if you make an inner basket of wire mesh it will stop them from chewing out the sides.....
but it won't stop them from pushing their bedding out
My rats push their bedding over the top of their tubs somehow....
So once they start pushing their urine soaked bedding out the sides, it will restrict air flow...
You would need a litter dam of some sort....but then you would restrict your air flow...
a catch 22.