Okay, what to cover wire floors with....

[khay]

In a cage that has levels that are made up of wire floors, what are things the wire can be covered with....?

[skyeblu]

I have used ceramic tiles from the local home improvement store. They can be bought individually and are reasonably priced. Some people suggest drilling holes in the corners and "Tying" them down but my goos have never tried to move them around. Also they can't chew them up. (I had tried the grass mats you can find in pet stores, but the goos destroyed these in a few weeks!)

To clean the cage I just take the tile out and rinse them off. Another advantage to the tiles is that in warmer weather they make a great "cool" place for the degus to spread out for a rest.

[ra]

I like the tile idea. I've used the rubber cutting boards artists and draftsmen use. The Degus do chew them up. I was thinking about using a couple of slate shingles I have off of the old barn down the road.

[khay]

Good ideas, thanks!

[deguqueen]

I was using vinyl tiles for the second floor and fabric for the ledges.
The problem with the tiles is that bits of food and pee and poop get caught between them and make them stink like you would not believe and the fabric is sewed right in to the cage so when they pee on it, I can't get it out.
How do you get the ceramic tiles to stay? Mine are so destructive they would probably knock them all off and break them. My main concern is the ledges where they sit.

[khay]

I think what I'm going to do, is drill holes in them, and then attatch them with electrical ties ----- Take them out when I clean the cage each Saturday and wash them - I think that'll work =) Electrical ties are cheap 'n easy

[skyeblu]

I was lucky enough to have someone donate a very large cage. (I call it the luxury degu condo.) ;D The tiles on the bottom level are 1' x 1' and heavy enough the degus can't move them about. I found decorative type tiles at the local Home Depot that were long and narrow (and only 89 cents each) and as it turned out fit perfectly on the ledges. These, too, are heavy enough that the goos don't bother them.

In my smaller cage I do have the smaller tiles tied down with cable ties because my male loves to take everything he can down to his degu pile!

[julie]

scraps of linoleum should work and since its all one piece, noting to get stuff stuck between. if that makes sense.

[ra]

They will chew the linoleum but as far as I can tell my girls chew the cutting boards not ingesting any from what I see. There are little piles of shavings below where they have chewed. So linoleum should be ok but is not indestructable. (hard to find anything that is that doesn't weigh a ton isn't it!?)

[divegirl]

My solution does weigh a tonne, but I find it really effective! I had some terracotta tiles left over from a flooring experiment[!!!], the boys cant move them, they are pretty easy to keep clean and also cool for them to lay on in this hot weather.....and rough side up, stratigically placed, under water bottles, keep their claws 'filed'.....Perfect.