How to Escape-Proof a Rat Cage With Wide Bars | Hardware Cloth 101

What do you do if your brand new cage has wide bars that your rats can escape from? There is a cheap and easy solution, and that is hardware cloth!
This tutorial will walk you through the basics of how to wrap your cage in hardware cloth to protect your rat babies from escaping.

To get started, you will need

– Hardware Cloth

– Wire Cutters

– Strong Zip Ties

– Scissors

and optionally

– A Lovely Assistant

You can do this by yourself but depending on the size of the cage, it’s much easier to do with a buddy.

Step 1: Measure & Cut
First you will need to cut the mesh fit the dimensions of your cage. You’ll need 1 piece per side, and 1 piece per door. So measure each section of the cage, and begin cutting the mesh accordingly.
Make sure you cut as closely, and as straight as you possibly can. The wire is very sharp, and can easily hurt you or your rats. If you leave too much excess wire, or you cut at an angle, someone is going to wind up getting injured. That being said, you can wear gloves if it makes you feel safer.

Step 2: Align the Pieces
Next, align the pieces of mesh to the cage, and begin zip tying it to the bars. I like to start with the corners, just to keep it in place while I’m working on it.

Step 3: Attach the Mesh
Continue securing the wire with zip ties. Place each zip tie about 3” to 4” apart, to keep the mesh tight against the cage.

Step 4: Security Check
Make sure to check for any gaps the rats might be able to escape from. Push the mesh out with your fingers, and if it seems easy to push, place a zip tie in the middle of the gap.
You should also place one or two zip ties somewhere in the middle, so that the rats cannot get their heads stuck between the bars of the cage and the mesh.

Repeat Steps 2-4 until you’ve covered the entire cage.

Step 5: Cut Off the Tails
Cut off the tails of each zip tie as closely as you can with a pair of strong scissors, or you can use your wire cutters. Again make sure you cut straight and close, because sharp plastic can scratch you or your rats.

DONE!
Now you’re finished!! Before placing your rats in the cage, make sure the entire cage is covered from top to bottom. Do a final inspection to check for any gaps or parts that you may have missed.

Once you’re done setting everything up, you should stay in the room for at least an hour or two to watch for any escape artists. If you see any of your rats get out, you’ll know where the cage needs patched up. You should also inspect the cage daily for any chewed off zip ties.

If you have young male rats, you can remove the hardware cloth when they are about 5 or 6 months old.

Feel free to copy & paste the instructions and print them out to use as a reference when you do this to your cage!

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