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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 17:35:56 GMT -5
As I've mentioned before, Marty doesn't like going to the upper levels of the cage they're in right now. And the base is only 2x2. I don't have much money to spend, and its hard to go out and get materials, but I'd feel much happier having a cage with more room and more accessibility, its very hard to clean the cage I have right now because the clips at the base broke so I had to zip tie it together.
I have no idea where to start, or what to keep an eye out for. My friend has access to scrap wood (plywood mostly I think, sheets that have already been cut into), but I would like it to be mostly metal. I do have another cage, the one that came with Marty, but its HUGE and I don't like that it has no cover so paws don't fall through the holes. Before I put Marty with Layla, I had bits of cardboard, but that wasn't a good solution. Its also rusted from never being cleaned. I don't even know if I could fit it in here anymore. Marty was also able to open the doors if I didn't close them impossibly (and painfully for my fingers) tight.
I can figure out dimensions pretty well, but I need suggestions on where to look for cheaply safe material to build it out of, and how to work with those materials. I think I'll be able to get $20 a month going towards it max, but I would dip into that money to get something needed, as the cage would be low on the priority list.
I have tools to bend metal, but not cut it. I can cut wood and plastic though.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 13, 2015 17:50:08 GMT -5
Would he be more willing to go up and down if you used a tube system instead of ramps? Many people have the black drainage tubing cut to size and tie that down onto the existing ramps, secured to the side of the cage. the ferrets feel more comfortable going up and down in those.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 13, 2015 17:52:37 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 17:57:10 GMT -5
Marty went up and down ramps fine in his old cage, but tunnels would also be an option. Just not in the current cage, its too small. I tried using plastic tunnels but the entrances were so cramped towards a wall that Marty would only sniff at them (that's assuming that he even wanted to go to the upper levels). I also think that having a more open walkway like a ramp rather than a tunnel would encourage him to go up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 18:01:10 GMT -5
I was thinking 2x4x4 would be the best size for them and how much room I have. The depth cannot be more than 2 feet though, or I won't be able to get out of the room lol
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2015 22:43:42 GMT -5
I have the support of my stepdad, I won't tell my mom until I start working on it because she's never supportive of any change for the ferrets. I've been looking at wire cubes, or a wood or pvc frame with plastic and chicken wire (??) siding. I don't know what to use for trays/levels that are cheap. I've been thinking I can reuse the levels that are in the current cage, but I'd need more.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 7:50:15 GMT -5
4ft for floor space is good as Ferret Nation is about 3ft. They r restricting because of ramps--hardly room for potties. In my FN, I totally blocked bottom level from top with a sheet of wood on floor. Ferrets will access levels by way of an external tube zip-tied to bars of cage (not finished yet). Was thinking about making one, at one time, from old vintage furniture from thrift store. I would make it more airy as it can be stuffy with all the wood. Happy cage making
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 9:57:34 GMT -5
Yea, I've been looking at the free section of Craigslist... I don't want the sides or levels to be wood unless I absolutely have to do it that way.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 10:42:48 GMT -5
I was thinking of 1/2 or 1 inch PVC mesh for the sides. Depending on how cheap I can find it, I was thinking I could cover a wood frame with corrugated plastic and make the doors the same way. I want the back to be solid though, Layla accidentally moves her food off the edge of the top level too often. I don't know what to make the ramps/platforms out of. I was thinking of making it with corrugated plastic and wood too, but I don't know how I'd add texture for gripping.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 14, 2015 10:55:42 GMT -5
Do 1/2 inch. If by chance you DO get another ferret, a smaller female, or a young ferret, can at times slip through 1"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 11:39:26 GMT -5
Alright. Layla is already quite tiny even for a female, so I was leaning towards 1/2 inch. Should I get it vinyl coated or would galvanized be ok? I was also thinking of covering the wood frame with vinyl if I can get it cheaper than corroplast, then I could also use it for levels and gripping. What thickness should I look for for the corroplast, and how much bigger than the frame should I get the pieces?
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Post by RedSky on Aug 14, 2015 13:16:50 GMT -5
Because of Mako's disability I built them a playpen. We made it so simple for us, went to a hardware shop that cuts the wood for you. We have it so it can be expanded to go in the spare room and then when guests come or if we need to shrink it for any reason we can take a few panels off and have it at 4ft by 2ft. Basically it's thick mdf boards, coated in wipe clean paint. Each board has eye screws (not these one but so you know what I mean www.screwfix.com/p/zinc-plated-screw-eyes-12ga-x-55mm-pack-of-10/17867) on the edges then we used the metal bars that came with their playpen (that they climb straight out of anyway) to fasten them together. It's tall enough so they can't jump out but since my OH and I are both fairly tall (I'm 5ft8, he's 6ft3) we can lean over to grab bowls or a ferret, but to open it we just pull a rod out and open one of the panels like a door. To protect the carpet (and Mako from getting carpet burns) we picked up a roll of secondhand lino and gave it a bloody good wash. If I was to make it again I'd want the walls to be much easier to clean, as it is I swap walls around to give them a touch up with paint. I'm thinking of covering them in a lino or something easier to clean as when I've painted them I have to leave them to dry for a few days just so there is no chance of paint fumes around my fuzzies and it's time consuming. A ferrent who has a live video stream of her kits (she's a breeder too) used some sort of plastic stuff to make a pen. It was brilliant, easy to clean and not too expensive. If I had know about it before I bought my wood I would have done it that way. Soffit boards apparently is the name. Might be worth a look. You can get joints to slide the boards into and can glue them in so they don't come out and make it water tight if you use ones for the floor too. Makes it easy to mop clean and if they throw water everywhere it doesn't matter.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 14:46:57 GMT -5
I don't have enough room for a playpen sadly. I would if I could gut the room from all the built in counters and stuff, but I can't.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2015 14:57:01 GMT -5
I'll post a picture of what my friend drafts up for it when he can work on it.
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Post by RedSky on Aug 14, 2015 15:03:13 GMT -5
Would the cage need to be on something (like a table)? Just wondering if the 2ft by 4ft can the space on the floor or the space ontop of something else that is the issue.
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