RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:39 am

Well I bought the boys an old ferret cage and the bar spacing on the cage is 1". The flooring is plastic. Being that the spacing is 1" they can indeed escape. So, I bought some galvanized 23 gauge hardware cloth and I'm going to attach it to the cage so they can't get out. My question is...should I attach it to the inside or outside? Am I going to be sorry I'm doing this? Will I be able to eventually take it off once they get fat and squishy? Does anyone have any pointers or suggestions before I start this?

Last edited by CrSm02 on Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:46 am; edited 1 time in total

Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:58 am

the outside for sure. Putting it inside would be one heck of a hassle!!!

Cable ties are your freind!! Get lots of the wee ones, and use them indiscriminently! They can be cut off later.

FD

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Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:14 am

Thank you for your reply. I thought that putting it on the inside would drive me nuts! I do have cable ties but I believe that they are too large. I will go and get the wee ones. Thank you so much!

:EDIT: Should I wrap the cloth around the whole cage or should I cut panels and then attach them?

Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:31 am

You should be able to find wee ones that should work...

And as for wrapping or cutting, it's really up to you as to which is easiest. It'd probably be easier to cut each side and attach it, than try to manhandle the whole thing on!

It doesn't look great with it on, but it's the best thing to do and it can be taken off when they gain a bit more squish!!!

FD

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Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:34 am

I will go hunt for the wee ones tomorrow!

Being that I'm doing it myself I guess it would be easiest cutting each part and then attaching it. I can now see myself ripping my hair out!

Hopefully they will get more squish eventually. I feel like they haven't grown but then again I see them everyday.

Thank You!

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:36 am

One of mine is about three and a half months old (born August 20) and he can't squeeze out of the 1" bars. Not sure how old yours are. The two-month-olds went through like water.

Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:51 am

I have had my guys about 6 weeks now. I'm not exactly sure how old they are. I took them from the petstore. I suspect that they were going to be food. As of last week they were able to squeeze through the bars. I don't want to take any chances.

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:27 am

Ok there has officially blood shed and I don't even have wall #1 done yet!

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:48 am

lol! by the time ya get the whole thing done then you'll be an expert!!!

Either that or just rat proof the room they're in and let them squeeze out! hehe.

As for the ages, I have a 2 year that can squeeze out 1" bars if he really wants to, and a 10 month old boy who is smaller than my adult girls and walk out without thinking about it, and then I have a 3 month old boy who would probably be pushing to get out the 1" bars now... so age isn't really any indication of size! Especailly if from a pet store and unknown backgrounds.

FD

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Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:22 am

I guess that I just have to hope that they gain more squish. My fingers are killing me. I have blisters from those damn wire cutters. I am getting discouraged here. This cage looks pittiful with all of the zip ties on it. After I cut the zip ties I covered them and the edges with duct tape because I am cutting myself on it. Does anyone have any pictures of cages that they have covered with hardware cloth or something similar?

Tue Dec 13, 2005 1:40 pm

Well I ofically finished my "project" and they can still escape. I give up.

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:58 pm

Are you sure they're escaping from between the bars? If so, then I'd recommend wrapping the wire around each bar before pulling it to the next bar. That way, they will be less likely to push it out of the way. Of course, in a few months they won't be able to get through 1 inch bars anyway. My smallest girl (who is about the size of a three month old boy, I'd bet) cannot get into/out of my 1inch spaced cage.

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Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:10 pm

I hope they get more squish. They are getting out where ever they can. I'm not exactly sure where it is either. I went upstairs and Cocoa was walking around the outside of the cage! I'm just going to get rid of this cage and get a good one.

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:59 am

You should watch them and see how they are managing to get out.

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