Safe to repaint a cage?

[mattesaurus]

Repainting a standard white cage; thoughts?

 

[Dazzle87]

The only pet safe paint I know of is Rustoleum Painter's Touch (and one other of their brand but I forget). If the cage you have now is rusty, that rust has to go, and using primer first makes a huge difference. Also, if you choose to paint, it has to cure for two full weeks in order to be rat safe and ensure there are no more fumes.

I would try calling around at motorcycle shops and asking about powdercoating costs, if you can find it cheap it is far less hassle, lasts longer, and can be used right away.

 

[mattesaurus]

Thankyou! I appreciate your response.

I read about poweder coating. Is this a service or a product... sorry for being oblivious. I'm sure that there are motorcycle shops in the city that I'm in... but I dont know of any.

I'm be recieving my two adopted babies sometime next week... Now I'm not sure if my cage will be ready -- The cage had rats in it previously, but there is a fair amount of chipped paint, and a few spots (though near the top) that look a bit rusted. I'm suddenly quite nervous...

 

[mattesaurus]

Alright; it looks like I'll be picking up the Paints Touch brand of Rustoleum. I'll just be triple sure that it's non-toxic after curing, I'll have to wait to bring the girls home.

Looks like I'm running errands tomorrow morning.

 

[NinjaRatMama]

Yay Matt! : ) Glad you're taking such careful steps to be a great Dad to these baby rats! :heart:

 

[mattesaurus]

:3 <3

 

[Dazzle87]

I see you're going to just paint it, but to answer your question, getting it powdercoated is a service. I believe it bakes the paint on or something.

 

[mattesaurus]

Yepp I'm going to repaint as it looks like there's only one powder coating location in the city and they're fairly pricey. I'm just going to sand up the wire, spray paint it outside, and let it cure up for my babies <3

I'm excited now, because I'm going to paint the base too. Black with polkadots. >_>;

 

[Cinderwolf]

Yepp I'm going to repaint as it looks like there's only one powder coating location in the city and they're fairly pricey. I'm just going to sand up the wire, spray paint it outside, and let it cure up for my babies <3

I'm excited now, because I'm going to paint the base too. Black with polkadots. >_>;

I strongly suggest getting the roll on type of paint for the cage, sure spray paint is wayyy easier, takes less item and goes on pretty smooth, BUT because of the empty spaces in the cage you will waste a LOT of paint, I did one coat on one side of all my cage pieces and it took me 4 cans. Not cheap. And I need 2 coats on both sides. I just gave in and bought the roll on, and while it is a lot harder, its a lottt less money. Cause the last thing yea want it to spend enough money trying to fix a cage that you could have just bought a new cage. Haha

Most importantly, have fun

 

[mattesaurus]

I ended up using the spraypaint, despite Cinderwolf's warnings and ended up using two cans on the cage -- well a can and a half.

Even though I had to pick up one more can than I expected, it looks great! well imo anyway...

I'm sorry the quality of the images is terrible... but here's a before:

(image taken by the lady i purchased it from)
and after:

-- Now... I just have the issue that I need to create ramps. I picked up a sheet of firm plastic that I figured I could use... but I have no experience with what my babies are going to chew threw, so if i use something natural (like hemp) to secure the ramps, will they just chew right through it and put me back at the drawing board?

plastic i picked up:

I just need suggestions... <3

 

[mattesaurus]

All is well. Sorry for the double-posts and the anxiety.

All done.

 

[Cinderwolf]

Ohhh looks so cool I have the same cage, I bought it new so its the original colours, but yours are sooo much cooler haha.

Yeah the cage I was painting is about 2 times bigger then that one, so that's probably why you used less paint, but I am glad it worked out for you

Also, yeah your rats will probably chew through hemp haha and possibly even the plastic, but you may find that you don't need the ramps ( I used to use ramps in my cage but I realized my rats just climb up the walls anyways haha

But it looks really niffty for a first set up

 

[Cinderwolf]

Oh and another thing I found out much to my dismay about that cage is that the rats figure out pretty quickly how to open it haha, SO to remedy this I just stuck a binder clip on the door, to keep it shut. They never got out again

 

[mattesaurus]

Thanks! I'm so excited to get the babies next week.

Yeah... I asked the fellow at the paint desk if i'd probably need two cans of black. He said yes. I bought one... Needless to say I have to travel east once more to get to Home Depot for the paint... ;__; -- But it was so worth it!

Yeah, I don't know how it slipped my mind, but i picked up some of those ... ties. Plastic things, slip into themselves and tighten up real good... Anyway, those seem to be holding up the ramps real well ! :3

Yeah all their bedding, hammocks, etc (all the purple) is a used-to-be snuggie baha xD

--

and they'll learn to open it. binder clip. haha i'll have one on hand ! <3

 

[Cinderwolf]

Thanks! I'm so excited to get the babies next week.

Yeah... I asked the fellow at the paint desk if i'd probably need two cans of black. He said yes. I bought one... Needless to say I have to travel east once more to get to Home Depot for the paint... ;__; -- But it was so worth it!

Yeah, I don't know how it slipped my mind, but i picked up some of those ... ties. Plastic things, slip into themselves and tighten up real good... Anyway, those seem to be holding up the ramps real well ! :3

Yeah all their bedding, hammocks, etc (all the purple) is a used-to-be snuggie baha xD

--

and they'll learn to open it. binder clip. haha i'll have one on hand ! <3

Haha yes yes zip ties are heaven sent to rat owners everywhere haha for a while that's how I hung up all my hammocks ( now I have shower hooks)

Yeha I bought 2 cans initially then needed to pick up 2 more then I got the roll on haha

I always by my fleece at the thrift store, or ikea just finding the cheapest stuff out there ha ha sometimes in niffty colours.

I have always wanted a snuggie : O

And yup the binder clip will save you the shock of waking up to an open cage. I nearly had a heart attack then got up outt bed to see the rats 2 little noses sticking out of the hammock. Haha they figured out how to open it but had no interest of leaving their nice little bed :laugh4:

 

[jorats]

That's looking really good. Don't forget to let it sit for a couple of weeks before adding rats in there.
You didn't go with black base with polkadots? I like the colour choice you went with.

 

[mattesaurus]

@Cinderwolf:

Yeah I have another hammock or two to construct for them, I feel like the cage is still missing some things... including chewblocks! Aaah!

Yeah the snuggie was from Value Village (thrift-department store here, if you dont have them). 6$, washed it, tripple rinsed, and CUT'ER'UP baha x) Made some really fun pieces to put in the cage for them! :3

Yeah I took a clip from my roommate, so I'm all covered there! I would die if I saw the door open @____@!~

@jorats:

I'm actually going to give RustOleum a call tomorrow and find out for sure what the curing time should be. Don't want any mistakes. -- And thanks! I saw the "Apple" colour they offered and had to go with it... I like it a lot better than the what the "plan" was.

 

[Cinderwolf]

@Cinderwolf:

Yeah I have another hammock or two to construct for them, I feel like the cage is still missing some things... including chewblocks! Aaah!

Yeah the snuggie was from Value Village (thrift-department store here, if you dont have them). 6$, washed it, tripple rinsed, and CUT'ER'UP baha x) Made some really fun pieces to put in the cage for them! :3

Yeah I took a clip from my roommate, so I'm all covered there! I would die if I saw the door open @____@!~

@jorats:

I'm actually going to give RustOleum a call tomorrow and find out for sure what the curing time should be. Don't want any mistakes. -- And thanks! I saw the "Apple" colour they offered and had to go with it... I like it a lot better than the what the "plan" was.

Oh yes Value Village is where I get most of my fleece from, so cheap haha. They do look fun haha they'll love it. don't worry about it being a bit more bare, with new rats, less is actually kind a of better, because it is easier for you to grab them and get them out if they have less to hide in haha. If my rats didn't come running out when I call them I would never get them out of the cage haha.

The colour choice is so cool haha Are the bars navy blue? Or are they black haha I can't tell. The cage I am painting is bright red haha

 

[mattesaurus]

Value Village is sweet~ Naw, black. Just a bad ipod photo. Easier for direct photobucket uplodads ~_~; /lazy

I'll be sad if they's scared of me.. Haha that's true.

Ogosh i wish i had done something rad like YELLOW ;-; on the top half. -- o-well, next cage! -- Red would be so cool.

 

[mamarat]

The cage looks cool. Good job! Can't wait to see the ratties having fun.