I seriously need help

[caiti]

Ok, I've researched and posted a thread before on this...but this seems to be the one thing NO ONE can answer definitively.

I'm building a cage for my chin, Chloe, and I'm at the point where I can't really hold off on stapling the welded wire to the frame. WHAT KIND OF WIRE IS SAFE FOR CHINS?

Everyone says galvanized, some say before, some say after. Both are coated in zinc, I know this. But stores like QC sell their cages galvanized with zinc on them...does this make sense to anyone? Everyone agrees no plastic coating is safest, but that's the only way the chins won't be exposed to zinc. Ungalvanized will rust, which is dangerous too.

I'm afraid I'll never get an answer. Can anyone help me? I would appreciate it a lot.

 

[ChinDaddyFL]

What I used on my melamine cage is called (I believe) hardware cloth. It's half-inch mesh, which my boys seem disinclined to chew on since there's so little purchase (can't really fit their mouths into the gaps comfortably and they'd rather chow on the shelves).

For the edges I found this ~1-2 inch wide thin metal edging that I cut with shears, fastened the mesh over the inner edge, then folded the outer edge of the metal over the mesh to completely cover any pokey bits or sharp edges (think taco).

 

[Spoof]

WHAT KIND OF WIRE IS SAFE FOR CHINS?

All of it. For the most part, though they may gnaw the wire they do not consume it.

 

[ticklechin]

I used this for my cages, after doing research on the subject of zinc.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_254106-16418-412415_0_?productId=3159995&Ntt=wire%20fence&Ntk=i_products&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntk=i_products$rpp=15$No=15$Ntt=wire%20fence$identifier=

Galvanized after weld wire does not have the little blobs of zinc that can be broke off and eaten while cage rage is going on, hardware cloth does have those blobs and there is a better chance of ingestion.

 

[caiti]

deleted

 

[caiti]

I used this for my cages, after doing research on the subject of zinc.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_254106-16418-412415_0_?productId=3159995&Ntt=wire%20fence&Ntk=i_products&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntk=i_products$rpp=15$No=15$Ntt=wire%20fence$identifier=

Galvanized after weld wire does not have the little blobs of zinc that can be broke off and eaten while cage rage is going on, hardware cloth does have those blobs and there is a better chance of ingestion.

That's exactly what I bought. I got it at Lowe's too. Ok...this make sense to me now. Thank you very much for explaining it.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

no. They won't consume enough of it to harm them. Galvanized after welding is best however more expensive. It will last the longest.

 

[caiti]

Thank you everyone for responding so fast. It's a relief to get one answer from several of you. THANK YOU I'm going to go work on the cage now!!

 

[ticklechin]

Galvanized after welded wire has less pooling of the zinc and less flake.

 

[Terbear24]

Thats the same wire I used for mine!! If that makes you feel better!

 

[caiti]

Thats the same wire I used for mine!! If that makes you feel better!

Actually, yes it does!!

It was so hard to find a decent gauge wire that was GAW and with a small opening size ...I looked forever in so many places, finally had all but forgotten about the Lowe's down the street!! I was so happy to have found it, now I go to that Lowe's all the time. I ended up buying all my wood and most of my hardware and tools there too.