Transform an Ikea Detolf Cabinet Into a GREAT Gerbil Cage

August 22, 2018
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You can see the finished product all the way on the bottom

We finished the cabinets and they are awesome!!! We still have to fix the tank top but otherwise its great! We made it so there are two cages with a glass separator in the middle. It only took a few days to build. You can learn to make a really nice gerbil cage.

Here is instructions on how to make a Detolf cabinet into a awesome gerbil cage. 

Materials to Make the Gerbil Cage.

you will need..

  • Detolf cabinet
  • Construction adhesive glue
  • Pieces of U-Profile (optional)
  • A parent to help you
  • Clear Silicone
  • Mesh wire (make sure that the spaces are not big)
  • Pieces of  wood
  • L shapes of connector metal and
  • Nails
We put glue in the slots to keep the glass panels together

Instructions to transform the Ikea Detolf cabinet into a gerbil cage

  1.  Take out the door of the cabinet
  2. Remove the metal frame out of the cabinet. Most importantly, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PROJECT DOES NOT FALL APART!!! You may need help with this part 
  3. Take the metal frame and saw off the cross bars and bottom, so only the top bar stays intact.
  4.  Move the top and the bottom of the cabinet
  5. Insert glue in the slot of one side.
  6. Then put the cabinet together and let it stand on the side with the glue. So there is pressure from its weight on the glue. Let the glue dry (24 hours) and then put clear/white silicone.
  7. Redo step 5-6 to the other side of the cage and let it stand on the other side to dry now. (using its weight to pressurize the glue)
  8. Put the metal rails (frame) in on the top of your cage

Optional-make more cages out of the cabinet

  1. Use the glue to attach the U-profile to 1/2 of , 1/3, or 2/3 of the way down the cage
  2. Let the glue dry
  3. Slide in one of the glass sheets.
Here you can see the cage put together. We left the rails (iron frame) on the top only. This can be easy to attach items too.
Detolf Gerbil Cage
Here you can see how we created the divider. I bought a U-profile and with the superglue we pasted it to the wand. The Detolf shelves can serve as divider.

Super TIP

You can find second hand Ikea Detolf cages on Craigslist, Letgo etc.
Then you will have a super cheap and super large cage 🙂

Finished Detolf Gerbil cage
Here you see the finished Detolf Gerbil Cage

How we made the cover for the Ikea Detolf Cabinet

  1. Cut the wood sideways into the size of each cage to create a top.
  2. Use the metal “L”s to attach each piece of wood to another
  3. Place the wire mesh on top of the 1st layer of wood
  4. Repeat step 9-10
  5. Lastly, nail the 2 layers of wood and the wire mesh together using nails

And the decorated Ikea Detolf Cage

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