Page:The Golden Hamster Manual.djvu/21



Simple stack-locking, gnaw-proofing, and self-cleaning features make these pens unusually popular with hobbyists, home laboratory and research workers, sportsmen, and other small producers. Pens are so light that even a frail person may easily handle them. Hobby Hamstery Pens are not observation pens or display sages, but breeding pens designed for high productivity. Wire doors provide sufficient vision for study of the animals and their habits. Each pen is standard size, 8×10×21 inches inside.

In all construction, it should be remembered that so-called 2-Inch boards may be only $1 5/8$-inch thickness, and 1-inch boards $5/8$- to $7/8$-inch thickness, depending upon grade of lumber. A board selling as a 6-inch width may actually be $5 5/8$ inches. So, a so- called 10-inch height inside a pen may be $3/8$ less than 10 Inches. This fact is mentioned so that the builder will make doors to fit doorways after the rest of the pen is completed. Doors required may be slightly wider, but less tall, than otherwise might be expected. Saw boards to lengths shown in list of materials, and other details will work out nicely.

HOBBY PEN BUILDING MATERIALS

Dimensions are given in inches.

Key:

Lumber or board materials used need not be new, but should be hard wood and reasonably sound, especially for partition board (P). Saw ends of boards squarely to avoid cracks in corners. If corner cracks do occur, they may be covered by wood strips approx. 1 in. squared nailed into corners as corner posts (c.p.