Page:The Golden Hamster Manual.djvu/33

 sides, the doors may be made of solid board if desired as per wood door illustrated in right of Illus. 14.

8x21-inch droppings tray (Dr.Tr. in Illus. 13) is made and used in the manner described in Chap. 19.

PEN SUPPORTS: The simplest means of stacking pens and pen units is the pen support (P.S.) shown in Illus. 13. Four such are required for each pen unit. Under each side, just back of the floor opening far enough to permit use of 8x21 droppings tray, install a wood block 2x2x4 inches (P.S.B.). Likewise, near the rear corners install similar wood blocks (P.S.C.). Since so-called 2x4 usually runs only about $1 5/8$, it may be advisable to add a $1/2$-inch strip to top or bottom of such P.S. to allow full 2 inches of support for all advantages of such distance between pen units. P.S. may be nailed to under side of floor or to outside of top.

As per Illus. 13, a bottle and tube waterer may be used at position W.B. Detail of waterers are shown in Illus. 47, 48. And a feed chute of pattern given in Illus. 23 may be placed at F.C. as in Illus. 13. Since food placed in this type of chute falls to the floor, such chute must be used above the board portion of the floor to save food loss. To install this feed chute, see Illus. 24. Cut a piece of tin or galv. metal to $3 1/4$x$5 1/4$ inches. Fold sides along dash lines. Punch or drill two small wire holes (W.H.) to use wiring chute to side of pen. Cut one row of hdw. cl. just the width of the feed chute, and, about 2 inches above the lower side frame. Insert the tongue of the feed chute through this opening. Before wiring the chute to the outside of the pen, bend the tongue down inside so that it hugs tightly against the hdw. cl. side of the pen, as in Illus. 24. The opening through the hdw. cl. should be $3/8$ to $1/undefined$ inch high. Less than $3/8$ may not let food fall freely. Much more than $1/undefined$ may permit animals to get their noses fast in the chute.

Hingeless Door Construction: Illus. 16 shows —31—