cage concerns

[kackoff]

I moved my little (no longer) bald baby to a larger cage -- a large guinea pig sized cage. Gulliver can climb all around -- upside-down and sideways. He has a climbing tree, ferret hammock, rope toy, a perch to run on, cuttle bone, water bottle, a little hanging fleece nest, and a tube to run through.

He is a little skittish, but paused to eat, so is settling in.

I put 3 little fleece "blankets" up in the hammock. He's pulled them all down and has made a nest on the floor of the cage (he slept in an aquarium, nestled into a corner when I first got him).

Should I just let him find his way and gain confidence with his hammock? Or is there something I can do to encourage him to use it? I am concerned that he not get comfortable nesting on the ground, as I hope to release him in the spring, if he continues to thrive.

I am looking at even larger cages for the next step -- unfortunately they are quite expensive, partly because I need a tight bar spacing as Gully is small. I am not equipped to make my own. But a step at a time.

[lookmomchickens]

They make a wooden nest box at Petsmart for guniea (sp) pigs... Try using that, just as an option instead of just loose blankets. You could put the nesting box on the bottom of the cage, it just gives them more cover/protection and allows them to feel secure. When you hung the hammock, did you hang it sprawled out, almost flat? Or did you hang the hooks close together so it kind of droops making like a deep pocket? Ike will have nothing to do with the hammock if it's all stretch out where he can't bury inside of it... he'll only get in it if it hans loose & makes that pocket.

Ike has a hammock AND a nesting box and he's constantly dragging his "blankies" back and forth between the two... just whatever he feels like sleeping in.

[Peaches]

I have a 6 yr old female gray who sleeps on the ground. I have tried everything to get her to sleep in a nest box or sleepy ball, but no matter what I've tried she sleeps on the ground. I went so far as to clutter her cage floor with food bowls, toys, tree branches with leaves and blocks of wood, she pushed them aside and curled up in the corner. I tried to release her several times back when she was young but she would always curl up under a tree for a nap and I would have to go get her. After the first year I gave up trying to release her and kept her inside. For the first time this Oct and Nov she slept in her sleepy ball for 7 weeks straight, now she's back on the ground sleeping as I speak lol. Hopefully Gulliver has better natural instincts than my Girlie.

[kackoff]

Thank you Peaches and lookmomchickens -- this makes me feel better. I didn't want to put a wooden nestbox in the cage -- it takes up so much room. I wanted, originally to hang it on the outside of the cage, but I have been warned that squirrels can make fast work of chewing through the wood. Perhaps he's too little just now, and it would be OK? But he might not take to this either (he's ignored a little fleece, hanging nest thing). So perhaps I'll get a rodent "hut" and place it on the bottom of his cage to provide him with a more sheltered sleeping area.

He does love his little fleece blankies!

With Gulliver sleeping on the cage floor, it makes cleaning the cage a little more difficult! ;-) Mind you, the cage is up on a table, so he isn't on the drafty floor. And I also drape some fleece off the back of the cage, so he has a bit more of "protected" area where he can go if he wants.

And yes, I do have the hammock stretched out -- will try hanging it so it makes more of a pocket, and see if maybe he likes that better. Thank you for the suggestion.

I do hope he grows out of it so he can be released. But one step at a time. First he has to work on growing back his fur -- thankfully, it's growing in beautifully.

Thank you -- this is a great board!

[kackoff]

I have a cage picked out...

http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/category/default.aspx?maincatid=27&subcat=4&submenu=0&catid=140

Scroll to bottom, and it is the cage at the right -- 36x24x63. 1/2-in bar spacing (Gulliver is a red squirrel). One very attractive feature is that the ramps swing up to secure one section, and you can then clean the other without worrying about escapes (Gulliver's FAST).

What do you think?

[Ardilla]

I'm concerned that the floor panels look plastic. What if he chews through and gets out?

[kackoff]

Good point, I'll check it out. The middle tray wouldn't be an issue, but the bottom would, indeed. I'll call the manufacturer and ask about what is underneath the bottom tray. Thanks for catching that!




I'm concerned that the floor panels look plastic. What if he chews through and gets out?

[Ardilla]

It's *probably* metal under there, since it's designed for rats, and all rodents chew, but I'd want to be sure before ordering. :)

[kackoff]

I found the assembly instructions online, and the bottom-most panel is exactly the same as the top of the cage, with 1/2-in spacing. But I'll call to confirm before I order. Thanks!



It's *probably* metal under there, since it's designed for rats, and all rodents chew, but I'd want to be sure before ordering. :)

[Ardilla]

Excellent. :thumbsup It looks like a really nice cage.

[scurry'smama]

Hi there. I have a cage for Scurry, our 5 month old grey, a lot of the shelves and a ramp are heavy plastic and the base is very thick heavy plastic. She hasn't had any escapes, nor does she chew too much on those parts of her cage. We also installed wooden shelves and she has a wooden nest box to sleep in. Her favorite part is an enclosed pink cat princess bed that has sheer drapes over the entry way. She gnaws on everything a little but really makes good use of the wood and chewy things given to her.

[Theodore's Mommy]

When I first moved Theodore to the bigger cage, he as well would only sleep on the floor of the cage. He wanted nothing to do with the triangle/hammock I had purchased for him. After I seen he wouldn't sleep in the hammock, or the house (which was on the top level of the cage) I simply moved the house down to the bottom of the cage. I, too, give him small blankets. He just pulls the blankets into the house and will sleep away. I'd say give it some time and your lil guy should start exploring more of the cage. Theodore eventually took his blankets up to the hanging triangle and slept in it. Don't be surprised if he goes back and forth...they sure are picky ones! :wave123

[kackoff]

I notice many cages are quite tall -- do you think that I should opt for a taller cage? Gulliver is a red squirrel, so is smaller. These cages aren't cheap, so I'm trying to get something that would work well for him and also be affordable.

I'm hoping to release him in the spring, which I don't think will be an issue, as he is quite shy and skittish. He even hides when I change his food dishes. (Although I can rub his ears, if I search him out, under his blankies.)

Thank you for the info on the beds. He hasn't explored everything yet, but I hope he will. I want him to get used to some of the things, as I will move these into his larger cage. Don't know yet what I'll do about a release cage. Though I plan to put the cage on my front porch (backyard isn't any good; I have dogs). Then I plan to put his nestbox up on one of the porch pillars. I doubt he'll hang around very long. He is meant to be wild, but I'll provide food as long as he needs and wants it. This is all assuming he has no further problems with hair loss, having started out as a baldie.

So I want a cage that can work if I end up not being able to release him, for whatever reason.

I also want to find what I see a number of people have -- little hanging huts, which I expect are meant for ferrets.

But for now he's eating very well. Is coppery bright and fur just shines. Can't wait till he develops little ear tufts!





When I first moved Theodore to the bigger cage, he as well would only sleep on the floor of the cage. He wanted nothing to do with the triangle/hammock I had purchased for him. After I seen he wouldn't sleep in the hammock, or the house (which was on the top level of the cage) I simply moved the house down to the bottom of the cage. I, too, give him small blankets. He just pulls the blankets into the house and will sleep away. I'd say give it some time and your lil guy should start exploring more of the cage. Theodore eventually took his blankets up to the hanging triangle and slept in it. Don't be surprised if he goes back and forth...they sure are picky ones! :wave123

[kimpamwright]

This is the cage we have for Rocky, also a Red, got it at petco 69.00, it now has a large running wheel hanging from the side(also petco) which he loves to play in.