# Do I need to cover *every* wire-floor shelf?



## bazmonkey (Nov 8, 2013)

I have a Martin's Rat Tower (I think, R-690), which has two full floors and two 1/3-floors that are ledges to the other two. Is it really necessary to cover the two smaller shelves with fleece or towel? The ramps are wire and it's ok. The cage itself is wire and they climb that all the time. Could I leave them bare? It would save me a lot of effort, as those little pieces of fleece are the hardest to work with.

I don't wanna do anything hazardous to them, but I think it would be ok. The large majority of their floor would still be upholstered, and they have access to enough bedding (tissue n' newspaper shreds n' stuff) to make a next *on* the wire floor if they're so inclined.


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## saratherussiandog (Aug 9, 2013)

As long as you wipe them down maybe twice daily, It seems fine.


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## bazmonkey (Nov 8, 2013)

Ok... so it's not stepping on wire flooring that causes bumblefoot, but walking on soiled surfaces? Is there the same concern with solid, non-absorbent flooring?

Thanks, for the response, BTW. I'm also looking into carpet squares and might go that route.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Yeah its walking on unclean surfaces with a cut foot that causes the problem. All my rats are in a Martin cage with bare wire floors. It's the same thing as climbing the sides, it doesn't pose any more or less risk as long as it's kept clean.

I think it's the fear of their feet getting cut on said wire floor. I've never had it happen though. Arya did hurt her foot one and lost a claw but I cleaned her wound and she was fine. It was from jumping to one level to another and catching her nail. Just be sure to provide places they can be on a softer surface.
Nice thing about Martin wire floor btw is that the poop falls through so you don't have to worry about them walking on it.

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## monster_paws (Jan 17, 2013)

Mine seem to love the wire floors of the Martin's and I gave up trying to fight with them about covering the wires. It used to be a constant battle of me pinning the fleece on the levels and them ripping it apart and tossing it to the bottom of the cage.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

My rats are actually like the wire floors too. I guess they like the ventilation? 
When cappuccino had her babies and I moved them back into the big cage I had to put down fleece and cappuccino was the biggest butt about it and she would just tear up the attached spots and lay under the fleece. I had to sew it around a huge piece of plastic for each level. An d I left a strip of the middle level bare for her because otherwise she was going to tear it up she spent most of her time on the wire floor that was still open.

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## bazmonkey (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks for the input! This is what I suspected. The two mid-way shelves are the ones I want to keep bare. The ratties have a habit of doing their business sometimes on the shelf directly above their litter box, so it would be so easy to let it fall.

I'm really starting to hate fleece.


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