[penelope]

What can I use on the wire ramps of my cage so my rats don't get bumblefoot? The bottom is flat plastic and the levels have material over them so they're not hurting their feet. But I dont know what to put on the actual ramps from one level to the next. If I put something like coroplast, chances are that it's too slippery for them to climb up. But I am really scared for their little feeties thanks.

 

[ladylady]

Lino, cardboard....

 

[Berks]

this is simple and easy, but all i did was cut up an old towel about the same width as my ramps and made it a few inches longer than the ramp and than i slid it through the first rung at the top of the ramp and the last rung at the bottom and slipped it under the ramp to hold it in place. Easy, cheap, and washable. works great for mine!

 

[lilspaz68]

I wouldn't worry at all about covering them as long as the spacing is fine for rat feeties. Ramps are transitory, not somewhere they will be "living". Its now been proven that wire levels are not what causes bumblefoot but genetics, obesity, age (the rat starts to put its entire weight on its full foot rather than just the toes) and cleanliness. A dirty solid level could cause bumblefoot.

 

[OnlyOno]

i put plastic canvas over the ramps, but i think the holes are so small, it's now actually harder to climb down them. the 1/2" hardware cloth seemed better for the ramp part, but i continue to cover the hardware cloth with plastic canvas for the full and half-levels, and then put fleece over that too. the ramps need to have something for the ratty to grip on, so i don't know if you really need to cover them at all. once the rats chew thru the plastic on the ramps, i'm just going to leave it off.

 

[Jingles]

well i figured that they are only going to be on them for a couple of seconds....because my rats jet up the ramps......so i wasn't to worried about bumble foot....considering there living space was solid......if fact i think it great excercise for young rats feet......remembering that when they get old i will probaly have to cover it.....just as extra caustion for so an old rat doesn't get her foot caught.

 

[foxx]

they will not get bumble foot just from a ramp, i think there whole cage will have to be wire to get bumble foot.

 

[KayRatz]

Foxx, even an entire wire cage will not cause bumblefoot. ;]

 

[OnlyOno]

p.s. this post was pretty much done 9 months ago, jingles why are you bringing up old topics? it's irritating a little.