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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 18, 2011 10:38:48 GMT -5
We allow the ferrets to be out and about every day from about 11 am or 12 pm to 11 pm or 12 am. Sometimes, we have to put them up an hour or two earlier, and they HATE it in there. I swear that flipped water bowls and overturned litter boxes and played with feeding dens are going to be the death of me. Seriously, 2 am, three flipped water bowls within fifteen minutes-4 am, 2 flipped water bowls within 30 mins, and 5 am, flipped water bowls again!!! I never get any sleep anymore. I'm not mad at them, I just feel sad because I put toys in there with them, but they never seem to play with them. They used to love the hanging toys, and they still play with them a little, but I need some new stuff to work with. I switch out their toys every week in there, but what are some fresh ideas to help me with keeping them entertained in there?I never thought about putting a dig box in there; do your babies play with them if you put them in cage with them?I love the hanging flower pot idea that I've seen sherrylynne put to use, but I still have to get a plantar. I'm thinking that maybe I should make some of my own hanging tubes. We had a crinkle one before, and they loved it, but it was back when Oz chewed a lot, and he chewed the strap. Anyways, do you guys have any ideas that I might be able to use?
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 18, 2011 10:54:14 GMT -5
I'd love to hear ideas on this too, as my ferrets don't get to stay out as long as they would like, but I don't know what to put in their cage. We've hung some toys before but they ignore them and go right to biting the cage or, in Booth's case, eating a blanket! I've gotten them chew toys and cheweasels and they ignore everything I put in there.
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 18, 2011 10:58:31 GMT -5
IF you are willing to do it, attaching an external dig box to the cage would (should) help. Brady is super active and when he feels the need to run (or be destructive) while in "jail" he just zips up and down the chute and digs around in his rice for a while. See my picture so you understand what I'm talking about. Brady has also become obsessed with a new toy he picked out at Petco. Its one of those cat teaser things that has feathers on one end and a 3 foot plastic pole. He takes it EVERYWHERE. up and down the stairs. into the cage (it doesn't really fit). he just loves it Zoom in of entrance Dryer duct leading to rice dig box = great for climbing Brady in attached dig box (he loves this!)
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 18, 2011 13:14:07 GMT -5
So cute! That's def. an idea...It'd probably be a bit before I'll be able to do that though, as it'll take the help of my hubby for sure. That's a really neat thing though-they'd probably love it. Mine don't really get into the digbox much anymore, but they might if they had access to it like that
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Post by kainslie on Jan 18, 2011 13:46:55 GMT -5
That's soo cute!!!
But questions, A)isn't that a pretty big incline? I dunno if my guy could do it =s b) Aren't you scared that he might pull the digbox down when he's going up? or is it hooked up and stable ontop of the cage?
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Post by Heather on Jan 18, 2011 14:01:17 GMT -5
I don't think it should be a problem. The weight of the rice should keep it in place, I would think. I have a sleepbox set up in a similar manner and there's no problems. I'm actually thinking of setting up a couple of dig boxes but I have to wait until I can get another roll of drainage pipe or big "o". I used up the whole roll of the last batch setting up their "trails" in the ferret room. I have a couple of tunnels that lead straight up cages in that manner and even my tiniest fuzz has no problem negotiating the tubes. Even little old Pooka runs around in the tubes (it actually surprised me) because 2 of the tunnels are set up vertically on the cages, similar to the set up pictured. The only tunnels they have problems getting around in and I noticed they only use them going one way, is the "soda bottle" tubes. They're really slippery ciao
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 18, 2011 14:04:40 GMT -5
It's pretty steep but A.) his fat butt needs a little more exercise and B.) the corrugation on the tubing makes it pretty easy for him to get a good grip. And he flies up and down it. Even Jack, who is pretty calm and senior citizen-ish flies up and down. I have the box anchored down (you can't really see it) but before I anchored, Brady did end up pulling it down. So either make sure it has A LOT of rice or anchor it with something. But it was pretty simple to do and I feel less guilty about leaving them in there all day while I'm in the lab
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 18, 2011 16:33:37 GMT -5
It looks like a ton of fun. You really do have a good idea there
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 18, 2011 17:29:13 GMT -5
Do you have to replace the Dryer Duct? We have one on our floor they love to chase each other around in, but it's started to rip after about two years use.
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 19, 2011 8:25:47 GMT -5
The one I have is super heavy duty, i dont think they will be breaking through it anytime soon. It almost doesn't bend it's so heavy. I'm trying to find it online (i bought it at home depot) and make a list of the things i needed to do the project.
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 19, 2011 9:06:32 GMT -5
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Post by Kerit on Jan 19, 2011 9:41:56 GMT -5
As far as cutting a hole in the FN goes... I do remember seeing photos of somebody's FN modification where they built a wooden frame filled with (I think) hardware cloth, and had the hole and tube in that. It then replaced one entire FN side panel, so it's a reversible decision! I don't know that I have the fortitude to take the snips to my FN, but it'd be awesome to have a remote box like jacksmomma.
I did use one of the clear Marshall Thru-Way tunnels and zip ties to make a "ferret highway" inside one cage level and up into the next. They loved it, and it was easy to rearrange... zip ties are cheap.
I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but try getting some lock-on crocks for food and water. Attach them a few inches above the cage floor, so it's hard for the ferts to go digging or snorkeling. And they're impossible to flip.
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foxfire
Going Natural
Foxfire Creations
Posts: 157
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Post by foxfire on Jan 19, 2011 9:45:12 GMT -5
Love that idea, thinking of putting it in for my guys, Merlin gets so bored then he starts picking on the others for entertainment... Is there enough ventilation in the plastic box with just the hose, or have you drilled holes in the top? How big would the box be, as there are so many different sizes here? As they live outside, I think I would put it inside the top floor of the crate, as I would worry too much about them getting out and running away. They don't use the top floor much anyway now.
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Post by jacksmomma on Jan 19, 2011 10:21:41 GMT -5
The tube seems to be enough ventilation but the lid is not completely sealed (it has the locking handles). If i put this outside, I would definitely not trust the locking handles and find a way to seal it up. Brady actually sleeps in his rice box a lot and it seems to be serving dual purposes; he loves it and it's absorbing a lot of his ferretty smell.
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Post by Jackie on Jan 19, 2011 10:23:31 GMT -5
I love that set up! I'm not sure I'd be able to put hole in my FN....
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