Quick question about cage wire

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ipoGSD

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So I'm getting ready to start buying supplies for my outdoor cages.

I know the bottom has to be 1/2" X 1/2" or 1/2" X 1"

But for the sides and top what's stronger in the long run, the smaller holes for the bottom or the 1"x2"? Has anyone noticed a difference? Less holes means less of a chance for welds to let go but more smaller welds if one or 2 let go it won't create such big holes.

I plan on using 14g no matter what size openings for everything but the bottom. And it won't be GAW.

Depending on the price, I might be able to swing GAW for at least the bottoms.
 
Personally, I've never had any welds let go. I used 1/2x1 wire for the bottoms and 1x1 wire for the top and sides. I used all GBW wire and haven't had a problem. Since I moved the rabbits out to the colony three years ago the cages have all been sitting outside and a couple have been used from time to time and they don't seem much rustier than when they went out there. Some of my cages are from when I got rabbits for the first time in Feb 2008 and they're still fine. Now that I think about it the floor wire might have been GAW. I"ll have to check that.

Many people will tell you to use kit saver wire on the sides that will have smaller holes on the bottom few inches of the cage so any wayward kits can't crawl out of the cage. I've never used it because by the time the kits are big enough to get out of the nestbox they were too big to fit through the 1x1 wire. My nestboxes were built deep so it was rare a kit got out until they were big enough. However, people have a valid reason why they use it so the choice is yours. I"m not advising you not to, just my experience.
 
Thank you very much for the info truckin' :)

I don't think I'll need any baby saver wire. This hutch I'm planning on making is going to have that wooden den part with a dam in the front and also big enough for the nest boxes. So even if mom does have the kits in the hutch part and not in the box, the wooden dam will keep them in. I highly doubt a mom would choose to have babies on a bare wire floor vs a snug safe dark area.

Hope my choice doesn't turn around and bite me in the butt lol if I have to it can be added later.

Again tyvm!
 
ipoGSD":1sidbu23 said:
Thank you very much for the info truckin' :)

I don't think I'll need any baby saver wire. This hutch I'm planning on making is going to have that wooden den part with a dam in the front and also big enough for the nest boxes. So even if mom does have the kits in the hutch part and not in the box, the wooden dam will keep them in. I highly doubt a mom would choose to have babies on a bare wire floor vs a snug safe dark area.

Hope my choice doesn't turn around and bite me in the butt lol if I have to it can be added later.

Again tyvm!
Click to expand...

The occasional mother will have kits on the wire but it's not normal. If you know the due date of the doe it's a good idea to keep an eye on her so if she does have the babies on the wire you can catch them before they get cold. It's more common with first time Moms but can happen to experienced mothers too. The vast majority will use the nest box but just keep an extra eye on her near the birthing date as a precaution. It's usually due to inexperience, the doe is not well or she is scared for some reason. Not to panic, just something to watch for.
 
Even very young kits can escape easily from a 4" barrier. It should be at least 6", and even at 6" they can get dragged out onto the wire if they don't let go when mama decides feeding time is over. It is then that babysaver wire really comes into play.

I didn't have babysaver wire for a while, and never had trouble. Then suddenly I started losing kits because they were falling out of the cages. What changed? Nothing. Same rabbits, same cages. :shrug: I quickly started slapping 4" strips of old floor wire onto the doe cages.

Then again, some people never have a problem.

I know other members besides A77 have had issues with poop catching in 1/2 x 1/2.

As for welds breaking (and wire breaking), I have had it happen only on 16 gauge floor wire. All GAW, too, so those welds were protected. I love my 14 gauge GAW floors!

I've never had trouble with 1x2 sides and tops (all 14g).

ipoGSD":2tua2czv said:
I plan on using 14g no matter what size openings for everything but the bottom. And it won't be GAW.

Depending on the price, I might be able to swing GAW for at least the bottoms.
Click to expand...
I would consider the bottom the most crucial place to use GAW.
 
I don't post here as often as some but I've been raising rabbits for quite a while. I use 14-guage 1 x 1/2 GAW for the floors on all my pens. Strong floors make for happy rabbits. Depending on the size breed you're raising, I wouldn't have anything but 14-guage GAW wire on the floor. Yes, I know it costs more. But it's worth every penny. Light-weight wire will sag over time - especially if you have a larger breed - and can cause foot pad problems. Ends up being one of those "pay me now or pay me more later" situations.

As for baby-saver wire. Does will deliver out on the wire. Kits will get drug out of the nest box. Out on the wire they'll get cold and die. But it's amazing how long they'll crawl around before that happens. Maybe long enough for you to find them and put them back in the nest box. If they crawl through the wire and end up on the ground, well, it's called "baby saver" for a reason.

Be sure to post photos of your new outdoor pens. RT loves pictures!! Good Luck to you!
 

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