Make your cages stronger and great flaps!!!

[Piggy Friend]

I've heard all this cable or zip tie buisness but has anyone ever thought of using wire? You can make hinges by bending it into a U shape and then just hooking it around the grid for extra security. Also you can use this instead of connceters, they serve the same purpose as zip-ties or whatever your guys call them and i promise you'll find away to bend them so they are not sharp! They also work as hinges because they bend! Wire is cheap as well and you can cut it too the right length, so if you need it longer you can get it! I reccomend this because it's works perfectly! The only problem is that it is not colourful and i;m sure the piggies don't mind a bit!

[Kriket]

Sure, you could use wire, but why make extra work for yourself? Cable ties are just as easy, and you can snip them off with scissors if you want to re do the cage. I used 20g floral wire to hold my cage base together, but I only did that because I ran out of cable ties.

[aqh88]

Wire and cable ties are pretty much equivalent. You could use either one. I would say medium-large cable ties and most wire that is of a small enough gauge to bend are of equal strength. I have had a few small cable ties break when used in an area that holds the most weight(bottom of a 2x8 with 40lbs of pellet bedding) but those are the only ones. Cable ties are as easy or easier than bending wire around and they won't unbend and come loose. They also make great hinges which is actually annoying and one of the reason I used the connectors on the bottom. I don't want all my grids swinging.

[Piggy Friend]

No they don't all swing, only if you turn a cube into a latch!!! They don't unbend either, you just tie all the cubes together and for the one you want a flap make a latch! Sure cable-ties are good but wire is better, wire is the alternative!Also wire is very strong, you doon't have to bend wire you can tie, it's a strategy!

[aqh88]

What do you mean tie wire? Wire bends not ties unless it is very thin weak wire like picture hanging wire. Wire of equal strength to the cable ties I use would require a slight effort to bend and wire cutters to cut. The cable ties take half a second to put on and I've had to do it with 1 hand while holding the cage up with the other. They've also had no trouble taking the full weight of the cage while most easily bent wire would eventually give out under the size of cage and type of bedding I have. My cage weighs probably around 80-90lbs when filled with bedding. It's a good alternative if you can't find cable ties but I'd never recommend it as a first option. I really don't think a wire of equal strength to large cable ties is going to be as easy to use. I wouldn't want someone's cage falling apart if they tried to use thin gauge wire on a large cage with heavy bedding.

[Piggy Friend]

You can tie wire into a knot, strong wire I'm talking about, you just bend it into a simple knot but if you really want strenghth the wire is strong enough, I'm not saying there's anything against cable-ties but I've found this is the best solution that's all. The cage with wire was very succesful. However if you found cable-ties more succesful as many others have then let this be, I'm just trying something a little different.

[laura220]

I use wire to put together my grid pens for floortime. I like to use them because I'm always changing the pen somehow and I'd rather not need to clip zip ties off constantly. I've used wire to hold the cage doors shut too.

[Piggy Friend]

It works well, i reckon.

[Percy's Mom]

OK, I'm really confused now. In your other thread, Piggy Friend, you stated that you were not allowed to build a C&C cage, your parent's wouldn't budge, and you weren't even allowed to go buy the materials. Here you said

I've found this is the best solution that's all. The cage with wire was very succesful.

What did you build that you know for certain that the wire will work so well?

[Piggy Friend]

What happened is dad had some grids once in his garage so i build a sort of cage with out the coroplast to use it as an outdoor run, it worked really well, and also the thing is really heavy!

[CuTe*LIL*CaVy]

Originally Posted by aqh88

What do you mean tie wire? Wire bends not ties unless it is very thin weak wire like picture hanging wire. Wire of equal strength to the cable ties I use would require a slight effort to bend and wire cutters to cut. The cable ties take half a second to put on and I've had to do it with 1 hand while holding the cage up with the other. They've also had no trouble taking the full weight of the cage while most easily bent wire would eventually give out under the size of cage and type of bedding I have. My cage weighs probably around 80-90lbs when filled with bedding. It's a good alternative if you can't find cable ties but I'd never recommend it as a first option. I really don't think a wire of equal strength to large cable ties is going to be as easy to use. I wouldn't want someone's cage falling apart if they tried to use thin gauge wire on a large cage with heavy bedding.

i think "tie wire" means just to twist it. like you would find a twisty tie on a bag of bread. if thats not the case, then i have no clue.

[Piggy Friend]

okay, i see that everyone in confused. First thing is you do sort of twist it into a knot but it's ot like twisting it round and round, it's really simple. If you're still confused dont use this idea, but it works for making flaps and stuff, and you would NOT regret it.

[dan barrell]

guys, go to home depot and ask for wire ties. its a plastic tie that works like a slip knot than it locks itself.