How to keep the cage safe from toddler?

I have a almost 1 year old and he is in love with the rats. He gets so excited when we going in to see them and gently pats them. Currently they are in my laundry room and my son does not have access to that room. But we are moving and I'd like to have the cage in the living room or eat-in/dining space. But he'll have access to the cage then. He will put his fingers in the cage and will get bit. So I need a way to keep his fingers out.

What I was thinking was to zip tie plexiglass around the bottom so he can't put his fingers in. Maybe half way up the front and sides.

But is there a better way? Or is plexiglass unsafe?

You could maybe try putting a barrier around the cage to keep him away like the baby pin or even buy a dog/rabbit one and put it around it

RatPack said:

You could maybe try putting a barrier around the cage to keep him away like the baby pin or even buy a dog/rabbit one and put it around it

Click to expand...

I thought about that but I think it'd take up a lot of floor space. And it would have to be fastened to the wall because he knows how to push gates and he's a climber.

I thought about this, but we had that gate before and he was up and over it in less than a minute.

corrugated plastic maybe be easier to work with you can cut it to size easily.

Can you put the cage up higher?

jorats said:

Can you put the cage up higher?

Click to expand...

It's a critter nation so no I don't think so. It has the 18" base but that's not high enough.

I thought about coroplast but you can see through plexiglass. Though you are right, plexiglass is a PITA to cut through. I tried once and failed miserably.

One time when I was away, I brought my rats and a CN to my friend's house. They didn't have a great spot on the floor, so we assembled it without the bottom part and put it on top of a cabinet. It worked out very well and it was an ideal height.
The negative thing about using plexiglass or something like that is that the air flow will be seriously compromised. It will be like an aquarium instead of a cage.
Do you have a large dresser or cabinet you could put it on?

What about screening? Too small for little fingers to get thru, but still will allow air flow.

Thanks. That's true that the plexiglass would compromise the air flow. What about coroplast?

I don't have anything I could sit the cage on. I might look and see what I can find. But it would have to be pretty high, at least 30" to be out of his reach.

Wouldn't they chew the screening? That is a good idea though, I'll see what I can find.

Admin said:

What about screening? Too small for little fingers to get thru, but still will allow air flow.

Click to expand...

Is this what you mean?
http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Hardware/Builders/Screening/Fibreglass/24-x-84-Charcoal-Fibreglass-Window-Screen/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I2387287?Ntt=fiberglass+screen

tayjen said:

Thanks. That's true that the plexiglass would compromise the air flow. What about coroplast?

I don't have anything I could sit the cage on. I might look and see what I can find. But it would have to be pretty high, at least 30" to be out of his reach.

Wouldn't they chew the screening? That is a good idea though, I'll see what I can find.

Click to expand...

Coroplast would be the same as plexiglass - it is solid so blocks air flow.
30" sounds high, but it puts the cage at the ideal height for adults to access the cage. Perhaps a dresser or cabinet off Kijiji?
They might very well chew the screening. The typical metal screen has holes big enough for baby fingers to get through.