Where to find decent hardware cloth

[isdapous]

I have been looking everywhere around Peoria, IL for 14 gauge hardware cloth. The best I can find is 19 gauge and that just isn't strong enough for big NZ or Satins. Any ideas? Even Ace Hardware online only has 23 gauge which is more like tissue paper than real hardware cloth.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sadly, I think good hardware cloth is a thing of the past.

I would look at 1/2" x 1" floor wire from a rabbit cage supplier.

 

[ckcs]

Tractor supply sells 1/2" x 1" 16 gauge wire. If you are looking for 1/2" x 1/2" then you may have to add some support to the hardware cloth to reduce sag.

 

[Secuono]

Why are you wasting money on hardware cloth? That is worthless for rabbits. Just get 1/2 x 1in 16-14 gauge wire flooring instead.

 

[3mina]

1/2" x 1" 14 gauge floor wire will last many many times longer than hardware cloth. Personally, any wire described as 'cloth' is not something I want my rabbits on

 

[Mickey328]

I have to agree...it might be okay for the tops or possibly sides, but I'd never use it for flooring.

 

[Jack]

OMG
DO NOT USE HARDWARE CLOTH
it will destroy your rabbits feet, bad, bad bad juju

a feed store will have welded wire of the appropriate gauge. (12-16, with 16 being barely adequate)

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

i made cages from 1/2x1inch wire from TSC (tractor supply) and its all good. some have a bit of sagging but then again those ones are the full 30" or however deep and 5ft long with no support underneath at the moment.

 

[SatinsRule]

I have been looking everywhere around Peoria, IL for 14 gauge hardware cloth. The best I can find is 19 gauge and that just isn't strong enough for big NZ or Satins. Any ideas? Even Ace Hardware online only has 23 gauge which is more like tissue paper than real hardware cloth.

Give Koenig's a call and ask them to sell you a roll of 1/2 X 1" 14-gauge wire. They're the supplier that will be at the Peoria RBA show next Sunday.

If that doesn't work out for you, Call ahead of time, go to the show in Jefferson, WI in 3 weeks and get some from Klubertanz.

Either way, you can just pick it up at the show and save a chunk of change in shipping charges,

 

[Diamond]

I agree that hardware cloth is not the way to go. I have an old wood hutch with hardware cloth bottoms, but the rabbits also have wood 'shelves' to hop up and rest on. They spend most of their time up on the shelf/ rest. Also, the "Nursing Doe" poo won't fall through the hardware cloth holes. Does eat and drink a LOT when nursing and have large, soft stool pellets that I found will hang up on the small hardware cloth holes.

All of my self-made cages have the 1/2" x 1" x 16g floor wire. I still like to provide a resting spot for the buns, whether it is a piece of cardboard, a piece of wood, a carpet square, etc. just so they can get off the wire to rest. Of course these items inevitably get pottied on and either need to be replaced or washed from time to time. I like the cardboard because it just gets thrown in the compost, but some buns shred it and can make a bit of a mess in the cage doing so.

 

[PistolPackingMomma]

^Regarding a resting spot, I read somewhere that someone used a larger ceramic tile; easy to sanitize, and could help cool the rabbit when the weather got warm.

 

[Mickey328]

We got a major Thrift Store Treasure Hunt score for those, PPM...got 4 8" x 20" tiles for 50 cents a piece! They haven't even been used so we don't have to scrape glue or grout. They're just a tad slick on top but a quick touch with the grinder will fix that up. We'll use those in the summer; we may build a "ladder" type resting mat for them during the rest of the year, but so far, they don't seem to have issues with the wire. Ours our Silver Fox and they're pretty good size...and have big feet/hocks, so I think that helps...they don't get their feet caught in the wire at all.