In response to Purple Cow's question on installing linoleum/tile or
carpeting to a cage, this is what I did.  I inherited a used Midwest cage
when I adopted Templeton from a girl in Braintree, Massachusetts.  They
had made a couple of homemade shelves by putting carpeting over wood and
hooking the shelves to the cage.  The carpet smelled so bad that I threw
out the carpet, and the wood pieces sit on my porch.  I don't think I'll
recarpet them, because I have no idea how you'd keep the carpet clean.
Anyway, the cage needed some shelves, so I went to Home Depot and bought a
length of plastic coated, wire closet shelving (which I had them cut in
half for me); some cable ties; and a length of indoor/outdoor carpeting.
I used cable ties to attach the carpeting to the shelf (first poke a hole
with a nail), and to attach the shelf to the cage.  It took no time at all
for the carpeting to smell bad, I had no idea how to clean it, AND the
ferrets dug at it, putting holes in it and fraying it.  Threw the carpet
out, went back to Home Depot, and found a cart full of linoleum samples
(about 2'x3') for 25 cents each!  I bought $2 worth, and they work great!
I simply cut them to size and lay them on the shelves.  When they need
cleaning, I simply pull them out of the cage, give them a good wipedown,
and put them back.  Works great!
[Posted in FML issue 2915]