# Covers



## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

How do you get your covers on youyr cages? Would Safety Pins work? Or could they possibly open and hurt themselves with them?


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

I don't put covers on my cages because my rats will tear them up. I would be concerned about safety pins opening too. If you want covers on your cages, maybe look at buttons? Rats may manage to tear the buttons off, but at least they shouldn't get hurt in the process. Or maybe use snaps instead.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

on flat shelves and bottom pans you can use folding binder clips to hold fabric down. on my martins shelves, i sew ribbons into the liners, which i can tie to the cage bars so they can't pull them up. weighing them down with things like food dishes, rocks, bricks, etc. works too. be sure to give them lots of scraps to nest with so they aren't so tempted to shred the liners lol.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Yeah, I planned to use some binder clips as well! 

As for the safety pins, I do not believe that they could open them, as they'd have to be rather strong (The cage will be housing two small females). I'll also look into snaps and buttons. Thanks! ;D


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

I dunno, in my experience safety pins open even when you aren't trying, so it makes me a bit nervous, though I know people use them.

I prefer the grommet and tie or grommet and attach with binder rings methods for martins type cages.

For my double CN, for their old style shelves, I binder clip it down. For their new style shelves, I just make a heavy cage pad with batting, and will weigh it down with bowls and such too.

The only reason I use liners on my foster rats martins cage is because otherwise the pee gets all over everything. I have had rats that I could not use liners with on the martins without it being too bad though, but it seems more often than not they need them lol.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Good point... I'll try something safer!


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

I have 0 sewing skills... lol. I'm havin' trouble with this... :-\

I have the Martin's Rat Skyscraper, and I cut up some fabric for it, but am having trouble putting it on. The safety pins were working (They weren't in the cage, no worries  ), but I was also nervous about those, and took them out. I've tried several things that didn't require sewing, and they failed me... Any advice from those that have used this cage?


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

My best suggestion if you can't sew would be to make the no sew liners. It's really simple, you just cut two pieces of fabric six inches larger than the size it needs to end up. Pin them together wrong sides together (so the right sides, the sides you want to show, are showing). Next, you cut strips of fabric exactly three inches in, exactly 1 nches wide. Do this until all of it has the strips around it. Take the matching strips and knot them until all are done. Then, when you put it in the cage, use the strips to tie to to the corners of the shelf. It's a bit time consuming but MUCH easier to attach than just cut out fleece. You can vary it too, and obviously do the same for a cutout for the ramp for the full shelf. You can also add a third layer too.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

What could I use to pin them, that my little devils couldn't get into? IO will definantly try that, though! Thanks! ;D


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Your welcome. If you struggle with my directions, search sugar glider no sew and a very simplified site comes up. It has pictures which really helps, and once you've done them once, you'll get it no problem. 

You could use binder rings. Just poke a hole in the fabric. I love binder rings ;D Zip ties or pipe cleaners also work well too.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

How would I be able to take it on and off the shelf, with the ramp in the way. (Sorry, I didn't realize that until after I looked at my cage.  ) I'm guessing that, as you described it is something you slip onto it, unless I am misunderstanding.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

No, it is something you lay on top of the shelf, and then tie to it with the strips.

I am guessing though that your ramp is c ringed down to the shelf? Most of us remove the c rings there so that liners can be used.

They don't give specific directions for liners, but you'd just have to modify the directions for the shape of your shelf (the shape of your shelf plus three inches on every dimension).


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Ah, yes... Would that be a big problem? And in that case, what do you use instead of the rings to keep your cage up? Because I am having quite some trouble trying to cover the wire.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

No just for where the ramp attaches to the shelf. The rest of the c rings can stay. Most of us do use zip ties instead of the c rings that come with the cage though because they are a PITA to get off.

Here's the site I was trying to link:
http://www.suzsugargliders.com/nosewaccessories.htm


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Oh yes they are... So I should replace the c rings on the ramp with zip ties, so I can place the cover over the floors properly? (How do the c rings affect it?) I'll probably be up late working on these, and I tend to have a bad memory when it gets late, so I just want to make everything clear.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

You'd not replace the bottom part of the ramps c rings at all, it doesn't need them. C rings there prevent you from putting a liner flat on the shelf.

I'm not sure how else to explain it and I'm tired too but hopefully you get what I'm saying.


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## HuncaMunca (Dec 29, 2010)

I use safety pins on the shelves of my martins 680. But I'm not sure my rats could get them open either. They're very small safety pins, so much so that I sometimes have to use pliers to get them open and closed. And I have poked myself many times, but my rats ignore them. 
But there are so many options, like stated above. You may have to just try several things to find what works for you.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Oh yes, I see what you're saying! 

And Hunca, that's interesting. But the saety pins I have are rather large, and I'm a bit more worried about them slipping/popping out, then the rats opening them themselves.  But yeah, I'll be sure to try several ways of keeping them on. Thanks!


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

The safety pins I use are very large, and there is no way a rat could open them. I do not use them for hammocks cause the fat rat butts would pop them open but I do use them for all my liners and never had an issue, the small ones however have popped open and I don't use those anymore.

If money is not an issue I know some people who buy or make hammocks with grommets or small eyelets/holes and actually zip tie the liners on. I could never do this since I have 5 big rat cages and 15-19 rats at any given time so I would be spending a fortune on zip ties every week LOL.


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## Ratfever (May 6, 2011)

Haha. ;D I've only got two... For now. But, do they not chew up the zipties? Or is that why you'd have to keep buying them...


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