Grids: Mesh grids safety?

[crazywiggy]

I am planning this little project years in advance so no hurry....

At some point in the future I intend to keep mice again. I don't like aquariums or storage tubs for them, as they love to climb. I kept my last lot in an Imac fantasy cage (with extensions) which gave them a fair amount of space. However, it was a pain to clean out - took me about 3 times as long as it does to do a 2x5 c+c!!

Anyway, I intend to build a home made mouse cage - a seriously huge mousey mansion - but I'm having trouble finding any kind of mesh with small enough spacing.

I have finally located some mesh cubes in the UK which look perfect, and it would be really easy to build a great cage with them. (Obviously I would block the larger holes in the corners.)

However, I am concerned about safety.

We recently had an incident... someone I know was using a mesh hamster wheel. Very fine mesh (ie tiny holes) so there was no way the hammie could trap a foot or even a nail or anything.
But in only a week the mesh part started coming away from the rim, exposing sharp edges and causing the poor hamster some nasty wounds.
(Wheel went straight in the bin at this point!)

Do you think mesh grids are safe / suitable for small furries, or should I go back to the drawing board?

[Toadies]

Crazywiggy, check out the photo galleries, cages for other pets, rat mansion. It's a great set up. The side of the cages will not be subjected to the same strees as the wheel, so the dager of the mesh coming loose is probably nill.

[Slave to the Wheek]

As long as you protect their feet from the mesh I bet it would be a great idea!
I have to say that I have the mesh grids, and they can cut you up pretty easily working with them. The holes they punch have sharpish edges so if you accidently jam you hand on them they kind of shred you nails and stuff. I might worry just a little bit about mice climbing up the holes, and maybe cutting their feet.. but I think it would be worth trying....