CAGE FINISHES: POWDER/VINYL/GALVANIZED/PAINT/Etc

Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:38 am

Does anyone know the difference between powder coated and galvanized cages? I just ordered a new cage (my ratties can squeeze between the bars of the cage I have now) and I got it powder coated because I read it's worth it, but why? Why does it cost like an extra eight or ten dollars?

Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:00 am

Powder coating is a plastic type sealant that is around all the cage bars. This makes cleaning it really easy and it's easier on rattie feet. But most of all, you if get galvanized wire the urine soaks into the wire and the smell never comes out no matter how much you clean and scrub. With powder coating it will scrub right off, smell and all. Good choice. wink

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Christy
RP Admin
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Frodo, Zorro, Erzulie, Maeve, Clara, Molly & Emily

Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:01 am

Thank you Christy! Now I know that the extra money was worth it (I need to rationalize money since I am your typical poor college student)

Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:23 am

We anguished over this, too -- it does cost more. But it was worth every penny! We've had our cage (and ratties!) for seven months and no smell -- ahhh.

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Sandy ~ and Liberty, Skye, and Pyro

Sat Nov 01, 2003 5:04 am

I was wondering, when you say no smell do you mean NO SMELL AT ALL?I ask because I have a cage thats been powdercoated but the platforms in it(there are three)are'nt.They now have lino on them but for about a month they had only the wire.There are ladders up to the levels and they too are made from uncovered wire.My cage smells alittle like if I go stand next to it I can smell pee(I think?) Embarassed

Now I clean my cage very thoroughly and every day their blankies get washed and the lino gets wiped down with hot water and dishwashing liquid.They don't have litter in the whole bottom of the cage they have a litter box, and any paper toewl that goes in there also gets thrown away every day.I wash EVERYTHING that will come out of the cage and the bars get wiped down, but there is still a smell Banghead

.If anyone has ANY ideas i'd really appreciate it.Plz keep in mind I live in Australia and may not be able to get the same cleaning products as you guys!I heard someone talking about peroxide, is this safe?How do you use it?Thanx in advance for any help!!! Rainbow Smiley

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Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever...

Sat Nov 01, 2003 5:45 am

twiggy, it sounds like the urine has gotten into the uncovered wire. Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do to get rid of that smell and the more you try it seems the worse it gets (in my case anyway). Wish I had some better advice, but I just don't. That's why I refuse to use any type of galvanized cage now.

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Christy
RP Admin
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Frodo, Zorro, Erzulie, Maeve, Clara, Molly & Emily

Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:44 am

I have had a problem with my powder coated cage, which is only about 15 months old. I thoroughly clean it once a week (and dump the litter/change all bedding at least one other time each week), but the rat urine started corroding the coating almost immediately. There are spots all over the cage now where the coating is gone, and the whole think stinks all the time--even just after a serious cleaning! I've cleaned with hot and cold water, diluted bleach, and an enzyme cleaner but it just keeps getting worse. Is this normal?

I emailed Martins and they didn't know what to suggest except to try enzymes, which I'd already done. How often do you go through cages?

Kim

Sat Nov 01, 2003 7:03 am

I'm, I have exactly the same problem with my boys Martins cage, too. The girls cage is just fine, save for a few select spots that Ruby likes to gnaw on. But the boys cage is just horrible. And whenever I wash it, I just chip more of the coating off the wires...

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Winter and the ratties: Argos, Prometheus, Apollo, Orion, Napoleon, Montecore, Cornelius, Magnus, Dozer, Jesus, Ferdinand, Harlequin, Cambria, Ambellina, Raven, Hedwig, Momo, and Suzie.

Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:12 pm

Hmmm. I've had my girls Martins cage for about 3 years now and the boys cage I have had for almost a year but Melissa had it for a year (maybe more?) before that. I've not seen and eroded parts of the powder coating except for where the metal latches hook on to the sides. Confused

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Christy
RP Admin
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Frodo, Zorro, Erzulie, Maeve, Clara, Molly & Emily

Sun Nov 02, 2003 1:14 am

Wow. I've had my Terenziani for about three years now, and it's had all sorts of combinations of rat genders and ages in it and has never smelled bad, even in the places where the wire is bare and a bit oxidized. I do clean it really well though, with Doc Bronner's.

It sounds to me like cage manufacturing is inconsistent, and most of us were lucky but some ended up with crap ones. Sad

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Arvay and the Squirmin' Vermin

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'

--Erma Bombeck

Sun Nov 02, 2003 11:02 am

HI,
I have been reading the threads about people having troubles with the galvenized cages and their stink problem.I was wondering if this stuff would be helpful.

Its Krylon Kid's Tuff Latex Spray Paint. ITs non-toxic once it dries and is made specially for surfaces children encounter and may put into their mouths. I was just curious if this could be a way to refurbish an old gal cage or as a substitute if you want to save some money on the powder coating. My understanding is that all powder coating is is a special paint that is applied then heated on. I have never tried this, i bought a powder-coated cage, but I am also worried that the powder coating may wear in places and could this stuff be used as a touch up?

What you all think?

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Kimberly, rattie mommy to:
Tuff Rat, Baby Bruce , Leo, Junior, Frank and FLASH
Ratties in Heaven: Dreidel and Dippy
I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy. ~ Dory (Finding Nemo)

Sun Nov 02, 2003 11:33 am

The powder coating shouldn't wear enough to worry you. Powder coating is used in industrial applications and should hold up for years. The only thing you may have to worry about is the places where the cage was bent when it was made (corners, etc.). Unfortunately, most ready-made cages are made from pre-powder coated wire and then bent into the cage shapes, which means the bent spots may wear after a few years. The only way to really avoid this is to have a cage custom-made from uncoated wire, then have it powder-coated by a local shop that does such (look under motorcycle finishing shops, that sort of thing, in the Yellow Pages).

It's really not such a bad deal, though, when you think about it: a custom (or not) galvanized cage is lot cheaper than a powder-coated cage, and for another $40 or so, you can have the already-made cage powder coated and get it for the same or less price than a pre-coated cage.

As for the Krylon touch-up stuff, I've worked with many different paint applications professionally, and I would recommend you stay away from such a quick-fix. It will chip and wear much sooner than you'd think, and the prep work you'd have to do to the gal cage first may or may not work; then you'd end up spending $4 or $5 per can of Krylon (about $10 - $15 per cage depending on the size of the cage) and would still likely end up with crap, when you could have spent twice that and end up with a pro powder-coated job that will last for many years, with no worries about about chewing it off, and lots of time before concerns like rust and wear enter the picture.

Krylon and such paints may do well for outdoor furniture (even when exposed to the elements) and even some appliances ... for a few years, but as we all know, nothing compares to rat pee when it comes to deteriorating supposedly indestructible metals and/or finishes!

Hope that helped.

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Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Sun Nov 02, 2003 2:06 pm

I've been reading the posts about coatings for cages. What do the two look like? I'm not sure what kind mine is. It has green wire squares and is a chinchilla cages.

Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:16 pm

Powder coating is a metal finish. Vinyl coating is an almost rubbery-feeling finish. Both can be any color, and from a short distance, both finishes look the same. If you can get it this way, powder coating on the cage body with 1 x 1 spacing and vinyl coating for the floors with 1/2 x 1/2 spacing would be ideal. Though the vinyl coating is easier to chew, rats rarely -- if ever -- chew the floors, and the smaller spacing and softer coating is better for and easier on their feet, while the powder coating and larger spacing on the rest of the cage hold up better to chewing and pee, and allow nose kisses through the wire.

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Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:31 pm

I merged all three cage coating topics.

About the powder coating chipping off: once a tiny bit of the coating chips and urine can get under it, it's going to keep chipping and flaking. Far as I know, the only way to get around this in the beginning is to have the cage coated after it's built, thus avoiding the bending and and other stressors cage parts go through during construction. Powder coating is very durable, but bend it enough in one spot and it can crack. Plus, chewing will always be a problem, although all my rats have always found the vinyl coating to be much more enjoyably chewable than the powder coating. One solution was to wire Nylabones to favorite chewing spots; it drove them nuts to be unable to get the bones off the cage walls, and they'd hang there chewing desperately til they got tired.

Buttercup was one of my smartest rats ever, and chewed the cage doors only. This was because she wanted OUT all the time, and had nothing to do with chewing just for fun. She'd give me the hairy eyeball the whole time she chewed the doors, like: "Let me out NOW and I'll stop this naughtiness!" I never did figure out a solution other than to let her out.

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Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:36 pm

Kate,

Thanks for the info on the paint... I see your point, I would certainly when buying a new cage opt for the powder coating; however, what could you do if you already have a galvenized cage or if you found a cheapie cage at a yard sale? Would that paint work? or would there be a better alternative? I guess that was really my original question, the WHAT IF? you were already stuck with a galvenized cage, is there anything you can do?

Edit.. by me, Hey I forgot to ask, can you take an old cage in somewhere and get it powder-coated?

_________________
Kimberly, rattie mommy to:
Tuff Rat, Baby Bruce , Leo, Junior, Frank and FLASH
Ratties in Heaven: Dreidel and Dippy
I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy. ~ Dory (Finding Nemo)

Mon Nov 03, 2003 1:44 am

I tend to agree with Arvay--that some of the powder-coated cages are just crap, and it's very inconsistent. The flaking on mine is very random--not in places where the wire bends or would be scratched in normal use, but in the middle of a floor or wall piece and mostly in the girls' favorite pee corner. Rolling Eyes

They are not chewing on it. It's the one thing they don't chew.

Is there anything that can be done once this has already started? I've wondered if it would be possible to professionally re-apply powder coating to a cage that came that way and corroded quickly. At the rate this one's going, I could see needing a new cage by the time this one is 2 years old. grr

Kim

Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:43 am

redneckrattie wrote:

Kate,

Thanks for the info on the paint... I see your point, I would certainly when buying a new cage opt for the powder coating; however, what could you do if you already have a galvenized cage or if you found a cheapie cage at a yard sale? Would that paint work? or would there be a better alternative? I guess that was really my original question, the WHAT IF? you were already stuck with a galvenized cage, is there anything you can do?

Edit.. by me, Hey I forgot to ask, can you take an old cage in somewhere and get it powder-coated?

	Kate wrote:
	... have it powder-coated by a local shop that does such (look under motorcycle finishing shops, that sort of thing, in the Yellow Pages).

Kim, I think if you call a powder-coating shop and ask their opinion on re-coating a cage, that would be best. I'm guessing (only) that they'd sandblast or somehow else clean it first, then re-coat, so it may cost a tad more than coating a "clean" cage. Or maybe you could take a wire brush to it, to the flaking spots, and clean it yourself first. A shop should be able to let you know if that would help.

I think it costs (round here) about $35-$40 to do a nice powder-coating job on a set of motorcycle hubcaps, so I can't imagine a cage would be much more. I'd hope not, anyway.

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Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:57 am

The problem areas on my boys cage are in the two lower corners above where they lay the most often. This means that that's where they pee the most often, since they only bother going to the litter pan for poops. The girls don't do this, they go for both... so I suspect that's why theirs isn't as bad as the boys.

It's annoying. Rolling Eyes

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Winter and the ratties: Argos, Prometheus, Apollo, Orion, Napoleon, Montecore, Cornelius, Magnus, Dozer, Jesus, Ferdinand, Harlequin, Cambria, Ambellina, Raven, Hedwig, Momo, and Suzie.

Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:32 pm

In may of this year, I actually bought a used Martin's R695 powder coated cage from someone and there were some spots where the metal showed. I used the Kids Tuff spray paint (black of course) to touch up those spots and have not had a problem, but then again, the rats in there are not big chewers, just pee-ers!

Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 am

I still can't tell what coating my cage is, its not really rubbery. I am hoping its podeer coated for what I paid for it (£90)

The shop doesn't seem to know... they ordered it in from somewhere else for me.

Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:23 am

I have had my three rats for three months. I think my cage is galvined it starts to stink only after four days:(. I would buy another cage, but my family is really low on money, and my mom spent like $115 dollars on it.

Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:24 am

Would a PVC coated wire cage be ok for rats? And is chicken wire bad for rats? Thanks

--Belethia

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“Yay! I'm gonna be sick! –GIR“Am I the only one seeing the alien sitting in class?” –Dib “It’s not stupid, it’s advanced.” –Purple Tallest

Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:52 pm

you can get vinal chicken wire. that okay. but you almost always just see the galvanized.

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RIP Slippery

Pets i currently have
two rats- Ciceil and Fry
leopard gecko- Tango
lop mix rabbit- Ryo (bun)
and a boyfriend- Bruces

Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:05 am

if none of the floors in the rat cage are wire is galvanized okay then?

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RIP Slippery

Pets i currently have
two rats- Ciceil and Fry
leopard gecko- Tango
lop mix rabbit- Ryo (bun)
and a boyfriend- Bruces

Tue Jun 21, 2005 1:07 pm

Wow, I just realised how lucky I am to know someone (i'm in Cape Town, South Africa) who owns a powder coating company!

I have a 3 storey cage which I have leant to my landladies daughter, and while they went on holiday almost a year ago and I rat-sat for them, I had the cage re-coated. It looked so nice and clean and has only just started re-rusting on the joins (where the levels attach to the sides). She doesnt wash it, but rather only washes the base and wipes the wire down with a damp cloth with a bit of (gentle) cleaning stuff on it (Handy Andy). Then she wipes it down with another clean damp cloth and then dries the bars.

This method has helped tremendously as the water doesnt sit on the wire because she dries it. She does this once a week. I hope this helps someone

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Tails and her RAM byting Rats
Linux & Apple Mac
Angel rat

Maxie & Pepper

Sat Jul 23, 2005 5:28 pm

I've found a place where I can buy wire that I could build a huge cage of (my boys current cage is big, but I could build an even bigger cage then hehe Mr. Green

). It's galvanized wire though so I thought I'd find a place that could powder coat it. I have no idea what powder coating is called in swedish though, so could someone please explain what it is so I don't get the wrong thing and end up with a toxic cage? Shocked

.

Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:54 pm

Powder coating is where a powder is sprayed (or otherwise applied) as a thin coat onto metal, and then heated in an oven to produce a continuous thin coating over the raw metal.

I think it might just be called powder coating but I'm just guessing here...

http://www.google.se/search?hl=sv&q=powder+coating&btnG=S%C3%B6k&meta=lr%3Dlang_sv

Hope that helps.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Sat Jul 23, 2005 8:58 pm

Haha thanks Andy. You're right, it's called both powder coating and pulverlackering. I didn't think to search on swedish google doh

Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:17 pm

what about pvc, nothing can stick to it (that i've found) it takes alot to wear it down to the bars. and almost never stains. you can find it at martins cages. it costs about the same as powder coated, is it worth it?

Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:29 pm

PVC isn't as long lasting as powdercoating if it gets rubbed, worn or chewed. Read back through the thread about vinyl coating (it's the same thing - PVC = Polyvinyl Chloride). If it does wear through, the bars underneath will suffer the same kind of problems as galvanised wire.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Fri Sep 23, 2005 12:23 pm

I have a powder coated cage and have had no problems with smell, rusting or chipping at all and I wash it all fortnightly. My Dad is helping me make a new cage for my rat Waffle out of an old laundry cupboard. I read somewhere that you should use powder coated metal because galvanised metal isn't safe for ratties. Our hardware stores only have galvanised metal or plastic coated mesh. Is it necessary to powder coat it if it's just for the doors or is it true that it's unsafe (remember she will be able to climb up the doors to get to different shelves)? What type of stores sell powder coated mesh or will I need to get this done seperately? I just want to make sure everything safe for my little baby!

Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:02 am

I'm not sure where you could get powdercoated mesh from, to be honest. Similarly, I have heard people mention that plain galvanised wire could possibly cause poisoning (zinc poisoning) but I'm not entirely sure how reliable that is.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:42 pm

hey Rats dont smell do they

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i have a Jackrussel Dog, A white and black Budgerigar, A mean Catfish and 10 beautiful Tadpoles. I am hoping to add two rats to the family.

Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:27 pm

Depends how you define smell! Of course they will smell if you don't clean them out properly, if you have cages or cage furniture that absorbs urine, smells and so on. Some litters/beddings absorb urine and smells better than others, etc. Some rats have a scent (their own natural smell rather than a stink) but no - cared for and cleaned properly, they shouldn't smell bad. However, galvanised wire and untreated wood are two things that can absorb urine and get stinky no matter how much you clean them.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Sun Jan 08, 2006 3:47 am

The boys' cage is galvanized and needs to be coated with something. The hardware store didn't have any pvc coating but they had Appliance Epoxy. It says it's safe for children and they told us that basically the only harmful part is the vapors. Has anyone used this? Do you think it would be safe?

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Rats:
The boys:
Chester (PEW hairless), Kye (Black mismarked hooded), Scout (agouti), Reminder (Beige)

Tapioca(Beige hooded) RIP my big squishy boy...Play hard at the Rainbow Bridge.

Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:04 am

Eeee...I wouldn't put epoxy on a cage that rats will be living in/potentially chewing on.

Call some other hardware stores and see if they have PVC coating.

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-Ben
My rats: Squishy, Squee, and Nibbler
My dogs (at my mother's house): Lucy and Ricky
My cats (at my dad's house--in Florida!): Cleo (RIP) and Zima

Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:34 am

You can get them powder-coated without going through Martin's. Contact a local powder-coating business and explain what you want to have done. I had a galvanized one done here for $35.00

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Shadow Brook Rodentry

Bridge Ratties: Samson, Wraith, Aiko, Kasper - I <3 you & miss you.