DFN for $60?

Hi everybody. I wanted to double check with everybody to see if you think this is a good deal. Pending a pick up for a DFN cage for $60. The cage is in pretty rough shape, but my boyfriend is very handy and we will be picking up sheet metal to make pans, a permanent divider between the top and bottom level, and shelves/ramps He has all the tools needed for the job and seems excited about the project. He's also kicking around ideas to fix the bar spacing if we decide to put the girls in it.

But I wanted to check with everybody to see if it really is a good deal picking it up for $60. It comes with one shelf and a hammock apparently.

Thanks in advance!

Here's a picture.

I would be worried about rust more than anything. I just bought a DCN from someone and spent the past day and half cleaning it - I bleached the entire cage and scratched my bathtub doing it. After all that, it is wobbly and part of it is so rusted that it doesn't fit in one of the slots.

I paid $200 for it (I'm in Canada and they aren't cheap in stores:cry3:

I just keep telling myself I can foster more rats with the space :rathugz:

we paid $100 for a DCN that is decently rusted and will need to be spray painted. I think that for $60 its worth it, maybe just make sure to get the rust off and spray paint over it to prevent further rusting. Rustoleum, I have heard, is the only safe spray paint for rats.
Don't forget to let it air out in a separate air space so your ratties lungs stay safe :thewave:

And yes, bar spacing!!! My little boy Mouse would easily be able to fit through those bars, even though hes a boy lol. They are supposed to be bigger but not him! Unless your boys are bigger and can't fit through, I'd say that is a good thing to make sure of.

There is a wire floor that goes in the middle so make srue they have it. That drop would kill a rat from the top to the bottom.

We are going to build a solid permanent barrier in the middle to separate the top from the bottom.

I would pass. I know Mouse is going to spray paint her cage but I am not so confident it will work. It will be very hard to sand blast all the rust away then make sure you cover every nook and cranny. Sand blasting is quite expensive in some areas and it takes a lot of paint to cover the metal well.

The wire shelf underneath the cage can be used for the middle of the cage, that's an easy fix if you're going to have the cage permanently separated. You can get replacement shelves as it would be difficult to make DIY ones. But the rust... it really takes away from the cage. It's unlikely you're be able to effectively cover the rust and it will only get worse. If you see it in person, you may discover it makes noise when the doors are unlatched or opened. If the mechanism inside the door is rusted, it's going to be horribly noisy.

Then you have to remember than not all rats can be kept in a cage with that bar spacing. Many females and some smaller males will get through that. There was once a member whose rat died after he got strangled because his head fit (when he was older and losing weight) but then he panicked and couldn't break loose.

There are a LOT of products on the market now a days that will effectively take off rust. There is Rust Removal Gel as well as Naval Jelly (both around $8) Naval jelly is found in the states at any hardware store, usually in automotive, and the Rust Removal Gel is found in Canada (not sure about states).

It is recommended to buy a wire brush and brush off the excess rust.

All you do after, is spray with a metal cleaner (we got a car parts cleaner) and clean it completely.

Yours doesn't look too rusted. Most of these gel products, are good for light rust and slight rust build-up. However Sand blasting is 99.9% effective and yes more expensive. If the doors don't squeak now, make sure to add some WD-40 after painting and it will prevent rust and prevent squeaking later on.

These cages go for over $250 sometimes, if you are the type of person that doesn't mind throwing time into a cage, by all means go for it. I have seen cages turn out BEAUTIFULLY after spray painted. You will spend a lot on paint if you do spray paint, average I see people use is $60.

But if you really think about it....add up all the costs.
Cage : 60
Spray Paint : 60
Naval Jelly (2 bottles) : 14
Wire brush, and brushes for jelly: 10
Parts cleaner : 10
Time : Unsure

This cage looks as if it has been stripped already, looks like it is just the plain old steel underneath the paint they put on top. If its the case, it will be A LOT easier to brush off the rust, and will most likely be a lot easier to coat.

I think it would be worth it.

Getting all the rust off (the inside of the posts rust too and then the rust falls out)
and repainting with a pet safe paint
would be my concern

Sand blasting and then having it professionally powder coated would likely be best but I imagine it would be costly.

As others said, using the wire floor panel from the stand to replacing the missing floor in the center of the cage is an easy, simple solution.

I went ahead with the cage, I've been at work so I haven't seen it much to truly inspect it. But when we picked it up it looked good. Main rust was the hardware bolts. . My boyfriend is excited for the project. We already have a sand blaster, so once that is completed the next step will be a pet safe paint.

Going to purchase extra FN/CN ledges since they are relatively cheap. Still have to make the divider for the cage, is the wire Piece you're talking about on the very bottom, below the cage? Is it removable?

. And it sounds like we will be using chicken wire around the edges.

All and all I'm expecting to put about $100 into the cage, which will total the cost to $160.

I think my fur babies will enjoy it

Oh Im glad you didnt have much rust! A lot easier to deal with.
I believe there is one line of Rustoleum that is rat safe after 2 weeks of drying in separate air space. I haven't found any other paints that are pet safe.