Indoor play pen for Georgie

[squirrleyJay]

I was thinking of building Georgie an indoor play pen. My thoughts are to build it like a big wall to ceiling cab with wire mesh door panels.

Shelving here and there "play pen stuff"

I was thinking of lining the walls with carpet he can grip onto.

For the floor a nice cushion disposable bedding 4inch thick or so incase takes a fall or wants to burrow.

Any ideas suggestions or warnings about this please let me know.

[Rock Monkey]

I was thinking of building Georgie an indoor play pen. My thoughts are to build it like a big wall to ceiling cab with wire mesh door panels.

You might post a picture of the panels you intend to use? Some might be okay and some not.

This a project where the details matter, like what is sticking out and how things are assembled, with what matters, what sort of frame, etc.

[CritterMom]

You must use CUT PILE carpeting - I like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Foss-Unb...J1VH/202800194 and have used it in cages for many years. Loop pile rugs will catch their nails and cause injuries, they slide right through the cut pile. This stuff is unbound so you can cut with scissors.

1/2 x 1/2 inch hardware cloth for wire parts. It prevents them from chewing the wires, which is really bad for their teeth. They can't stick their snoot through far enough to chew.

[squirrleyJay]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/M6RBAzYjQnXayuUD8

This is a built in cabinet I'm currently finishing. I was thinking with some cut out mods to the center shelving, it might be nice for Georgie as a play pen. Its about 2' deep and ceiling height. Also in the link is what I was thinking of using for the door panels.

[squirrleyJay]

You must use CUT PILE carpeting - I like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Foss-Unb...J1VH/202800194 and have used it in cages for many years. Loop pile rugs will catch their nails and cause injuries, they slide right through the cut pile. This stuff is unbound so you can cut with scissors.

1/2 x 1/2 inch hardware cloth for wire parts. It prevents them from chewing the wires, which is really bad for their teeth. They can't stick their snoot through far enough to chew.

Thanks CritterMom, that carpeting is perfect! That will look nice.

[olorin19]

Whether in their cage for overwintering, their play area, or their release cage, I like to include newly cut hardwood branches. Some of these are horizontal for perching, vertical or diagonal for climbing, etc.

They can be attached to the cage and/or each other with wire or rope as needed.

I get freshly cut wood, so that there is green under the bark, as they like to chew on this.

I do not use fir, spruce, pine, etc. as the pitch, gum, etc. sticks to the squirrels.

One way to source this is to look out for tree trimmers then just ask. More often than not, when you tell them why you want it, they are happy to oblige and will cut it to length.

Besides these permanent large branches, I cut smaller fresh branches from trees and shrubs to give them some variety of fresh stuff to chew.

I also like to have one or more containers on the floor that contain bark mulch, so they have something in which to dig, bury nuts, etc. These containers of mulch can also contain the bottom ends of the large vertical branches.

[Rock Monkey]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/M6RBAzYjQnXayuUD8

This is a built in cabinet I'm currently finishing. I was thinking with some cut out mods to the center shelving, it might be nice for Georgie as a play pen. Its about 2' deep and ceiling height. Also in the link is what I was thinking of using for the door panels.

Whatever you make, expect it to be chewed on somewhere. So, basically, it will never be a nice piece of furniture after Georgie is done with it.