Hello
Your cage doesn't suck!!
I'm sorry you got that impression, it was not meant. Forgive me, I was in a rush, and did not finish my post to include comments on the cage you started. I thought about my last post at work, and felt badly you would get the wrong impression. You did.
I'm glad that you did search the archives. Of course, the pics I posted are no longer hosted on the net, it was over a year ago I built these cages. (though the descriptions would still be there). Big hint: most of the good posts regarding BRNs can be found in the 'old' forum archives, not this current forum. You have to go to the KS main menu, to find accesss to the 'old' forums. 
I do wish you had asked a specific question regarding your cages. Something like...I am planning on building a 2 foot wide cage for an adult BRN, is this adequate? (You'd have gotten a ton of responses) More general questions such as, What size cage should I build? , generally meets silence...Yeah, I know, a technicality, but that is how forums work, unfortunately...the general type questions are many and the people who expend the effort to answer them are few.
A very good answer is "go as large as you can". Can you accomodate a four foot wide cage in your cage location? Then its much better to build it if you can. And cheaper. Most plywood comes in four by eight sheets...a four by four by eight cage involves the least planning and waste of wood.
With what you have started...you could expand the sides, and not waste any of that wood you have cut, by using it to make boxes instead. Just the labor was wasted...but its all fun, right?
Okay, lecture over...
The cage you built is looking real good (oak!), sliding glass doors, that's first class stuff. For a single rudi(hopefully you add a friend someday, how boring to have no company), its workable. In fact, you could have a MUCH better cage with your small space, than many with bigger cages. Open space is totally wasted on monitors. So much area of my cages are useless, so far. BUT!!, the larger size of mine, means I can add lots more stuff. I have more options.
Rudis like to be hidden.
Add many wooden boxes to your cage. Hinge the lids (so you can retrieve animal if need be) and cut out an entrance hole. Have the hole face out so the rudi can see. Fill the boxes with different stuff, for fun. Some with dirt, some with leaves, some with moss. Make some real small, and some real big, you know, for that companion you'll get your rudi someday...
A happy rudi is one that is snug in a hide, with his nosy nose at the entrance, watching all that you do. For that reason, I am now favoring the side hole, versus a hole in the top of the box. Its more comfortable for them to look out.
I'm so glad your monitor has you, making all this effort to make him comfortable! She's real nice looking!
Here is War again. He will not rush out for food. He sticks his head out, but always drags it back inside his box to eat it. He bangs his head many times in the act of swallowing, the stupe.
D.
