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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 15:23:30 GMT -5
I'm not actually showing off anything, but I have a questions for those of you that have free roamers. Do you still have a cage?
I kept a 3 floor-cage cage (always open), because they seem to like having all the hammocks in there and also it has a place to pin the water bowl and all, but lately I noticed that my little monkey - Marbella, and Aramis following her - are climbing to the top of it and have no idea how to go down (except for "plop!"). If I am not home, it could result in an injury (or even at night). They have access to the house, since the way our house is designed, we only have a room with a door, the rest is "walk-through" so I can't really have a room only for them. Therefore, our apartment is a ferret room.
What do you think- should I just get rid of the cage? I wouldn't feel like buying smaller ones or anything. We have one smaller but that's it, maybe just to hand a hammock in there. Actually, I have another foldable travel one. I feel like they enjoy having that space as "their", so I think they'd like me to keep a cage.
Otherwise, I am worried that someday one will fall down and break something...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 16:30:34 GMT -5
Mine can not climb my particular cage because the horizontal bars r to far up the cage . However if you coud attach some plywood or something solid like hard plastic sheeting maybe 2 ft high around all the sides On the out side to cover up the horizontal bars ,this might work. To do this--- all I can think of right now, is to find some lids for large square tubs, then punch holes in it and ziptie it to outside of cage. Maybe someone can think of something else, but I did have a cage that mine could climb, and it was scary.
On the other hand, you do not have to have a cage, just have some dark, hidey places for them ---maybe an abandoned chester drawer. I have decided to let annabelle have my drawer as i have to constantly wash the clothes in it from hair.
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Post by FireAngel on Jun 3, 2015 16:47:55 GMT -5
I think if mine climbed to the top like that I would either have to keep them in the cage when not supervised or get rid of the cage. There are lots of creative ways to hang hammocks for them if you choose to get rid of the cage. I would just be too worried about a fatal fall otherwise.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 17:00:58 GMT -5
We are free roam in the house. I also have a cage that I bought for emergencies or travel. It's the Marshall Folding Mansion and is quite large. I leave it up and in our sunroom.
I would hang on to your cage. You never know if you might need it. We bought a cage for our first ferret Ponce and then he became free roam and I got rid of it.
So when we moved here, I had to buy another cage. If we have to travel or if I have to board my ferrets, or if Tornado seasons hits and we have to evacuate, I need to have a cage. There are no local vets who board ferrets. My cage folds up and can be hauled around in the car. We have now found a breeder in Ohio who boards ferrets. Pam Van Overloop who is PVO Ferrets.
Since mine is quite tall, I bought several large hammocks and hung those right below the tallest level and next to the second level. The hammocks stretch and I secured them to the sides of the cage.
If someone goes were to go to the top and fall, they would fall onto the hammock and then just climb onto the second level shelf. It's an easy walk down the covered ramps from there.
If you don't like the hammock idea, maybe you could disassemble the cage and store it.
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Post by Blue on Jun 3, 2015 17:17:51 GMT -5
I think she means climbing outside the cage. I try to keep pillows at the bottom of the cage in case Maisie falls down/out, but she's not a climber so I'm not obsessive about it. They are nice to kneel on when cleaning the litterbox I also put the styrofoam dig box there for a while. But I don't think that would be enough for true climbers. I like the idea of attaching something smooth to the sides.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2015 17:22:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice - I think I'll get rid of this one, maybe sell it since it's huge and really tall... and keep a single level one or two foldable ones. I wasn't sure if it'll be ok to not have a cage at all since my Ozzy,.even if he was free, if I put the cage away he'd panic, look for it and get really aggitated. So we kept it. Maybe low, single level and some pillows and blankets are going to do the trick. I really panicked today seeing Marbella and Aramis chasing each other on top of the cage. Oh yeah, I meant on the outside, bot inside. Inside there's safety hammocks
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2015 7:01:47 GMT -5
YIKES! Single level----good idea That is what i need as bullie abbey is making me have two businesses here. Just having to talk hubbie into the purchase.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2015 13:19:56 GMT -5
Yea I think a great idea would be to sell the large one and take some of the money from the sale and purchase a smaller cage so they can still have there space but not have a risk to there health Or if you want to keep the large one create a tube system that would enable them to safely climb it and get back down. My ferrets liked to climb to the top of my radiator so I put a tube over it one end is connected to a rice box the other comes out into a nice pile of blankets it is very amusing to watch Fender climb through the tube and slide into the pile of blankets
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2015 14:38:04 GMT -5
the cage has been demolished i put a foldable dog cage there with a hammock and some blankets, and hanged the water bowl, but that's it. I'm thinking of adding some hammocks around the house though, one doesn't seem enough.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2015 16:03:43 GMT -5
That sounds like a good plan. You have some very talented climbers. Until Blue pointed it out, I never thought of them climbing the outside of the cage. I should have, I've found mine at the top of the closet, on two high dressers and of course, the kitchen countertops. Everytime I open a drawer or look in a cabinet and find someone snuggled in and taking a nap, I turn that spot into a bed. I want them to be comfortable. Now, there isn't a dresser or piece of furniture that doesn't have at least one napping spot with a blanket in it. Just like abbeytheferret6 said, I need to take my house back. (shy) This is Juliet checking out Paul's Highboy. And Mika in the bottom drawer of the Secretary:
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Post by FireAngel on Jun 10, 2015 21:57:04 GMT -5
Ferret hammocks on the kitchen chairs!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2015 4:56:18 GMT -5
Now that is funny!
Poncesmom--will be taking clothes out of a little wicker chester drawer today, Annabelle likes middle and baby Leelee likes bottom. I had all my clothes in spare bedroom,because i gave hubby all the top drawers in main bedroom--Well, back to bottom drawers for me.ur pic with blanket sealed the deal. So much for taking back my house.
I think it was mainly the food thing that was so discouraging. I will not show the cache that I found under the bed. Every time i passed by that room it would almost knock me out. Then there was pooh at head of bed on floor even though there r 2 potties in there. If my potties are not kept about spotless, they will go elsewhere--- such clean girls :pullhair: I cleaned and put a long curtain on floor.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2015 4:57:38 GMT -5
Oh yeah, did I mention we no longer have kitchen chairs? they used them to climb up on the table and kitchen counters, toss everything off and and go inside places they should never be into. No matter how we'd position them, they'd still reach something, our kitchen is really small - so we don't eat there anyway, but still, what they make us do...especially after Aramis learned that jumping from the table on the door handle is going to open the balcony door. Oh, and I forgot a bucket with a lid next to the table - he used the occasion to climb on the table, jump out through the window that was cracked open onto the balcony and was locked on the balcony for the day until I noticed him missing. Looked ouside, in the staircase, put adds on fb pages and then my husband though abot the balcony.. and there he was, with the door closed... they are too smart for their own good! @poncesmom, that's so cute! I know the feeling, i put child-proof locks on the drawers to prevent that - Gabriel broke them all to pieces. i need to find something stronger that can stand the monster's wrath:)) we have drawers with blankets and all, but my clothes always seem more comfy to them. So now all my clothes smell like they were rinsed with ferret-scented softner:))
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2015 5:27:35 GMT -5
Oh Gosh! u do have some acrobats. Since annabelle has lost winter weight weight, she is acting more like a squirrel,too. Trying to call them with a squeaky the other morning while it was still a little dark in the house, and she came bounding out of nowhere and jumped for it while it was in my hands. i dropped it pretty quickly, because she will bite whatever is moving not the thing making the sound.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2015 12:02:22 GMT -5
Now that is funny! Poncesmom--will be taking clothes out of a little wicker chester drawer today, Annabelle likes middle and baby Leelee likes bottom. I had all my clothes in spare bedroom,because i gave hubby all the top drawers in main bedroom--Well, back to bottom drawers for me.ur pic with blanket sealed the deal. So much for taking back my house.
I did the exact same thing. I had a small wicker chest in my closet for my lingerie. I kept moving the lingerie around as Ponce moved into each drawer. Until it became a full time Ponce Condo. Now, my five use it. I've covered it with a small quilt and each drawer has blankets in it. Then I bought two tall wicker towers to replace the chest, for my extra stuff. It's now in Wynstan's room. He has decided the third bedroom is his. He has claimed four of those drawers. I put a small TV and some videos on top of the towers. I had to keep picking up the videos, and realized they are climbing up to the top, just to knock those videos off. I think they are trying to tell me that they don't like Broadway based movies or showtunes.
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