What Do You Put on the Floor of a Wire Cage?

Wire cages are a popular housing choice for all kinds of pets, including dogs, rabbits, hamsters, birds and all sorts of small exotic animals. Wire cages are sturdy, difficult for animals to chew through or escape from, and easy to sterilize and clean. The downside of a wire cage is that the wire bars on the floor can be uncomfortable for your pet to stand or lie on for long periods of time.

  1. Plastic

    • It is normal for a wire pet cage to feature a plastic tray that goes in the bottom of the cage.The purpose of the tray is to keep your pet from spending long hours standing on uncomfortable metal bars as well as to keep bedding, food and bodily fluids inside the cage. Most of these trays are designed to slide out of the cage for easy removal and cleaning. Your pet should never be kept in a wire cage that does not have, at the very least, a plastic tray across the bottom for him to stand and lay on. Most owners choose to place bedding on top of the plastic tray to make their pets more comfortably. You can not keep bedding inside a cage without using a plastic tray to create a solid floor.

    Shavings

    • Wood shavings or pellets made of paper are popular bedding for small animals, such as hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs. These absorbent materials are placed across the floor of the wire pet cage on top of the plastic tray. Shavings and pellets are absorbent enough to soak up spilled water and bodily fluids, while still providing a soft place for pets to walk, sit and lay down.

    Fabric

    • Fluffy dog beds, towels, blankets and all kinds of soft, fabric bedding can be used on top of a wire cage floor to keep your pet more comfortable. Fabric bedding is safe to use with large animals, but can put small animals who like to chew at risk due to the likelihood that they will ingest the material. For example, a dog or cat bed can be used in a wire cage where dogs or cats are kept, but should not be given to a hamster or other small animals.

    Rubber Mats

    • Rubber mats provide an easy to clean, well cushioned flooring for your wire cage. Rubber mats can be used independently or with additional bedding to provide a comfortable, safe floor for your pets to lay on.