Wire gauging for cages

[Upper Penn Love]

I keep seeing for cages that I should be looking for 14 gauge walls (1x2") and 16 gauge floors(1/2x1"). Do I have the gauges backwards or something? Since 10 lb rabbits are jumping on the floor, shouldnt that be the thicker wire while the walls are thinner since they are under less stress or force?

 

[fluttervale]

You want the wire closer together on the bottom to prevent them from catching their feet in it. 1x2" wire on the bottom would result in issues with feet getting caught and legs getting broken.

 

[brentr]

Wire diameter gets SMALLER as the gauge number gets BIGGER. 16 gauge wire is thicker and heavier than 19 gauge wire, and so forth. Gauge has nothing to do with spacing, e.g., 1" X 2", 2" X 4", etc.

 

[Bunnylady]

It would make sense for the floor to be more substantial than the walls, but the situation isn't as simple as it seems. For one thing, you can't find floor wire in the same gauges as the top and side wires. I'm not sure why, but it may have something to do with the fact that it is so hard to cut through wire that is spaced that close?

 

[secuono]

Wire diameter gets SMALLER as the gauge number gets BIGGER. 16 gauge wire is thicker and heavier than 19 gauge wire, and so forth. Gauge has nothing to do with spacing, e.g., 1" X 2", 2" X 4", etc.

Right.

Real, commercial grade/quality cages are made of 12g galvanized after weld or stronger. They are much more pricey, but they are stronger, stiffer and will last longer.
Common cages are 16 floors and 14 walls, which is stupid and only done that way to save on money, since the floor has more wire and it would cost the maker more.


To get the wire, you need to order it from wire companies, BASS or Klubertanz and possibly KW Cages.

 

[pandorasun6]

I used hardware cloth- pretty wimpy wire- for the bottom but increased the number of support beams across the bottom so it stays strong

 

[RJSchaefer]

I got my 1/2"x1 at Farm and Fleet. Relatively inexpensive, compared to the prefab cages. It's pretty sturdy, too. Not sure on the gauge, but it's definitely not wimpy cloth.