# 1/2 X 1 wire mesh



## Lea (May 15, 2009)

What is the verdict on 1/2" X 1" wire mesh? I am thinking about making a very large cage and ideally I'd like to find a roll of 1/2" X 3" but 1/2 X 1 is easier to find. (I have 1/2 X 1/2 now and I don't like it because it's harder to see through).

I've read that this is a bad size because rats can get their feet caught in it and injure themselves. I'm wondering if they were referring to the floor only. My guess is that if it is on the sides and not the floor there would be little danger of injury from climbing on it.

So, does anyone have this size wire on their cage and have you had any problems? 

Also, if anyone knows of sources for 1/2" X 3" coated wire mesh please reply too. THX.


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

I was wondering the very same thing today. The only think I can seem to find is 1/2 x 1/2 and 1/2 x 1. I was wondering if it would work if you took some 1 x 3 and just aligned it with the bars of of a cage (or double layer it, if you're making one) so that it's 1/2 x 3?

Otherwise I would really like to know if anyone comes across some 1/2 x 3 inch because I think I'd like to take a stab at making a decent cage sometime.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

I haven't been able to find any 1/2 X 3 coated mesh, only galvanized. I can find vinyl-coated 1/2 X 1 online in a couple of places for just over $100 for a 50-foot roll. Did you find the 1/2 X 1 in a store?


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

Yea, I found it in a store. Most hardware stores have it or places that sell garden supplies. I found it at a farm outlet. It was all galvanized though.

I know I've seen something on the forums somewhere about how to powder-coat things yourself. I can't seem to find it, though. I'll post a link if I do.

When you're just covering a cage (like if the spacing is too big between the wires) is it alright if it's galvanized? I'm planning on putting it on the outside.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

MissHinasaki said:


> When you're just covering a cage (like if the spacing is too big between the wires) is it alright if it's galvanized? I'm planning on putting it on the outside.


Galvanised isn't very good as it eventually absorbs urine and you can't get rid of the smell, so I wouldn't advise it.


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

I would just use it around the cage while they're young so it would be temporary. Should I still try to find coated? Where do you find it coated and what kind of coatings are good?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

MissHinasaki said:


> I would just use it around the cage while they're young so it would be temporary. Should I still try to find coated? Where do you find it coated and what kind of coatings are good?


I don't know where you'd find it. I've never needed it, plus I'm in the UK. It could end up not being temporary depending on how large your rats will be fully grown. Have you decided on males or females yet?


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some males. I just can't resist the idea of shoulder/lap buddies!


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

MissHinasaki said:


> I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some males. I just can't resist the idea of shoulder/lap buddies!


I think males are a good choice, although I may happen to be biased with only ever owning males . At the moment I have a Gizmo lying next to me bruxxing & boggling away; and I have a Spike on my knee licking my hand to death lol.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

The way I have to keep such a close watch on my girls who keep finding new ways to undermine my rat-proofing, I often wonder what it would be like to have some nice mellow boys instead, LOL.

I'm thinking about taking shelving like this:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=101933-1281-CR4824&lpage=none
for a frame and enclosing the top 4 feet for a cage with 3 levels. I would put the intermediate shelves at 16" vertical spacing and replace the particle board shelves with more wire mesh covered with linoleum or something.

I had no idea you could powder-coat yourself, I'll see what I can find about that, thanks.


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

Does anyone know if they can use epoxy paint to coat the wires?


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

Here's what I am thinking about doing. The shelves I linked to above are 24" X 48" but I already have a set that are 18" X 36". They are only 5' high but you can get them 6' high too. They are very sturdy.

So, you can buy wire shelving like this:









The wire spacing on these (Rubbermaid "tightmesh" shelf) is 1/2" and they come in 16" wide X 6' long, and 20" wide X 4' long. so 16 + 20 = 36! But I only need the 4' long shelves which will be the height of the cage (the top 4' of the shelves). According to the cage calculator 18" X 36" X 48" holds up to 9 rats. 

On the sides I'll use the 20" shelves and 2" will stick out in the back since the sides are 18" deep. On the back, I can use 2 of the 20" ones and overlap 4" or use one 20" and one 16". On the front I will hinge one (or both) of them to use as a door. The extra length of the 16" shelves I can either saw off or let it go all the way down to the floor so they can climb up it.

On the top of the cage and underside of each shelf I'll use 1/2" vinyl coated hardware cloth (for hanging stuff from) and the top of the shelves will be a solid surface like lino tiles. 

The last detail is cost. The 20" X 4' ones are $13.98 each and the 16" X 6' ones are $17.87. So they will be about $90. Plus another $20 for hardware cloth. Tiles I have no idea yet. Anyway altogether it should be less than $150 since I already have the metal shelves. Theoretically you could build it without using the metal shelving unit as a frame, since these wire shelves are very heavy and sturdy.


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## aquaseafoam (Aug 3, 2009)

Couldn't you disregard the white rubbermaid shelves completely if you use a metal shelf frame and wrap hardware cloth around it? 
I made a cage for a house rabbit like this before except I made it wider instead of tall as it is "supposed" to be assembled.

You could either cut holes in the solid metal shelf and sand them or put something around the edges so they aren't sharp, or not pull the hardware cloth as tight on one or both ends so that they can climb up the levels and fit between the cloth and the shelf. Am I explaining that correctly?

It was this kind of shelf http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8251823
The shelf you linked to looks much sturdier, but i think you could probably still do the same thing with them.

Oh yeah, you could theoretically attach two or more shelving units together to get whatever width or depth you wanted. There are small holes all along the braces to screw in the shelves that you can slip zip ties through and, of course use to zip tie the hardware cloth on.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

Sure, you could use wire mesh, which is what I was originally planning, but I don't really like the 1/2 X 1/2 as it's hard to see through (that's what I have now). 1/2 X 1 is not much better and to get coated I would have to order it off the internet and pay shipping. I wanted 1/2 X 3 but could only find galvanized. 

So I like these shelves because they are like bars, not mesh. They will cost about $30 more than if I went with mesh. I looked at other things like the different playpen panels but they were either way too expensive or the bar spacing was too wide. 

As for the shelves, they are not solid metal. There is a metal rim that a wooden shelf sits in, so I just have to replace that wooden shelf with what I described and of course I would have a corner cut out of it for access between levels like the ferret nation does.


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## aquaseafoam (Aug 3, 2009)

Ah I see, I didn't realize the whole point was to be able to use the white shelves. ;D


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

Arg, I just realized my previous post sounds confusing because I just say shelves all the time instead of wire shelves vs. metal shelving unit. :-[

I still haven't decided for sure what I'm going to do, but I just found a page where someone made a cage from these shelves:
http://www.geocities.com/jmorneweck/camelot.html


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## MissHinasaki (Jul 29, 2009)

I am completely lost but greatly admire your ingenuity. I would love to make a cage but I think for to inexperienced with this sort of thing so I'm going to stick to trying to modifying one until its exactly what I want.


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