Playpens!

[xeopse]

Alright, so it's getting nice out and the ferrets are ACTUALLY ADULTS now! They are tremendously better behaved now - they don't give kisses like Lulabele did (sigh) but they will play with me and they aren't so obsessive about escaping. I am uploading pictures now to put in the picture section of last night's adventures, they had a blast and they didn't break a single thing or climb on anything they weren't supposed to which has been the latest trend these last several weeks. So I've been thinking of bringing them outside. Unfortunately, they're all still too petite to use harnesses - they are only about 1.5 lbs, maybe 2 at the max for Persephone, but they slip out of everything. Not to mention walking four ferrets would be... interesting, I'm sure

Wherever I'm moving next (I graduate next month, looking for jobs elsewhere but in the mean time i will keep my positon at the law firm) we will definitely have a yard, but in the mean time we have lots of grassy space outside for them to play. I'm thinking about getting them a playpen, one that has a COVER on it because they are so good at climbing everything. Also needs to be heavy enough that if htey figured out they can lift things (they haven't yet though) but i have small stakes I can put into the ground to keep it in place. What have people used successfully for climbers? I feel like I'm depriving them from going out outside and having fun like I could iwth Lulabelle (since she was deaf and responded to hand signals, she always came and would follow me, plus she was slow) or my big fat boys when I was younger and they could easily wear a harness and loved it.

Money isn't really the problem. I'm REALLY good at finding discounts and stuff plus I'm a member of both Petsmart and Petco so they send me some really good deals for discounts/$$ off deals. The issue is I can't necessarily tell how wide the bars are if they can get through - the ferrets are a little bigger now, but they used to be able to get out of 1/2 inch spacing because they're so petite. As of right now I need something that can be set up/taken down because obviously I can't leave a playpen hanging around outside or osmeone would take it. I will ALWAYS be supervising them, I will be right there with them. They will never be left unattended, I just want them to be able to play with the grass and dig around and hop in the leaves and plants and stuff. My old DEW I had when I was younger used to love this giant mulch pile we had in the yard for landscaping... he would dig hole after hole after hole... each hole he dug (like a little mini tunnel) into the side of the mulch pile he would go and poop in it, then move onto his next tunnel. He LOVED it. He was so tired by the end of our walk. I wish these girls could have fun like he used to, chasing bugs and smelling everything.

This is what I've found so far:

1. www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=17495

2. www.petco.com/product/110108/WARE-Premium-+-Penthouse-Playpen.aspx?cm_mmc=CSEMNextag-_-Small%20Animal-_-WARE-_-1277146&mr:referralID=df158dd3-621f-11e0-b827-001b2166c62d

3. cgi.ebay.com/72-x-48-Pet-Dog-Cat-Playpen-w-Cover-Rabbit-Enclosure-/310309733560

4. www.hellotrade.com/martin-s-cages/ferret-cages-the-ferret-playpen.html

5. www.petco.com/product/113419/Precision-Pet-Rabbit-Multi-Plex-Rabbit-Play-Yard.aspx

6. www.petco.com/product/113407/Trixie-Natura-Rabbit-Hutch-Enclosure.aspx#description-tab

7. www.petco.com/product/110105/WARE-Premium--Bunny-Barn-Yard.aspx

8. www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751754


I know that there are others iwth bottoms, but I'd rather have them a) not poop on the nylon or tarp bottoms, and b) experience grass and plants. It seems like it would be a ton of cleaning up poop on something that might not be very easy to clean up, and even if it is easy to clean up I'd ahve to go back inside to get papertowels and such.



Someday when I get a house I will buy something like this, of course:

www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Outdoor_Cat_Play_Pen.html

[Deleted]

Have you tried ferret.com? They sell a Marshall's playpen and you can buy a separate mat/cover that fits it. I have both as it was the only brand I could find that had covers, and Teddy (strong little guy, but so far not much of a climber) can't get out. Of course using the mat as a cover might take care of that with a climber anyway. It will be so great to use to block the sun and yet for him to enjoy the grass when we have a backyard.

[maddiesmom]

I have one like the marshalls playpen (very similar to the first one you posted, I think) and they just slip right in between the bars. So it's pretty much useless, here anyway...

What I like and recommend is the playpen by Martin's Cages (scroll all the way to the bottom) martinscages.com/products/cages/ferret/ not bad $$ wise either

[joan]

If you put the pen on grass, they can and will dig out....and very quickly, once they've explored the pen and found all the good digging spots. I don't recommend putting more than two at a time out in such a pen.

[Deleted]

which lawfirm are you at? Your not over at Reardon and Associates are you? I know a few people there....just wondering...

[Sherry]

Have you tried the H-harnesses with them? I have some pretty petite girls(average 1- 1 1/2 lbs), and they haven't been able to slip them. Mind you, I only leave about a pinkie fingertip space once they are done up.
And FYI- I only ever take one out at a time ;D Even two is impossible, since they both want to go in different directions at the same time

[Deleted]

That is so true! I got so tired of walking Pix and Trix (they always want to walk separately) that I clipped the ends of both leashes together and let them work it out ;D they both went in completely opposite directions and then realized they couldn't go any further unless one cooperated. So Trixie decided to drag Pix to where she wanted to go ;D one at a time from then on

[xeopse]

No, I don't work for that law firm, Rose. I work for a single attorney and help for another lawyer in our suite.

I don't think they would dig out - they aren't big diggers at all. I think part of that is from having grown up in the laboratory... they never got to satisfy that digging urge which is why they have no problems with carpets and don't even dig in the beans or rice I put out for them. Even if they did, they would have to dig for a while in order to get under it which wouldn't even be possible because I'd be right there. So the digging isn't a concern.

*sigh* and yes Sherry, I ahve tried the H-harness, the figure 8 harness, and the vest harnesses and they slip out of all of them.

[Sherry]

Little monkeys That would be frustrating!
I've got one that can slip her's if I let her start backing up, but otherwise she's good.