# Bar spacing: how wide is too wide?



## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

I bought a nice 4-level ferret cage for my first mischief of rats, 3 girls, one about 4 months and the other two 5-6 weeks (an estimation on my part). The bar spacing of this enclosure is exactly 2 centimeters wide, vertical. The 4 month old can't seem to fit through, as far as I can tell, but I've seen the little ones fit their whole head and their two forelegs through the gap, which leads me to believe they could probably fit all the way through if they were so inclined. 

I went to Home Depot and found some chicken wire that I affixed to the front half of the cage, but ran out of wire about halfway through leaving most of the cage still "escapable"...what do you think? Is it basically a given that my rats could escape or am I worrying over nothing? Should I go get some more wire to cover the rest of the enclosure? Thanks.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

They can escape and likely will. I would go get more wire. Girls have some sort of inherent drive to escape. If the head goes, the rat will too. My girl tested her cage during the day and after sticking her head through I made the wrong assumption that it meant she wasn't going to escape, since she didn't try. However, she did that night and could have very well been a pup-snack.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

Yep, looks like I'll be covering the rest, then. Fortunately the bottom of my door is flush with the floor preventing anyone from squeezing under, but I'd rather not wake up every morning to a rat scavenger hunt.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

Excuse the double-post, but how would you guys recommend affixing the chicken wire to my cage? Just tying it off with other wire?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I used zipties, very quick.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

No danger of rats chewing that off? I've been tying mine off with wire and I feel like that's probably more effort than it needs to be...


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I did it with wire and was ridiculously cut up and took like five hours total.

Zip ties I got 100 for $2, used maybe 40. If they end up chewing some it will take me five minutes to fix it. You have to put enough points to prevent bowing out and keeping the wire tight that one or two chewed off during the night won't make a difference. So far, a few babies have nibbled on them but there are enough toys to play with they don't really care.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

Sounds good - I'll tie up the rest with zip ties. Thanks for the help.


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## Ltukey (May 28, 2013)

I have LAZY girls, if they could get out they've no desire! whatsoever. sometimes a kickpannel (or urine guars) is all it takes to remind them stay in (some prior rats) but ive a ton of cages of different bar spacing so ive options for a precocious&determined rat.


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

May I ask what kind of cage you have? We did like a weave type thing with picture frame wire over the hardware cloth. It took forever but now it's extremely strong and it's staying on forever so that way eventually if I get more babies I won't have to do it again. They haven't even attempted to chew it and it's very secure.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

I use the Prevue Hendryx 485 feisty ferret home: http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendry...=UTF8&qid=1377028666&sr=8-4&keywords=rat+cage

Ihttp://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendry...=UTF8&qid=1377028666&sr=8-4&keywords=rat+cage really love the space it provides (even though my girls haven't really explored the top level yet), but the bar spacing leaves something to be desired. Also the bottom and upper level floors are wire grating, which I had to cover with towels. I sort of wish I bought something a little smaller and cheaper with narrower bar spacing, but mistakes happen.


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

I have the same cage it's a great cage and I just covered the bottom in hardware cloth and didn't let them use the top half till they got bigger by 10 weeks my boys were able to have the whole thing and don't escape. I would say your rats when they get a bit bigger will not fit through.


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## Deified Data (Aug 16, 2013)

Yeah, I think I'll just apply the hardware cloth to the bottom level for now since only my big girl likes to go upstairs. I'll attach it with zip ties so it's easy to remove when they get bigger.


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