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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 11:27:03 GMT -5
So after Tom's passing, I have been thinking about starting up a new project. My last project was for my hamster's cage who lives in a very spacious Detolf display cabinet.  as I'm having my bedroom redone soon, I have plans for what Im calling my 'ferretry'. I'd like to buy a double bed high sleeper, and underneath I'd like to build an enclosure. My plan is this: The back and sides of underneath the bed will have plyboard that goes from the floor right up to the top of the base of the bed. The front will have a panel of plywood that goes about 1/4 to roughly half way (just tall enough to ensure little fuzzbutts don't escape). The front panel will have a rectangle cut out of it and then covered with wire mesh which I will screw feed bowls too, and this will be called the feed station. At the back of the pen, there will be a small hutch with a little run that they can sleep in and I can lock them in at night. The mesh on the run will have the water bottles on it. The base of the pen will be rubber matting (a bit like a horse stable) to protect the floors and also offer a bit more cushioning. The entirety of the floor will then be covered with either woodshavings (dust extracted, same that my hammy has) or carefresh bedding. They'll have plenty of room to run and dook when I'm not at home. Any ideas for improvements? What do you think? Another reason I thought this would be a good idea is if a ferret becomes adrenal (I'm allergic to adrenal ferrets) my sleeping quarters will be up high, and despite being directly above them, I should be out of the air space of the allergens. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 11:43:01 GMT -5
can u draw a picture?  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 11:51:17 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 11:58:27 GMT -5
can u draw a picture? Red Flags for me r rubber matting and wood shavings--------- Rubber is a big no no.I would use plywood for floor painted with several coats of semi-gloss or high gloss latex paint, then put folded sheets from thrift store or baby blankets on floors to make it soft if u like. or put a shallow plastic tray on top of plywood floor. wood shaving have oils in them--particularly pine. Ferrets r very susceptible to respiratory problems
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 13:23:33 GMT -5
I've seen many ferrets kept on woodshavings? Many colleges in the UK have them kept outside in an enclosure, and the blue cross website actually recommends it. Hamsters are also prone to respiratory infections, but they're kept on woodshavings?
Also, could you tell me what the problem with rubber matting would be? It won't be digested if that's the concern.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 13:44:03 GMT -5
yes that was my concern--I am not familiar with the horse rubber thing. If it can get near a corner and chew --it might not be too good.
The ferrets i have seen at pet stores are kept on shredded paper.
Maybe someone else will post and give their opinion.
My senior has just passed some rubber a few days ago from padding on iphone, so the word rubber automatically sends bad signals to me.....
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 16:11:49 GMT -5
Pet stores use wood shavings as bedding. Should I?
In short, no. Many pet stores and some breeders use cedar or pine shavings as bedding/cage lining for their ferrets, but it is not recommended. Cedar in particular has been associated with allergies and respiratory problems in various animals, including, for example, humans and rabbits, but pine and other woods also produce a fair amount of dust and such which isn't very good to breathe. Why take the chance?
Furthermore, wood shavings are completely unnecessary. Ferrets are more like cats than hamsters: they'll be quite happy with a clean towel or old T-shirt placed in a small "bedroom box" or basket for sleeping. Sure, some pet stores and breeders use shavings, but they don't really have the option of using towels.
Found this--highlighted what i thought might be food for thought.
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Post by Heather on Mar 14, 2015 17:08:47 GMT -5
Many ferrets are kept on wood shaving...the problem is the type of wood shavings. Many ferrets who are kept in outdoor enclosures live comfortably and safely on woodshavings. My guys have wood chips for their outdoor enclosures. I would never keep a ferret on wood shavings indoors. There is absolutely no reason to use such a type of bedding in doors.
The rubber matting...that's a no-no. Just cannot be done safely. Ferrets enjoy consuming rubber often eating and trying to digest everything from cellphone covers to the backs of mats and controller buttons. Never mess with rubber or soft plastics and ferrets. It's a death sentence
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 17:51:04 GMT -5
Hmm okay. I'll look into getting a safer material to waterproof the base of the pen. Would bedding like carefresh do? It's s recycled paper type of bedding I believe. The main reason I don't want to use fleece or blankets is because I find it very unsanitary. My last ferret had fleece and I only have time to wash bedding once a week, so of course the fleece was sodden with pee and stank of ammonia, with little poop stains on it. I'd much rather have something like shavings or carefresh just because it's much cleaner and sanitary - it absorbs the odour and wetness and its easy to remove and replace within a few seconds.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 18:09:46 GMT -5
Do you use high back potty pans?
can't u get a stash of old sheets and baby blankets at thrift store and every 2 or three days just pull it out and replace, and at end of week wash all dirty sheets?
I luv to go to thrift store--I always go find my babies a baby blanket or a sheet i can fold several times over for padding.
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Post by Heather on Mar 14, 2015 21:55:32 GMT -5
I wouldn't use carefresh. I've known of two cases where kits have consumed this product and died.
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2015 7:10:55 GMT -5
Yes, I use high back ones but as we all know, ferrets aren't 100% litter trainable. And I've had problems in the past of cheeky ferrets getting the litter pan unscrewed from the corner and throwing it around the cage. Again, I just don't find it sanitary to have dirty blankets with poop and pee on them lying around while I wait for Friday to come. The ammonia dries out my skin terribly, and the dirty blankets would have to be in a pile in my bedroom until my parents could wash them. Is there any reasonable and disposable substrate I could use? I'm just left a little confused with the whole woodshavings thing. We all know animals are prone to respiratory infections from dust, even reptiles shouldn't be kept on sand, and most reptile owners choose woodshavings as a substrate since it's had the dust extracted.
And as you said, you use it in your outdoor enclosure.
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Post by Heather on Mar 15, 2015 11:21:07 GMT -5
I use regular bedding (old sheets and blankets) and litter boxes indoors (I have 11 ferrets). I don't understand the difficulty in using them. It's not any less sanitary in fact I would sooner see bedding with the ferrets than shavings. You will be more meticulous about teaching them proper litter habits and keeping them clean. Bedding only needs to be cleaned out about once a week (do it just before laundry day), unless you're keeping hobs. Litter boxes should be firmly attached to the outside of the caging. All my boxes are tied down and I've only had issues with dumped boxes if I didn't tie them down properly...that's might fault and I deserve the mess I have to clean up. Ferrets normally will not pee and poop in their bedding unless ill or if their litter boxes are not changed out on a daily or bi-daily basis. No ferret will use a dirty litter box. My guys never, even my hobs mark their bedding so I don't know where you would be in contact with their urine in their bedding. If your little one has an accident, put on rubber gloves if you have to handle it and rinse it out before putting it in the ferret dirty laundry.
No, there is no excuse to keep a ferret like a hamster
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2015 1:32:38 GMT -5
Potty materials I have used in the past: regular newspaper (laid flat out), Marshall's litter, Swheat scoop, yesterdays' news, and puppy pads. Bolt or tie the potty to the wall with cord, otherwise it's just a toy to them because they are cooped up.
You might consider a rough textured linoleum to go over the plywood, but nothing smooth because they shouldn't slide all over, it's bad for their hips. No edges within reach of course. (Unless others disagree on this.)
Bedding (towels, sheets, baby blankets, very soft thin fleece) is much cheaper and cleaner than chips or that awful paper bedding they sell and it doesn't get everywhere, and if you get a hamper for it then it's stored out of nose reach. I used that paper stuff at first and 15 months later I was still finding crumbs of it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2015 4:37:28 GMT -5
The trick is to stay on top of things, before it becomes a major task. when you feed your ferret and give it fresh water each day--- do the cleaning. Cleaning over night is a lot easier than waiting several days, and of course you want your wee one to be in a nice environment.  It sounds like you have gotten some great advice from people. |
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but here's an idea of it. 
