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Post by rattum on May 25, 2010 13:35:15 GMT -5
Here's Rosto's cage. Big point, yeah, he's a boy. Rofl. I just like pink. He comes home Thurs, and I hope he likes it! Any advice or criticism welcome. This ferret cage decorating is new to me. :] All bedding make by me. There's a hangy house, a tube, a flat, a snuggle sack, a bed, and an igloo. Toys are a big jingly ball, small hangy jingly ba;;s, a sewn fury fish, a fuzzy mouse. He's got a dish for soupies/meat, a dish for kibble, a dish for water, and a water bottle. I still have to add a litter box in the empty corners. :]
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Post by Heather on May 25, 2010 23:07:41 GMT -5
You may want to put a cover on the little ladder (this is optional but little feet sometimes fall or get stuck on the rungs, this will become less an issue as he grows) and hook it a little more solidly on the shelf. My guys quite often in a fit of pique will knock the ladder off and bounce it around the cage. You may want to find a place to tie down a litter box and to tie down that water bowl I think he will have lots of fun with all the bedding and stuffies. As most ferrets he will adjust it to his needs and colour really doesn't matter much considering how little colour he can see , so pink is just fine in his opinion. Looks great ciao
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Post by rattum on May 26, 2010 5:11:33 GMT -5
Oh, I didn't think about the ladder! Thank you! I'll make a ramp cover for it this afternoon. And I can tie it to the level to prevent him to throwing it everywhere. I can tie the litterbox to the side of the cage, too. :]
The two dishes on the ground are for food. The store I went to only had one locking crock. The locking crock on the wall is for water. When I find another one, I'll probably put his kibble in that. For now, those two dishes are for kibble, and duck soup/raw respectively. Even though he'll prolly just carry the raw off, lol.
Thank you! You've been so much help!
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Post by katt on May 26, 2010 14:05:52 GMT -5
Be sure you research raw vs kibble and feeding both if you haven't already. They digest at different rates and just differently in general and can cause problems if they are fed at the same time. People typically feed one at night and one in the morning so that there is time in between to fully digest the first. Not sure if you had heard that before or not. The cage looks great! He will love it! You can do what I did for the shelf covers and cut two tiny holes for the ladder hooks to go through and it will allow the ladder to hook on, and help hold down the bedding a little bit. Also if those are the only toys that you have so far, and you are going to have only one ferret GET MORE TOYS! haha And Different ones. I find that, as an only ferret, Koda gets VERY bored with his toys very quickly. I have to constantly find new things for him to do and play with. They are just too smart! lol Even switching out toys in the cage frequently, he gets bored of the same 20 toys I have and I have to find new ones. I do not know if this is the the case with all single ferrets, but I find that in general, having only one definitely makes it a challenge to keep them entertained. Pics of your new buddy when you get him are required btw! hehe
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Post by rattum on May 26, 2010 16:46:22 GMT -5
I have heard that, thank you. :] My dog free feeds kibble, and also gets meals of raw. The same thing is also thought in raw feeding dogs. I have never had any issues in feeding her this way, and would immediately discontinue if I saw any signs. For my ferrets sake, I'm going to feed a small meal of raw in the morning and evening. I can take the kibble away before hand, to allow him to digest that first, before giving him the raw. :]
I binder clipped the cover on my ramp, and zip tied it to the shelf. I can't wiggle it, lol. So hopefully he can't move it!
I have a small collection of toys in a box, so far. I am definitely getting and making more. I love buying new things. I'm a little lacking on knowledge of what is safe. My rats have lots of chew toys and baby toys. I think the ferret would enjoy baby toys like teething rings, baby linkies, and things like that. I may give him those and see what he enjoys. I'm also going to try to find some kong like toys that I can fill with treats. I'm all about enrichment involving food!
If anyone has any toy suggestions, I'm all ears!
And you will DEFINITELY be getting tons of pics!
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Post by wepamperpets on May 26, 2010 19:03:47 GMT -5
Great 1st choice for a cage, ferret nations are awesome! Love mine. For sure I'd get a ramp cover. And if your new baby is like my kids they will have the shelf cover ripped off in a second flat if its not attached down I wouldn't trust those lil paper clip things holding the cover down on the pan either, looks like could be a hazard. And for sure would have the food dishes attached to the cage too in a crock! Bc the ferrets will have food everywhere. I have the E-Z Locking Crocks (EZC) You can buy them at: www.martinscages.com/products/accessories/bowls.htmI love these crocks bc they are so easy to take on and off, and they fit snug to the cage and don't stick out like them other crocks do. For a litter box your going to want something square, most ferrets hate those triangle box's and often ferret owners who cant get their ferrets to use the box, switch to a square and bingo! ferrets use box. That's not always the fix all for litter training but often can be that simple sometimes. I had the square high backs for a while, worked great but now have the custom litter box's from kritter koncepts, they are awesome! kritterkoncepts.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_5&products_id=137If go to order a box from them, email them 1st tell them you want a custom litter pan for your ferret nation, and be sure to tell them you want it to fit over the lip so it fits snug and secure to the cage. So your able to attach the box with a clamp. Cage is looking great, going to be a very spoiled ferret! congrats!
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Post by 1 on May 26, 2010 19:57:47 GMT -5
I'd imagine ferrets can see pink, and with no doubt LOVE the color! Besides, in some country's pink is considered manly, I think Spain is one of them.... but you know, also, pink roses. as for how good ferrets see, tell me if yours can point to this. e i jtz I know, ferrets can't read. What really makes a good cadge a good cadge, is shelter, safety, adaptability, comfort, unpick able lock thing, and some other stuff I need to learn more of. To tell you the truth, I'm alittle juloise that I can't sleep in that cadge.
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Post by rattum on May 26, 2010 20:42:28 GMT -5
I got a ramp cover. :] I also got a square kitten litter box, which I have clipped to the cage so it can't be moved.
I can flip the binder clips down. My rats are also in a FN (A double), and they've never ever had issues with them. If I can find a better alternative, I will switch.
I'm going to buy more crocks. Unfortunately, that was the only one I could find. I even went back today. But alas, I will get one eventually, lol!
I really like KK's litter boxes. Their cages are also very cool. Someone on the rat forum has one, and it's huge and very nice. If this kitten box doesnt work out, I'll definitely look into them.
1: Lol, I wish I could sleep in it, too. Someday I'll have human sized hammocks in the house.
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Post by wepamperpets on May 26, 2010 23:09:47 GMT -5
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Post by katt on May 27, 2010 13:33:57 GMT -5
I use small kitten litter boxes and they work great. Every ferret is different though. For toys baby toys work great. I wish I could find some better ones around here. Here are a few things that I have found that work for toys that are simple and inexpensive: fill old medicine containers with different things to make "noise makers" (deafies will feel the vibrations also). Be sure to wash them VERY well inside and out - I have one filled with rice, and another filled with the plastic caps of centrifuge tubes from lab haha I tried filling a Kong-like toy with food but Koda didn't seem interested. The toy never even moved. I even tried putting peanut butter in it (which he loves and only gets as a VERY VERY rare treat) and Ferret Vite and an N-bone and nothing. It's worth a try though, yours might like it. Toilet paper and paper towel tubes. you can hide things in them, or just let them play with them as is. I put a little cat jingle-ball inside a toilet paper tube and smooshed the ends so it stayed in there and Koda went Nutso trying to get the ball out! haha Jingle Balls Those baby links that are little rings - Koda really likes those I hung a toy from the top of the cage with an elastic string and Koda loved it. The "toy" was just an old ribbon spool and the elastic was something I had laying around, but you can buy some really cheap at a store - just watch that Dig box! Rope toys. I got this stuffed Giraffe for dogs that has a stuffed head and body and a rope neck, and another that is 2 tennis balls connected by a rope. Tennis balls Koda LOVES velcro. He will chew on it for hours and doesn't seem to do any damage. We always supervise and watch for strings and stuff but it is pretty much is favorite. Fun texture I guess...
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Post by rattum on May 27, 2010 13:42:05 GMT -5
Those are all amazing ideas. Thank you SO much! I didn't realize they would pretty much play with anything my dog does, lol! I have so many pill bottles laying around from everyone, plus the animals. I don't have the heart to throw things away. I'm going to go fill some right now.
I have tons of linkies. I will give him some of those, and scout the baby isle next time I go shopping. The Dollar Tree has lots of baby toy stuff, too.
I'm making a dog box with easter eggs! I just have to find a good sized box, lol! I was thinking of making a second one with rice, too.
I've seen those little stuffies with ropes and tennis balls. I'm definitely going to get one of those. They're adorable. I also have some itty bitty tennis balls for the rats to play with that he'd probably enjoy.
Velcro... Lol. That's silly! But it shows that texture matters. I'll try some different things with him.
Thanks again!
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Post by katt on May 27, 2010 14:26:51 GMT -5
Texture and shape matter a lot. Oh you should try out this one PetCo toy too. It is a big green plastic ball with shape holes, and inside is a smaller jingle ball. Koda has a lot of fun with it and it is something really big. If you get any stuffies watch out for the eyes and noses. Each ferret is different but Koda will go and go and go trying to chew off the hard plastic eyes and noses. I had to take them all away so that he didn't pull them off and choke. Or eat them. Scrivenger's Retreat has GREAT stuffies that are all hand sewn and VERY sturdy. Not to mention uber cute and well priced.
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Post by rattum on May 27, 2010 14:32:05 GMT -5
I sew a lot, I could probably make a stuffy. If I buy any, I'll be sure to remove any removeable bits and bobs before giving them to them. I have to do the same for my dog.
I was thinking of getting some wiffle balls and putting treats in so they have to roll it to get them out.
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Post by katt on May 27, 2010 17:17:02 GMT -5
Wiffle balls are fun. Not sure how well they would hold treats but it is a good idea. I might have to try. Koda has 6 of them stashed under his cage atm. haha
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Post by 1 on May 27, 2010 23:06:49 GMT -5
Would a ferret like a dimond shaped litter box?
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