Rat proofing

[littleindiangirl]

We've had one of our growing females escape two times now from a super pets cage. She isn't the smallest one of the group, but all we can figure is that she is squeezing out through the bars.

The first time she got out, I had given them a new hopper, and they were stampeding me and rushing the gate tryin to get out. I caught the real mischevious one and put her back in and thought I counted all 5 girls. But the next morning, we found the escapee running around the tops of the rat rack. We put her back thinking I had just missed her and thank God she didn't decide to make a real run for it.
Then yesterday, she was back on the tops of the rat rack. So I threw her in with my group of young females that are too small to go in the big cage.

So here's what we're going to be doing. We found some coated chicken wire with holes about the same as the 1/2" hardware cloth at menards. Any ideas on how to actually attach it to the cage?? I wish they made metal zip ties.

I've seen some people use these little clasp things for the hardware cloth to make the hoppers and such that hang down from the lid, what are those and where can I get em? OR is there an easier way to attach it to the cage? Thanks!

[Freakie_frog]

They are called "hog rings" you can get them at most hard ware stores. They are used in everything from fencing to car/home upholstery. They take a special set of pliers to use but work wonders.

Check this out
http://www.hogrings.com/Applications/Wire.htm

[littleindiangirl]

Awesome Freak!

[Freakie_frog]

Best of luck

[littleindiangirl]

Okay, so we went to TSC, (the only place around here that carries hog rings) and we bought the smallest size and some pliers. We went and attached our chicken wire to our cage, and when all was said and done, we decided that the sharp points of the hog rings would hurt our rats. Somewhere in that whole mess I ended up with tiny litte razor blade cuts all over my hands and didnt notice a thing until chris was like "eww, what did you do!". (blood everywhere!) So, I went through and threaded and weaved this 22 guage wire around the corners and top of the cage, and we went about removing all those hog rings. That wasn't fun.

[frankykeno]

Connie did you use chicken wire or actual hardware cloth. The only reason I'm asking is because I've always been cautioned that rats can bite through the softer chicken wire. If you did use that product you might want to keep a close eye on it.

[littleindiangirl]

We bought the vinyl coated chicken wire. We wrapped the cage so we can put our smaller females in with the whole group, the cage we use now is I think 1" gapped.

[littleindiangirl]

so where does everyone buy their blunt hog rings from?

[Argentra]

Hmm, don't know what those hog rings are, but when I attached the wire to my ferret cage for the rats, I used bolts and washers held on with wing nuts. Similar setup to the way those 'chinchilla shelves' are held on the cage. You put the bolt through from the inside with one washer on the inside and one on the outside and put the wing nut on the outside. When you tighten it, the washers pull the wire mesh against the bars of the cage.

I'll try to get some closeup pix of that in a few minutes after I finish thawing the mice for my corns.

[frankykeno]

For regular rats (not their babies of course) I always use a 1/2" hardware cloth. For mice, the ASF's or very young regular rats I go with 1/4" hardware cloth.