Do rat cages need to be solid or wire?

[bamf64]

I am getting a cage for 2 rats, and do the floors have to be solid(like this http://www.petmountain.com/product/s...w-x-30-h-.html), or can they be mesh(like this http://www.martinscages.com/images/full/r-680.jpg)

would the rats foot get caught in the mesh? I would prefer to get a mesh one because the waste would fall into the bottom for easier cleaning, and in the solid cage the waste would just sit around and make it much more difficult to clean.

do any of you have a rat cage with mesh?

hope you can help

[sassy-pants]

When they're young, you need a solid bottom because their little feet will fall through and get stuck. You can get the mesh for when they're older, but I find a solid bottom easier to clean, since you just pop it off, empty it, hose it down, and replace. The wire mesh tends to get gunky and gross.

Make sure you get powder coated wire, the other stuff rusts with all of that urine.

[singingtothewheat]

Solid is good because they do not get bedding all over creation!

[Hulihzack]

I'd go with the solid floors for sure, I only use mesh for ventilation and feed hoppers. I used this write-up to make my own rat tubs and it was really cheap and easy. Haven't had a single problem with chewouts and the tubs are really easy to clean.

...Tried linking pictures but my cell phone album isn't working I'll try again later

[snakelady]

Wire is nice in theory. However some of the waste will get stuck on the wire and dry. Then you'll end up having to scrape it.

[truthsdeceit]

Definitely go with a solid floor. In the long run it's easier to clean. You just dump the entire thing and ad new bedding.

With wire floors they get all gunky and smell bad even if you dump out all the bedding underneath. You still have to clean the solid underfloor and ad nasty wire to clean too.