Repairing bottom of rat cage??

One of my large ferrett cages that I use for my rats has a rust spot on the bottom. I have kept it very clean and try to cover it w/ paper or paper towels but it has not helped. The rats always burrow under the bedding & tear up the paper floor. It keeps slowly getting bigger. I am unable to find a new bottom that will fit & I can't remember the makers so I can not contact the company. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and what you have done to fix it. I was thinking about painting it but I am not sure that will be healthy for the rats. I have been looking into paints and am unable to find any so far that says it is safe for animals. I know I would let it dry completely before putting the rats back in there but am still worried it might flake off or have chemicles in it that would be harmful. Any suggestions?

I do not know how to fix a problem like that, but I do know this: It is very unhealthy to house a rat on wire flooring. Why? They can get their toes and feet stuck, and get a condtion called "bumblefoot". That is when the feet get huge blisters on the bottom from rubbing on the wire. This is extremely uncomfrotable for the rats.


-YellowLabLover-

Put Pixie or (Plexie or somehting liek that) glass over it. My frined had a bunnny and she put Plexie glass on the bottom and then wood over top so they bunny never walked on wire. She used a strong glue to hold to plexie glass to the cage.

Ash

Thanks guys but it is not a wire bottom cage, I would never let my rats walk on wire (they have semi carpeted cages w/ solid flooring.. luxery)! It is a pan but made of metal (galvanized steel I think). The cage fits right into the bottom pan. But anyways I got a great hint from another site about buying a rubbermaid box at the department store and using that as the bottom. I am going to do that and keep it as a spare cage as I bought a new martins cage today! I have another martins cage at home too but the rusted one I am not sure who that is made by. They are all large 3-4 story cages! I am moving the females into the new one, using the one that the females are currently in for my males (when I get them) and use the one I am searching for a bottom for for the babies when they come (when I get males to have babies). ;)

Oh..ok.. I must have mis-understood you, sorry! I am glad to see that you fixed it tho!


-YellowLabLover

Another option if you like....cover the entire bottom with linolium or stick on tile squares. Both can be bought rather inexpensively at places like Home Depot or Lowe's. That's what I cover all the floors of my ferret cages with. I also LOVE Martin's cages. Of course, I've never owned rats so I'm not sure if they'd try to nibble that so i'm not sure if it would be a good option...but just an idea that I thought I'd toss your way. :)

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Originally posted by Chinadoll
Another option if you like....cover the entire bottom with linolium or stick on tile squares. Both can be bought rather inexpensively at places like Home Depot or Lowe's. That's what I cover all the floors of my ferret cages with. I also LOVE Martin's cages. Of course, I've never owned rats so I'm not sure if they'd try to nibble that so i'm not sure if it would be a good option...but just an idea that I thought I'd toss your way. :)

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Rats will chew, it's their nature, lol! Oh and China, I love your animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!SO cute!!!!!:D