# Mouse boxes



## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I have made myself a couple of running on boxes (23 inches by 15.5 inches) and thought I'd share:

Box before:









Box with hole cut out for the mesh:









The cut out piece of plastic - does anyone have any ideas what these could be used for? Seems a waste to throw it away if it could be useful (it's approx 9x18 inches):









The lid upside down with mesh laid over, ready to affix:









Underside of the finished lid:









Finished box:

















I'm using one of these for a running on box already and the girls all seem perfectly happy.


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## The secret garden (May 13, 2010)

What is it you use to make the holes to thread the cable ties through? How long does it take you to make these boxes? I havent made them like this in 2 years now, and when i first started doing them it would take me ages and ages!


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

nice guide!

they look like all my boxes!

I use a knife heated on a gas stove. though you can use a soldering iron, but mine didn't get hot enough


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

How did you cut out that rectangle? :O

You could use the rectangle, in a larger bin like this, and caulk it to the sides to make shelves for the mice to climb on. 
Wouldn't work so well in a short bin like this, but for a taller one, you could deffinetely use it.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I use a Dremel to cut out the plastic section and again with a different attachment to make the holes. Power tools CAN be useful (and not scary) under some circumstances :lol: Honestly I am not a terribly practical person but I found these pretty easy to do.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

I have been thinking of making some for a couple reasons. x)
They're easier to use to transport mice to shows, and I can make extras that I could even sell at shows around here. x)

I'm pretty handy, and I just happen to have a dremel tool lying around! ;P
As far as the plastic twist ties go... You don't worry that your mice will chew threw them and get out?


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

I have no fears of that whatsoever - I used the same ones to attach things for my rats and they would chew EVERYTHING but the cable ties survived


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## windyhill (Jan 19, 2010)

Very helpful guide!


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## arliejacobs (May 29, 2010)

The mouse boxes are great. I am catching "our mice" in the pantry of our apartment. I just place a glob of peanut butter at the back of the box and set it at the entrance to the pantry. By the way, everything in the pantry has been placed in sealed containers so that's all he has to eat.


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## Mymouse (Jul 2, 2010)

I know this is an old thread but when you use plastic twist ties, you don´t melt them? (assume since you use dremel tool)
They don´t chew on it when you just cut the end of but don´t melt them?


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

i don't melt mine either, an i have had no problems at all.


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## WNTMousery (Jun 2, 2010)

What exactly would melt them? You use the dremel tool before you use the ties.

I used to do my boxes like this, but have since began stacking my boxes so now I put the mesh on the sides (generally one large one in front and one smaller one on the side for good air flow).


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## Matt Haslam (Mar 13, 2010)

WNTMousery said:


> What exactly would melt them?


some people use a soldering iron or the hot knife method . you can melt the cable ties 'shut' so to speak with one of those methods


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## Mymouse (Jul 2, 2010)

yay good to know since I think a smoldering iron is difficult to get and/or expensive here. I can use a (carpenters)knife and a drill to make a mousebox. Good idea to put the mesh on the side for stacking (to be used some day when I´ll get more boxes).


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## Lizzle (Apr 7, 2010)

Wow, those bin cages came out lovely!  With mine, I used a hot glue gun to attach the wire mesh (mine certainly don't look as nice as yours do, but they work and the mice cannot chew on the dried glue or anything).

WNTmousery - I've thought about that idea before, and I think it's a great one (pertaining to putting the mesh on the sides as apposed to the top). The only thing is, I find that trying to cut into the sides of plastic bins is more difficult, especially for me because I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (difficult on my weak fingers, which like to dislocate..). Anyway, what would you recommend using to cut into the sides of bins? A putty knife, perhaps (I think that's what they are called)?


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