first legit cage set. Gotta wash the mesh & zip ties still. While stuff is drying I'll try & find my old photobucket so I can post pics.

Glide inexpensive!

Still in progress. Slowly but surely. My poor fingers are done with zip ties. Here's just the frame with the doors on the floor to the right.




A couple pieces of mesh in . . .


And while I gradually get the cage together I'm working on some accessories as well. I made him a little tube . . . They seem popular. It's kinda blurry but the beads are little skulls so Delta can feel like he's bad to the bone!



I made him a great big bridge . . .



And because I'm kind of a dweeb, I made him a little tardis. Kinda. Well, a cube made from tardis print fleece. But he can pretend.



And just because I haven't shared yet, here's Delta. :D

Nice work so far!!!

Looking forward to seeing it all done!

Ever so minorly off-topic, but a story too good not to tell.

While Delta is barking away, "Mom! It's too small in here! I wanna run & jump! I think I can glide! My wheel barely fits in here!" Here's what I'm doing.

Mesh on the top, middle, bottom, & back of the cage. Can't mesh the sides or front until the holes for the hinges are drilled.

I ask my mom to come over with her drill.

She comes over, forgot the drill.

We go get the drill, it doesn't have the chuck key.

We go to Home Depot & buy a chuck key.

Get home, it's the wrong size. Stores are now closed. Two days later, I have time to pick up the chuck key.

Two Lowes employees have to call over a third before they realize they don't have any. Off to Home Depot.

They don't have the right size, but the other Home Depot will. Off to the other Home Depot.

Get the chuck key, go to my car, drop my keys trying to unlock my car & some woman literally points & laughs at me. Then someone backed into me in the parking lot.

Holes are drilled. One side & front left to mesh. toys & more fleece stuff made. Got to bed at 4am & working a 12 hour shift today.

The universe is testing my love for Delta before it lets him bond with me. And I think I'm passing with flying colors!

He got mealies last night for being so patient with me. Although he may think he got them for pooping on me.

Finally getting around to the finished product pic.



As a side note - that pathetic little wheel has been replaced with a great big stealth wheel. Just had to wait for the next paycheck.

Looks nice! I bet Delta loves it!

I have 2 7 month old gliders in their original Pocket Pets cage. It's just too small! I've read that PVC has a degassing problem & it's poisoning gliders. I thought I would use wood, but then I've read bad things about it not holding up. Does anyone here have any suggestions and does anyone know of any plans available for a 6 foot cage? Also, where do you get the vinyl coated polyester mesh that is suppose to be used that has the right hole size (not screening to keep out bugs)? Thanks in advance@

Until you can get a new cage take out the shelf and ramp of your Pocket Pets cage. Doing so will really open it up.

I have heard of no problems using the human waterline grade PVC pipes for framework for a cage.

They use land wire for the mesh, I believe it is half inch by half inch squares.

okay, I'll do that. I didn't realize there were different grades of PVC. I'm still trying to find the mesh, is there any place you know of that carries it? Thanks for the info

Decided to try to purchase a larger cage but I wondering about finishes. The Prevue Hendryx has a large cage but it has a Hammertone finish is that as safe as a powdered finish for gliders?

I believe the hammertone finish is what the H/Q cages and a couple others have.Don't think it will be an issue.

That is a baked enamel finish and is safe for gliders and parrots.