Caging Question...

[ChippersMommy]

Im wanting to build a new cage for Chippers. My husband is gonna build one that is bigger than her current one for when she gets bigger, can i use hardware cloth? Can it be the Black Steel Hardware Cloth? Or what are my options for a safe cage?


Thanks in Advance!

[ALittleNutty]

Hardware cloth is excellent just don't get the plastic coated kind since they chew that right off. Just be sure to put the cloth on the outside of the cage to prevent any chance of scratches to them. Hardware cloth sandwiched between the wood protects you and them.

[CritterMom]

I have never heard of "black steel" hardware cloth and google didn't seem to have heard of it either. Do NOT get coated wire - it is a plastic coating and they WILL chew it off and ingest it, which is not good.

Also, no pressure treated lumber.

[ChippersMommy]

Thanks so much yall!! I wasnt too sure about the black steel because in order for it to be black they must have either coated it or painted it which could cause a problem with the squirrel... lowes had several colors to choose from black, green, orange, etc. but i figured itd be best to go with plain on galvanized steel- does 1/4" mesh sound okay or should i go with the 1/2"???

thanks soo much!

[RobinTN]

I just had a cage built for my 7wk grey Cassie, & I used the 1/4" galvanized hardware cloth. Its working just fine, & she climbs around on it alot more than I thought she would. Donnie says she looks like a spider lol! The dimensions are approx 2'x3'x4' tall, with 3" casters WITH BRAKES. I've got a support beam across the top, & I clipped one section out of the hardware cloth on either side of the beam & using that to hang a cotton rope (CO-OP) which she LOVES, lol, watch out, it's Tarzan Squirrel! I was gonna use biner clips to attach toys & ropes to the wire, but they won't go thru the 1/4" wire, so I got some eye hooks & used washers between the outside of the cage & the nuts... We've had a great time coming up with creative ideas for her cage, & most of them started out seeing something in a store & thinking "I wonder if I were to..?"

I'll try to get some pictures on here that show the cage. I've got a ton of pics, but they're the extreme close-ups of squirrly little whiskers, bellies, tails & toeses lol!:grin3

Also following your other thread, & I'm glad to hear Chippers was able to go poo :poop HOORAY FOR POO!!! I definitely think a tummyache could cause her lack of interest in eating & drinking. Her mama's just such a good cook, lol... and I'd say she just overdid it with the boo balls, kinda like me at a buffet??? Hopefully she will get her little belly straightened out & be feeling all better in no time!

[ChippersMommy]

I just had a cage built for my 7wk grey Cassie, & I used the 1/4" galvanized hardware cloth. Its working just fine, & she climbs around on it alot more than I thought she would. Donnie says she looks like a spider lol! The dimensions are approx 2'x3'x4' tall, with 3" casters WITH BRAKES. I've got a support beam across the top, & I clipped one section out of the hardware cloth on either side of the beam & using that to hang a cotton rope (CO-OP) which she LOVES, lol, watch out, it's Tarzan Squirrel! I was gonna use biner clips to attach toys & ropes to the wire, but they won't go thru the 1/4" wire, so I got some eye hooks & used washers between the outside of the cage & the nuts... We've had a great time coming up with creative ideas for her cage, & most of them started out seeing something in a store & thinking "I wonder if I were to..?"

I'll try to get some pictures on here that show the cage. I've got a ton of pics, but they're the extreme close-ups of squirrly little whiskers, bellies, tails & toeses lol!:grin3

Also following your other thread, & I'm glad to hear Chippers was able to go poo :poop HOORAY FOR POO!!! I definitely think a tummyache could cause her lack of interest in eating & drinking. Her mama's just such a good cook, lol... and I'd say she just overdid it with the boo balls, kinda like me at a buffet??? Hopefully she will get her little belly straightened out & be feeling all better in no time!


Thanks soo much for the caging tips! I got bored one day after I had taught my daughter all her lessons for that particular day (and truthfully I was tired of waiting on my hubby to get a day off work so that he could do it) so I went out back to my shed and seen what materials i had- I had a 19' roll of hardware cloth, an old 4 level-8 sections bird cage that we got from a yard sale (only paid $65) for my daughters play birds and dolls lol (which she never freaking used... grrrr lol) and an old rolling file cabinet stand that was just the right size to set the cages on... The cages were stackable but were for displaying 8 different birds so they didnt connect- so with a lil imagination and determination, i took the roofs & floors of each cage and cut out lil mazes for her to climb up thru (its not fun cutting thru steel!!) and stacked them all on top of each other and then connected them all using metal clamps. but there was about a 6" section that remained open between each cage so I took hardware cloth and used it to connect all the levels together- But unfortunately half way thru i ran out of the lil metal clamps so i rigged it up using some of the mechanics grade tie straps that are supposed to be extra strong- they are only a temporary fix until the weekened when i go to town and get more clamps and luckily she hasnt begun gnawing on things like that yet and truthfully i dont think she even notices they are there because they are just on the outside in a few places and i have them super tight and cut all the excess off so she couldnt really get ahold of them if she wanted to lol..... Ive attached some pics of the final product!!!

As for my other thread- she finally got better with her tummy- it was apparent she was self weaning so we cut her down to formula 3x a day morning noon and night and she eats her veggies throughtout the day and has a lil fruit and a treat and does good. We did change her formula to a 50/50 mix of the FV 20/50 and esbilac (she was originally of the fv32/40 but her tummy is doing much better on the fv20/50 mixed with the esbilac and stoneyfield yobaby vanilla yogurt- thanks to some tips from our TSB friends) and i havent given her any more of the boo balls because i realized that she was getting too full from it and not eating her other foods and thats not a balanced diet so i cut it out-I wonder if i could use the remainder that i froze to feed to my wilds in the yard since we are having some colder weather right now??

Thanks soo much for the advice!!!
:grin3
:thumbsup

Im not too sure how to attach or resize images- hopefully they are viewable lol


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