cage door latches

[sccountryboy29842]

hi i have a question about door latches does anyone here make there own and if so could you tell me how you make them and a picture of one i almost have my cages done just need doors and latches i thought i could buy them locally but from what i see on the feed stores and TSC website it looks like they dont cary them i did a google search but didnt come up with anything useful on makeing them im getting my rabbits next week and really wanted to have my cages done by this weekend and if i have to oder them i dont think they will make it in time for me to have my cages done so if anyone could help me out with this i will be forever greatful thanks

 

[Bramble Hedge]

what kind of cages do you have? what are they made out of? How do the doors open?

 

[sccountryboy29842]

sorry should have included that info i have all wire cages and i would like for them to open in but i don't have doors on yet so it really don't matter if the open in or out thanks

 

[ottersatin]

You can purchase, [I believe they come in pairs]
The closers that you find on the end of a Dog or Cat leash.
They can be used to just hold the Door to the cage base.
I can post a picture if it will help.
I have also fashioned cage closers out of Coat hanger wire.
You have to bend it around in the same way as the purchased
Door closers are. I bet I made it clear as mud.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Miss M]

You can purchase, [I believe they come in pairs]
The closers that you find on the end of a Dog or Cat leash.
They can be used to just hold the Door to the cage base.

I use one of these to keep the door closed on a Havahart cage. A search for "leash clip" brings up pictures of them. You should be able to get them at hardware and pet stores.

 

[akane]

Carabiner clips work for everything. They have keychain size which are only a couple inches up to the full heavy duty 300+lb limit ones. We use them everywhere. There are about 10 holding bird cage sliding doors closed or open, 1 large one centered on each of the 3' rabbit cages, 2 medium sized ones on the ends of the 42-48" cages, dog leashes, the sled dog line I use to attach them to my mountain bike, I've replaced a bunch of the horse tack with them... Those last 3 are full size locking carabiners used for rock climbing so they are not coming off. The dogs have popped open nonlocking clips of both your standard dog leash type, trigger snaps that normally come on reins for speed events, and some medium sized carabiners so I put the heavy duty stuff on them.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Lowes or Home Depot should have clips and fasteners...I have one cage that has no viable latch so I use a pair of leash clips on it...and it houses my escape artist, who has yet to figure out how to open it. Until he evolves thumbs, he's stuck in there til I say so! ;D

 

[Secuono]

Bassequipment.com has cheap latches. Unfortunately, you need to buy a lot of things for their stupid shipping to be worth anything....

 

[Jana15]

"Leash clips" As mentioned above work very weel for me. You can buy a pack of two at Walmart, and other stores for around $4.

 

[Secuono]

Or, just bend a bit of wire in an S and there you go...

 

[DumansArk]

I know they are dark, but here are pics of our favorite cage latches for wire cages. Notice the coils - this gives tension so the latch is secure and holds the door flush with the cage wire side. Just need your wire clips, hanger wire as mentioned, and a pair of pliers or two.

Good luck!

 

[boundarybunnyco]

I've found the leash clips in packs of two, at our local dollar store. That's what we use.

 

[SMR]

If you can use Ebay, I've found them to be cheaper there when they are listed then any where else.

 

[akane]

I've had several of those latches pictured open on accident. One of my older cages has lost so much tension I clip it shut with something else because if you so much as bump it the door comes loose. The others can also be fairly easily opened on accidents by leaning against them or pushing them against something while moving them around and moving objects around the rabbitry. I deemed them not suitably safe both when moving cages and to prevent predators. My akita traumatized a young MR buck who escaped from just such a latch on his cage and was running loose on the floor when we came in the door. She didn't intend to harm him but seeing a rabbit where it wasn't suppose to be, running around she decided she should stop it for me and slammed him in to the floor. He escaped and ran in to 2 walls before she cornered him and this time obeyed me not to touch him. I got him scooped out of the corner and back in his cage but from then on he'd start slamming in to the sides of his cage if he saw a dog and we eventually sold him.

We went to carabiner clips after that and have only had 1 issue since but that rabbit escaped from carabiner clips, dog leash clips, and those feed store cages with the inward opening door and large pivoting metal bar to hold it shut. We aptly changed his name to houdini and his cage required opening 5 latches to open it every day.

If you want leash type clips go to a feed store and check the horse section. You'll find all sorts of clips of that type in different sizes and metals along with other clips such as trigger and bull snaps.

 

[hoodat]

I use a length of light chain with a spring on one end and an S hook on both ends. Just stretch the Spring a bit and hook it over the wire.

 

[trinityoaks]

I swear by the finger-loop spring cage latches that Bass sells. They've even outdone my escape artist Cal buck (a BIG bunny!). I also use them to connect the poo pans (cheapo jelly roll pans) to my homemade travel cages (two per side). As for Bass' shipping charges, I usually wait until I'm ordering a bunch of stuff at once.