For some reason he just won't do it...

[Floppysquirrel04]

I'm not quite sure where to put this, but isn't life threatening and I need help (?). Ace my flyer does not like the bottom of the critter nation he is in. The middle level is taken off, and he only has one of the ledges, near the top. It's not much of a problem, but I am planning some fun activities for him, like a dig box and maybe something else, and it will only fit on the bottom. Is there anyway I can get him to get used to the bottom without scaring him or grabbing him? Even when I put treats down there he doesn't stay down there.

[Jen413]

My guy doesn't care much for the bottom either. He goes down there to pee or if he's trying to tell me to get him out. Other than that he stays at the top. I think it's just an issue of it's closer to the ground then he wants to be. I put a dig box in there at one time and he did go down there and play in it. I even planted grass seed and he LOVED it. Only problem was, he buried food in it so it began to mold. Now he's got a big bin in there with carefresh bedding he buries stuff in and it won't mold. He's got a dig box outside of his cage that he plays in now.:grin2

[Floppysquirrel04]

Oh ok. Thanks. I have tried carefresh and he didn't seem to like it much... or maybe it was because he didn't like the container it was in. I'm gonna try eco earth coco fiber, and cross my fingers that it won't mold ;)

[Jen413]

I guess I should have been clearer about his dig box outside his cage, it is filled with dirt. :) He doesn't bury food in it when it's outside his cage. The one inside his cage has carefresh along with leaves from outside that he always puts in there.

[Floppysquirrel04]

That's a good idea... thanks! Can you send me a pic maybe if how you made them? It's ok if u can't

[Jen413]

I have two. They are both just planters. One has nothing but organic potting soil. The other I planted bird seed in. The one in his cage is just a big round bucket with care fresh in it. Nothing fancy. I'll see if I can find a pic of the planter with the bird seed in his thread and copy it here.


Edit: Post 208/209 in his thread here: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?55205-Sammy-Baby&p=1197333&highlight=bird+seed#post1197333

[Floppysquirrel04]

That's so funny... ty for the help!

[CritterMom]

You need to add a lot of cover to make him happy. I have my flyer's wheel near the bottom of his CN so he can easily hop on and off and he spends half his time down there.

The cage is open only on the front - I have the back, top and sides covered with sheets that I have attached to the outside. All over the walls of the cage on the inside I have cut long strips of fleece - some hang straight down like a curtain, some are woven through the bars...some hang from the top all the way to the bottom so he can Tarzan around on them. On the floor in front of the wheel is "Fluff Mountain" which is a big pile of pieces of microfleece cut into small squares and piled up against the front of the cage. He feels very secure because he has a million places to hide and never is out in the open. He spends most of his night running on his wheel and leaping off and diving into Fluff Mountain and crawling around through it and then back to the wheel.

Wide open spaces are not a flyer's friend!

Go to https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?41104-Little-Laz-for-now/page5 and look at post #90 - it doesn't show Fluff Mountain but it may give you some ideas.

[Floppysquirrel04]

Omgosh... that's the best idea I've heard all year. Can't wait to do it, because I've tried to put his wheel down there and he doesn't like it, and this is gonna leave so much more room for other things! Tysm!