| A ferret habbitat - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Randy W. Sims |
I saw on Animal Planet <http://animal.discovery.com/> once where someone
had a few cats and had created walkways for them throughout the house.
These walkways where basically boards (very nicely done) hung about
10-12" from the ceiling, and went from room to room-they had actually
cut holes through the wall next to doors and made nice casings, etc. I
didn't want to do anything that extravagant, but I was wondering if
ferrets would enjoy something similar. I'd be afraid to leave it open as
my (limited) experience has shown that ferrets are more likely than not
to fall from perches and I don't think the do as well at landing, so I
was thinking about running some PVC pipe around the perimeter of a
single room (IIRC 12x16'). I'm not sure about what diameter to use, or
what to use as a ramp up from the cage (about 5' off ground) to the
walkway (about 7' off ground) as PVC might be too slick. Would ferrets
even enjoy this?
Just wondering,
Randy.
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| jumpingmouse & kylie |
I have the white PVC pipe going all around the perimeter of my bedroom for
my ferret - on the floor. I don't think putting it up in the air would
accomplish anything other than possibly leaving possibility of broken limbs.
I have lots of little 'periscope' areas where she can pop her head up out of
the top and then pop back down again and run aorund in them. Yes, she loves
it. She loves when we're playing to be able to dodge into the 'tunnel' and
disappear, then 'peek a boo' up thru on the the "T"s in the pipe as if to
say 'ha ha, I'm over here' LOL But if you don't glue it together and
leave it on the floor you can rearrange the layout often, which makes it
even more fun for them. I think the pipe I have is 6", but not sure. It's
white PVC. She also loves to drag her favorite little toys and treats in
there to hide them.
Another thing you might want to do is get a child's small plastic swimming
pool and put in about 100 lbs of plain white rice (not instant) and let them
go crazy diggin in it. You can even run a tunnel thru underneath the rice
with a flexible, clear dryer hose (or any plastic flex dryer hose). Just be
sure you ferrets don't eat the rice (I have heard of only a few who do -
kylie is one of them) The other option is to get about a hundred lbs of
children's playsand (clean) and put in the pool for them. They will dig
tunnels, etc and it's amazing to watch!
jumpingmouse & kylie (who thinks home should be like Disneyland)
"Randy W. Sims" <RandyS@ThePierianSpring.org> wrote in message
news:IIecnQXV6onoB2aiRTvaKA@giganews.com...
> I saw on Animal Planet <http://animal.discovery.com/> once where someone
> had a few cats and had created walkways for them throughout the house.
> These walkways where basically boards (very nicely done) hung about
> 10-12" from the ceiling, and went from room to room-they had actually
> cut holes through the wall next to doors and made nice casings, etc. I
> didn't want to do anything that extravagant, but I was wondering if
> ferrets would enjoy something similar. I'd be afraid to leave it open as
> my (limited) experience has shown that ferrets are more likely than not
> to fall from perches and I don't think the do as well at landing, so I
> was thinking about running some PVC pipe around the perimeter of a
> single room (IIRC 12x16'). I'm not sure about what diameter to use, or
> what to use as a ramp up from the cage (about 5' off ground) to the
> walkway (about 7' off ground) as PVC might be too slick. Would ferrets
> even enjoy this?
>
> Just wondering,
> Randy.
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| Kyril |
I've thought about doing the same thing. I think they'd love it!
Instead of PVC, I was thinking of using black ribbed drainage tubing.
It already has slits in it for ventilation, and the ribbing provides
grip for climbing.
My main concern is that I need to be able to take it apart to reach
ferrets in an emergency. In my experience, if I can take it apart, so
can the ferrets!
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| jumpingmouse & kylie |
The white PVC pipe telescopes at the ends, so it slips together and apart
easily. If you put then together tight, it doesn't come apart until you
pull it apart. Plus I like the little T's so the design possibilities are
endless. I think the longest piece of PVC I have is only 5 ft long....then
some shorter and very short ones to add variety.
jumpingmouse & kylie
"Kyril" <kyrilscavern@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:82031648.0401070951.26e4ec35@posting.google.com...
> I've thought about doing the same thing. I think they'd love it!
>
> Instead of PVC, I was thinking of using black ribbed drainage tubing.
> It already has slits in it for ventilation, and the ribbing provides
> grip for climbing.
>
> My main concern is that I need to be able to take it apart to reach
> ferrets in an emergency. In my experience, if I can take it apart, so
> can the ferrets!
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| Randy W. Sims |
On 1/7/2004 11:30 AM, jumpingmouse & kylie wrote:
> I have the white PVC pipe going all around the perimeter of my bedroom for
> my ferret - on the floor. I don't think putting it up in the air would
> accomplish anything other than possibly leaving possibility of broken limbs.
> I have lots of little 'periscope' areas where she can pop her head up out of
> the top and then pop back down again and run aorund in them. Yes, she loves
> it. She loves when we're playing to be able to dodge into the 'tunnel' and
> disappear, then 'peek a boo' up thru on the the "T"s in the pipe as if to
> say 'ha ha, I'm over here' LOL But if you don't glue it together and
> leave it on the floor you can rearrange the layout often, which makes it
> even more fun for them. I think the pipe I have is 6", but not sure. It's
> white PVC. She also loves to drag her favorite little toys and treats in
> there to hide them.
Yeah, I'd like to put some on the floor too, but I don't have nearly as
much floor space as I do ceiling space. If I did it, I would definately
keep it totally enclosed. I was thinking of basically doing a lap around
the perimeter with some T's of varying lengths peeking out toward the
middle, with some plexiglass covering so she (they) can peek out. I
don't think it would really matter much to her if it's on the ground or
in the air as long as it's enclosed. I don't think I would have thought
to use 6" pipe though; I was guessing around 3-4", but...
> Another thing you might want to do is get a child's small plastic swimming
> pool and put in about 100 lbs of plain white rice (not instant) and let them
> go crazy diggin in it. You can even run a tunnel thru underneath the rice
> with a flexible, clear dryer hose (or any plastic flex dryer hose). Just be
> sure you ferrets don't eat the rice (I have heard of only a few who do -
> kylie is one of them) The other option is to get about a hundred lbs of
> children's playsand (clean) and put in the pool for them. They will dig
> tunnels, etc and it's amazing to watch!
That sounds like a lot of fun! I don't know where I would put it unless
we save it for outside fun in warmer weather.
Thanks,
Randy.
> jumpingmouse & kylie (who thinks home should be like Disneyland)
>
>
> "Randy W. Sims" <RandyS@ThePierianSpring.org> wrote in message
> news:IIecnQXV6onoB2aiRTvaKA@giganews.com...
>
>>I saw on Animal Planet <http://animal.discovery.com/> once where someone
>>had a few cats and had created walkways for them throughout the house.
>>These walkways where basically boards (very nicely done) hung about
>>10-12" from the ceiling, and went from room to room-they had actually
>>cut holes through the wall next to doors and made nice casings, etc. I
>>didn't want to do anything that extravagant, but I was wondering if
>>ferrets would enjoy something similar. I'd be afraid to leave it open as
>>my (limited) experience has shown that ferrets are more likely than not
>>to fall from perches and I don't think the do as well at landing, so I
>>was thinking about running some PVC pipe around the perimeter of a
>>single room (IIRC 12x16'). I'm not sure about what diameter to use, or
>>what to use as a ramp up from the cage (about 5' off ground) to the
>>walkway (about 7' off ground) as PVC might be too slick. Would ferrets
>>even enjoy this?
>>
>>Just wondering,
>>Randy.
>
>
>
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| Randy W. Sims |
On 1/7/2004 12:51 PM, Kyril wrote:
> I've thought about doing the same thing. I think they'd love it!
>
> Instead of PVC, I was thinking of using black ribbed drainage tubing.
> It already has slits in it for ventilation, and the ribbing provides
> grip for climbing.
I'm not sure about the ribbing. I've got some of those funnel
thingies-colored ribbed short tunnels you can snap together in different
arrangements, but Priss doesn't seem to enjoy them that much. I think
one reason is they're not dark--If I cover them with a towel she's more
likely to go in. But also she seems to feel uncomfortable on the ribbed
surface.
I'm glad you mentioned ventilation though, as it had not really occured
to me yet, but on those long runs, some small airholes might make her
breathe easier.
> My main concern is that I need to be able to take it apart to reach
> ferrets in an emergency. In my experience, if I can take it apart, so
> can the ferrets!
I don't plan on glueing it together. I was thinking of getting some good
clamps to hold it together. Or if I can't convince myself that that's
secure enough, I'll use some screws or bolts to fasten the ends together.
Thanks,
Randy.
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| jumpingmouse & kylie |
Aw, give you a little time, Randy......pretty soon you'll realize they take
over the whole house :-)
We kept the sand pit in the corner of our livingroom for a while, then moved
it to the spare bedroom. The fun part about having the PVC is that it runs
behind furniture and T's between the furniture so they can duck in and out
of it. More fun to duck in and out than to just look out.......their
eyesight isn't great. I used to have a "T" under my desk and whenever I'd
sit at my desk, Kylie would sneak out the T, grab my sock or pantleg, then
scoot back in the T real quick, just trying to make me wonder who was doing
that? LOL She would also steal small items off my desk and quickly
disappear down in to the T with it :-) They like the interactive part
best - more so than watching thru a window-like opening.
Just my humble opinion.......
jumpingmouse & kylie
"Randy W. Sims" <RandyS@ThePierianSpring.org> wrote in message
news:ptedncINPcIfC2GiRTvaKw@giganews.com...
> On 1/7/2004 11:30 AM, jumpingmouse & kylie wrote:
> > I have the white PVC pipe going all around the perimeter of my bedroom
for
> > my ferret - on the floor. I don't think putting it up in the air would
> > accomplish anything other than possibly leaving possibility of broken
limbs.
> > I have lots of little 'periscope' areas where she can pop her head up
out of
> > the top and then pop back down again and run aorund in them. Yes, she
loves
> > it. She loves when we're playing to be able to dodge into the 'tunnel'
and
> > disappear, then 'peek a boo' up thru on the the "T"s in the pipe as if
to
> > say 'ha ha, I'm over here' LOL But if you don't glue it together and
> > leave it on the floor you can rearrange the layout often, which makes it
> > even more fun for them. I think the pipe I have is 6", but not sure.
It's
> > white PVC. She also loves to drag her favorite little toys and treats
in
> > there to hide them.
>
> Yeah, I'd like to put some on the floor too, but I don't have nearly as
> much floor space as I do ceiling space. If I did it, I would definately
> keep it totally enclosed. I was thinking of basically doing a lap around
> the perimeter with some T's of varying lengths peeking out toward the
> middle, with some plexiglass covering so she (they) can peek out. I
> don't think it would really matter much to her if it's on the ground or
> in the air as long as it's enclosed. I don't think I would have thought
> to use 6" pipe though; I was guessing around 3-4", but...
>
> > Another thing you might want to do is get a child's small plastic
swimming
> > pool and put in about 100 lbs of plain white rice (not instant) and let
them
> > go crazy diggin in it. You can even run a tunnel thru underneath the
rice
> > with a flexible, clear dryer hose (or any plastic flex dryer hose). Just
be
> > sure you ferrets don't eat the rice (I have heard of only a few who do -
> > kylie is one of them) The other option is to get about a hundred lbs of
> > children's playsand (clean) and put in the pool for them. They will dig
> > tunnels, etc and it's amazing to watch!
>
> That sounds like a lot of fun! I don't know where I would put it unless
> we save it for outside fun in warmer weather.
>
> Thanks,
> Randy.
>
> > jumpingmouse & kylie (who thinks home should be like Disneyland)
> >
> >
> > "Randy W. Sims" <RandyS@ThePierianSpring.org> wrote in message
> > news:IIecnQXV6onoB2aiRTvaKA@giganews.com...
> >
> >>I saw on Animal Planet <http://animal.discovery.com/> once where someone
> >>had a few cats and had created walkways for them throughout the house.
> >>These walkways where basically boards (very nicely done) hung about
> >>10-12" from the ceiling, and went from room to room-they had actually
> >>cut holes through the wall next to doors and made nice casings, etc. I
> >>didn't want to do anything that extravagant, but I was wondering if
> >>ferrets would enjoy something similar. I'd be afraid to leave it open as
> >>my (limited) experience has shown that ferrets are more likely than not
> >>to fall from perches and I don't think the do as well at landing, so I
> >>was thinking about running some PVC pipe around the perimeter of a
> >>single room (IIRC 12x16'). I'm not sure about what diameter to use, or
> >>what to use as a ramp up from the cage (about 5' off ground) to the
> >>walkway (about 7' off ground) as PVC might be too slick. Would ferrets
> >>even enjoy this?
> >>
> >>Just wondering,
> >>Randy.
> >
> >
> >
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