Wire Flooring

[jamanalo]

What are you thoughts regarding this? Ive seen cages that have small spacing of 1/2 x 1/2 as well as some with 1 x 1/2. Im thinking that maybe the 1 by 1/2 spacing is a bit more risky since the spacing is larger, but has anyone had success or mishaps with this?

 

[tunes]

I have been told by a larger rancher that he had much more fur chewing on wire bottom cages, so he switched everyone to solid bottoms and it stopped. I've also been told that wire bottom cages can contribute to kit mortality due to drafts.

I also think they are nasty. You can't keep them clean. They constantly have a build up of urine on them, which in a cracked chin's foot will lead to infection and bumblefoot. I also think they are darned uncomfortable, especially to give birth on.

I would absolutely not use 1/2 x 1 inch if you plan to use them for your breeding cages. A kit's foot will slip through that in no time at all.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I agree with everything Peggy said. I hate wire bottoms. I had wire bottom cages when I first started and that just solidified my hatred for them. I love letting my chins sit ON the shavings. They love getting clean shavings and rolling in them and nibbling on them.

I had 1/2 X 1/2 inch for my wire bottoms. One of my ADULT chinchillas STILL managed to get a leg caught and I almost lost him. Mind you...it was his back leg that got caught, not the front. I noticed he was sitting funny and when I gently moved him I saw his leg was stuck. It took a lot of careful work to get him free and while his leg was not broken, I will never use wire bottom again.

 

[mishellyshel]

i also dislike the wire bottoms. while i have no experince in babies & breeding; the cleanliness issue alone would deter me from building a cage with wire bottoms.
the huge cage i recently had my chins in, had a wire bottom and i covered it with fleece and it still attributed to urin buildup and the wire spacing was a small as you can get, almost screen like, but just big enough for lots and lots and lots of poop to fall thru or cake up with the urine. YUK!

 

[Idgie]

I had a wire bottom cage with my first chin and wanted to use it when I adopted Idgie. But I learned that the holes are not good for their feet, plus it was really hard to clean. So I got a piece of lucite (the cover for a light in a drop ceiling), and put it over the wire bottom. It has worked great! Easy to wipe clean and comfortable for her.

 

[starleomach]

I have a few that have wire botttoms and I hate them. We will be tearing out the wire this spring when I order pans to fit them. but the ones I have are 1/2 by 1/2 I would not go any larger than that

 

[Claire D]

Most people in the UK use wire based cages. I have no problem with them & as long as you provide plenty of wood for the chins to sit on then they should not have a problem. The spacing is 3/4" x 3/4".
Cleaning them is no problem either. *shrug*
Horses for courses.

 

[jags]

I had wire bottom cages up until about 300 breeders then went to totally solid bottom cages with shavings and would never think about going back the other way again.

 

[alli713]

I used wire bottoms for my cages and didn't mind them. I just provided a lot of areas off the wire for the chins to sit. Mind I wasn't breeding though. If I were a breeder I would not use wire bottom cages.

 

[Shooper]

I have a wire bottom corner cage and it has done great. The holes are diamond shaped and just big enough for most poo to fall through. I just vacum the shelves daily and empty the tray under the wire floor once a week.
I do have many other places for Charlie to hang out other than the cage floor.