building a cage with mesh

[joanneakhurst]

Hi all,

I've just built two cages that connect together.. frist time ive ever built a cage.. and it was really differcult having to file down every bit of metal so the degus wouldnt hurt themselves..

my cage that i bought from the pet store is wire mesh, joined at the sides by little metal clips that look like a arrow shape, they join together in a tube shape around the wire mesh bar.. and then they are pretty strong so the cage is very secure...

I'm trying to find out what these clips are called.. so that i can buy some and join the shop cage to another to make one large cage..
does anyone know what they are called ? I've looked through B & Q hardware store and havent managed to find anything similar.. the only thing i came across was garden ties or cable ties, both plastic and chewable..

thanks
jo

[marmilla]

Are they like clamps that screw down? try looking at www.lowes.com or www.homedepot.com
good luck

[joanneakhurst]

no they're not like clamps.. they seem to be (when open) exactly like an arrow with the point one end and the feathered shape bit the other end, then when they are fastened into a tube shape the arrow part fits sbuggly into the feathered part... if you know what i mean.. like an arrow shape..

they're so hard to describe..

but if you know of any metal clamps that will work then let me know, because i will be able to use anything that can successfully clamp the two cages together..

it doesnt have to be the same clips.. anything you could suggest that will do the job will be brilliant ..

I've scoured all the diy shops and cant find anything.. I've asked at the customer sevice desk and even the staff cant think of anything except cable ties or possibly jubilee clips.. wasnt sure about jubilee clips as they look quite rough.. I also thought of thick metal wire but again ive worried that they will hurt themselves..

cheers
Jo

[Sassy]

C Rings? http://www.martinscages.com/images/full/sup-108.jpg

Go to www.martinscages.com they sell the cage clamps there by the pound. They are under the supplies page.

[joanneakhurst]

Brilliant... thanks for that

I'll order them asap.. they look a lot safer for the degus than the alternatives..

I cant understand why these things arent available in the UK, at least they cant be found easily if they are.. I looked everywhere i could think of.. I'm in Wales also, there are more farms and countryside here than anywhere so what do they use to build chicken coop and things ? beats me..

thanks again.. you've been a huge help !

[tardigrade]

One thing to think of...
I recently built a cage for my degus and unfortunately I had to start over because I was concerned about the mesh I had chosen. I got galvanized 1/2 in square mesh - called hardware cloth or rabbit wire in the US. Some people have had problems with their pets chewing it - the zinc plating can come off and cause poisoning I guess. Also the lead in the solder on the millions of intersections. If you wipe the whole thing down with a mild vinegar solution it's supposed to help. The white dust you may see on galvanized metal is the way zinc rusts, so wipe it immediately so your critters don't ingest any. After I learned about this I switched to an aluminum mesh - non rusting and non plated. FYI - Risa