# How do i put hardware mesh cloth on my cage?



## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

I dont know if i cut pieces for each side or wrap it around lol, no clue. also, how many ties should i use? wont the rats chew the ties?


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

liana said:


> I dont know if i cut pieces for each side or wrap it around lol, no clue. also, how many ties should i use? wont the rats chew the ties?


You have to cut pieces for each side  you can try zip ties , but if they chew them you will need washers and bolts & nuts ... 


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## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

oh i hope they dont chew then. thanks! ill be putting it on their big cage tomorrow.


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## artgecko (Nov 26, 2013)

Just finished covering our cage with hardware cloth for the pups we got... It took a few hours and a long time. If you don't have any already, you'll need "tin snips" or "airplane" snips to use... These are in the same area at hardware stores.. Basically heavy duty scissors for metal... Make sure you get some rated for the gauge of wire you're using. We used a TON of zip ties... enough that if they chew some they still won't be able to get out. I'd suggest buying a couple packages of 100, which should leave you with extras. One final thing... Gloves are your friend. My husband and I tore our hands up pretty good while covering the age.


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## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

ok, ill be sure to buy gloves too ^^ thanks for the tips


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

I used masking tape to cover any possible sharp edges there might be around the doors/etc (just wrap it around). It works great - my rats aren't interested in chewing it, since it's sticky.


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## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

help!
I just finished putting the wire on the cage, and im freaking out, i managed to cover up most of the sharp edges (not with masking tape, couldt manage to cover up with that) by bending the sharp edges inwards, but i couldnt on all the sharp edges. i keep seeing the poking their little faces through the holes and i keep worrying that theyll catch a sharp end and cut them selves. i dont know what to do. i dont know if i did something wrong. Im thinking of putting them back in their small cage, cus im freaking out so much. most of the sharp edges are at the top of the cage. but they climb so much that its only a matter of time before they poke their heads through there. also Mojo has managed to poke his head completely through a hole, he didnt get the rest of him through but will he be able to?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

If his head went through a hole, he can. 

I used wire cutters to clip the sharp points as far as I could. The rats never cut themselves or minded. I was freaking out because my boys were dragging their incisions over the sharp wire but not a cut to be had. 


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## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

oh ok thanks. Ill try cutting them as far as i can. so far they having had any problems. only instead of sleeping in their hammock they are sleeping underneath it xD (they can get in it, i think they just dont understand that its something nice to sleep in)


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

liana said:


> oh ok thanks. Ill try cutting them as far as i can. so far they having had any problems. only instead of sleeping in their hammock they are sleeping underneath it xD (they can get in it, i think they just dont understand that its something nice to sleep in)


Rats LOVE their dark places ! Even as much as hammocks  


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## liana (Dec 4, 2013)

I put the wire on the cage and day one all went good, day two, I found Yoda out of the cage! He is smaller than the other two i can fit through the holes of the wire, in some spots around the cage the wire lines perfectly up with the cage bars, making a perfect hole to escape from. i put some zip ties around the holes that i thought he would be able to fit through, but now, just as i was getting ready to go to sleep, i heard some noise and found Yoda underneath the bed.First i was worried that he jumped from the cage to the floor (the cage is on a dresser, its quite high for a little guy to jump) but he seemed to be fine when i picked him up.
I was wandering if i could add an extra layer of wire to make sure he cant get out. I didnt want to put them back in their old cage because they look like they are having so much fun in the new one, but if Yoda keeps getting out ll have to, my room is not rat proof and if he manages to squeeze underneath the door to the rest of the house he is a sure goner.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

liana said:


> I put the wire on the cage and day one all went good, day two, I found Yoda out of the cage! He is smaller than the other two i can fit through the holes of the wire, in some spots around the cage the wire lines perfectly up with the cage bars, making a perfect hole to escape from. i put some zip ties around the holes that i thought he would be able to fit through, but now, just as i was getting ready to go to sleep, i heard some noise and found Yoda underneath the bed.First i was worried that he jumped from the cage to the floor (the cage is on a dresser, its quite high for a little guy to jump) but he seemed to be fine when i picked him up.
> I was wandering if i could add an extra layer of wire to make sure he cant get out. I didnt want to put them back in their old cage because they look like they are having so much fun in the new one, but if Yoda keeps getting out ll have to, my room is not rat proof and if he manages to squeeze underneath the door to the rest of the house he is a sure goner.


Yes you can put another layer , but it might make the cage look messy  can you instead cut pieces for the corners to go over the holes? The wire should be pretty bendable... Also , males he pretty big and soon enough he won't be able to fit through anything smaller than 1 inch  
So don't go too crazy worrying 

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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

More zip ties. Tons of zip ties everywhere! You can never have enough zip ties! 

What I also did for the bigger gaps was get some thin wire and weave it through the wire mesh, "sewing" it together. I haven't had any escapees, even though my cage was very hard to rat-proof (dog crate...). You might want to try it. It still does look better than adding on more layers, IMO.  (also makes for very good hinges)


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