Showing posts with label Lowes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lowes. Show all posts
Home Improvement
Lowes
Pets
Rats
Escapee!
I've owned my Ferret Nation cage for 2 years now. I've owned 12 rats total (4 have passed on.) And though a few have stuck their head out of the bars occasionally, I never had one escape... until last night!
You see; on each end of the cage doors there is a bar spacing that is wider than the rest of the cage. (Which equals up to 8 spots on the doors the bar spacing is wider.) You can fit two fingers comfortably in those spots, while the rest of the bars you can barely get 1 and a half fingers through. Some of my other ratties have been able to stick their heads out of those spots. Poppy recently has been sticking her head and body out almost up to her hips! And last night she discovered if she wiggled just the right way she could get her entire body out! I caught her climbing up the outside of the cage and I almost had a heart attack!
I had to temporarily use cardboard and duct tape last night on the spots she was able to stick her head out of. I went and posted on the Rat Chatter Forums where I am a moderator and we were able to find a solution to the problem!
I ordered 36in x 10ft of Hardware Cloth, Nylon Zip Ties, and Cutting Pliers from Lowe's. All together about ($35). I ordered everything last night and chose store pick up. I just had to print out my receipt and take it to Lowe's this afternoon to get my items.
This was definitely not a one person project! My brother helped me with this. The hardware cloth likes to roll itself back up and you need someone to hold it down while you cut with the cutting pliers. I didn't really measure at all. I just took the cage door (Ferret Nation cage doors come off completely.) held it to the wire and then marked with a permanent marker the spot I was going to cut. Once I cut out my first piece, I used that as a guide for the 3 other doors.
Then while one person holds the wire flat against the cage door, another zip ties the wire to the door. I actually ran out of zip ties... I should have gotten another pack, thank goodness my Dad had some extras! All in all it took about an hour and a half to complete the 4 doors. And now my little escapee can't escape anymore!
The cage doors completed:
Brattie Ratties!
You see; on each end of the cage doors there is a bar spacing that is wider than the rest of the cage. (Which equals up to 8 spots on the doors the bar spacing is wider.) You can fit two fingers comfortably in those spots, while the rest of the bars you can barely get 1 and a half fingers through. Some of my other ratties have been able to stick their heads out of those spots. Poppy recently has been sticking her head and body out almost up to her hips! And last night she discovered if she wiggled just the right way she could get her entire body out! I caught her climbing up the outside of the cage and I almost had a heart attack!
I had to temporarily use cardboard and duct tape last night on the spots she was able to stick her head out of. I went and posted on the Rat Chatter Forums where I am a moderator and we were able to find a solution to the problem!
I ordered 36in x 10ft of Hardware Cloth, Nylon Zip Ties, and Cutting Pliers from Lowe's. All together about ($35). I ordered everything last night and chose store pick up. I just had to print out my receipt and take it to Lowe's this afternoon to get my items.
This was definitely not a one person project! My brother helped me with this. The hardware cloth likes to roll itself back up and you need someone to hold it down while you cut with the cutting pliers. I didn't really measure at all. I just took the cage door (Ferret Nation cage doors come off completely.) held it to the wire and then marked with a permanent marker the spot I was going to cut. Once I cut out my first piece, I used that as a guide for the 3 other doors.
Then while one person holds the wire flat against the cage door, another zip ties the wire to the door. I actually ran out of zip ties... I should have gotten another pack, thank goodness my Dad had some extras! All in all it took about an hour and a half to complete the 4 doors. And now my little escapee can't escape anymore!
The cage doors completed:
Brattie Ratties!
