Cheap and Easy 4x2x1 Cage

I've been making these for about a year now, and I think I've perfected the process, so I wanted to share.

Take a 55 gallon tank (you can get a leaky one off craigslist for next to nothing)

Cut out the center brace any way you like (I use a soldering iron)

Cut two lengths of Vinyl 1x2 trim. Verify what length you will need on the inside of the length of the tank, but it should be about 47 1/2 inches. You can buy 1x2 vinyl at most home improvement stores. Home Depot sells 12 footers for about 10 bucks

Purchase track for sliding doors and use wire brads to nail the track down to the vinyl bars. One will be nailed to the 2 inch side of one bar, and the other will be nailed to the 1 inch side. I buy mine on amazon.com for about $6 each.

After the track is installed onto the bars, attach the bars to the top and bottom lengths of the tank (I use drywall screws through the lip of the tank and into the bars. Make sure the screws don't go through and stick out to poke your critter)

Purchase a 24x18 sheet of plexiglass (I recommend at least .220) and cut it in half, so you have two pieces of 9x24. These are now your doors. Vent and lock to suit.

And there you have it. They ain't the prettiest cages you'll ever see, but they work great and cost very little. Functionally, they're as good as any PVC cage of similar dimensions, and if you play your cards right, you should be able to make this for far less than a similar 4x2x1 sliding door cage would cost to buy.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions of you need some help putting a couple together, I know my directions may have been a little vague. Below is a picture to help show you what your finished product should look like.