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Post by christina127 on Jan 22, 2010 15:25:54 GMT -4
This one looks good 2. Attachments:
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Post by ruckus on Jan 22, 2010 15:40:24 GMT -4
Not to easy to clean though, the doors look really small and you probably wouldn't be able to reach the corners very well.
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Post by Johnny and Demon on Jan 22, 2010 16:08:58 GMT -4
You can't seperate the top and the bottom of this cage. My friend has one (this is the Marshall Penthouse). Its the same with the Marshall Townhouse.
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mindy
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Post by mindy on Jan 22, 2010 16:56:23 GMT -4
The cage looks like it has much less space than the Ferret Nation. If you thought the FN was too small, why are you looking at a smaller cage? Why are you planning only to have it for a year?
And, why would you weld the cage into 2 separate sections? That makes no sense to me at all. Baby and Rickey should soon be able to be in the same cage.
Edit: I just had a better look at that cage. It looks like it is horribly designed. The levels are much to small. Ferrets are long critters, a short level like that makes no sense to me at all. Also, the levels are plastic, you cannot weld plastic.
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Post by Johnny and Demon on Jan 22, 2010 17:04:44 GMT -4
This is my friend's Marshall Penthouse : The Marshall Penthouse and Townhouse are smaller than the Marshall Estate or the Ferret Nation by Midwest. You can put the ramps as you like but you can not seperate the cage in a half it will be way smaller that the cage you have right now for your ferrets. EDIT : I really find the Ferret Nation and Marshall Estate are the only suitable ferret cages. (My opinion) Of course you have to cover the levels but they are still the best. Easy to clean and plenty of space for multiple ferrets. Here's more pictures of the Penthouse to give you an idea :
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mindy
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Post by mindy on Jan 22, 2010 20:28:01 GMT -4
Even if they have their own room you still need a cage. My ferrets have a cage and they have their own room. They are in their cage when I am at work and when I am sleeping. When I am home they can be out in their room but they cannot be out if I am not home. It is just not safe.
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Post by christina127 on Jan 22, 2010 20:36:50 GMT -4
Annik doesnt lock her ferrets up when she is gone
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Post by Tressie on Jan 22, 2010 20:41:27 GMT -4
Hi Christina,
Take a deep breath and think what is the best home for them right now? Many, many things can happen a year from now.
For those of us who have had ferrets for a number of years, we know the reality is that a ferret can be stricken with an unexpected illness very quickly. The time they have with us is too short and therefore, very precious.
To a ferret, one month is equivalent to one year. That would be like waiting 12 years for a better home.
Not only is the Marshall Penthouse smaller than what you had said you wanted to begin with, it is not a safe set-up. The platforms are way too small, the ramps too steep. They could easily fall off and get seriously injured.
Ferrets require more floor space than vertical space.
The Ferret Nation as Mindy mentioned, can be separated into two sections quite easily without welding or jury-rigging. There's a way for the middle ramp to be attached and separate the sections. When they get along better all you have to do is undo the ramp and it becomes one cage again.
It sounds like you are getting really frustrated because they aren't getting along as quickly as you hoped they would, and maybe are looking to find some way to cage them separately but give them each lots of room? Is that about right?
Its okay if they aren't perfect friends just yet. For some it does take time.
What is the biggest problem you are experiencing with them?
Tressie
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Post by Johnny and Demon on Jan 22, 2010 20:42:52 GMT -4
My ferrets has a room without heater, holes, electric stuff and whatsoever that can be a danger. They never had a cage. Never. However Tressie told me the ferret nation is a safe place when I'm gone. Well .. I am still thinking about it .. I'm not sure but I know I must buy the ferret nation because we are moving into a new house in 3-4 weeks I will put them in the cage to ferret proof their new room. I was thinking about giving them a room back but Tressie told me I should keep the FN when I'm gone I am a bit confused, I always thought a ferret proofed room was as good as a ferret nation if you carefuly proof iot with ferret in mind and if its not too big (in case of a fire, you should know where your ferrets are).
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Post by christina127 on Jan 22, 2010 20:45:00 GMT -4
The play fine together outside the cage. if i put them in the cage together Rickey hisses as baby and then they bite .. Rickey dont like anyone in his beds.. but outta the cage they lie together play eat treets..etc.. Its just inside the cage.
.. Also do they need levels.. you said they need more floor space..at the pet store in GF 1 town away they have a HUGE 1 level and a half cage.. i could just get 2 of those..
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Post by christina127 on Jan 22, 2010 20:46:47 GMT -4
See outta the cage there good. what can i do to help them be like this inside the cage Attachments:
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Post by Tressie on Jan 22, 2010 21:17:43 GMT -4
OK - two different issues to address.
Annik - it is always best to have a cage to keep ferrets in for the night when you are asleep or when you aren't home. There is no such a thing as a perfectly ferret-proofed room. Just when you think you've ferret proofed everything, along comes a ferret that proves you wrong.
All the experts with far more years of experience than I, recommend caging them when you aren't home, for their own safety. It is not a hardship for ferrets to have the safety and security of a cage when they are asleep or when you aren't home.
Christina - If they get along outside the cage, that is a positive sign that it is simply a matter of time when they will sleep together happily. However, I agree with you that you shouldn't push it until they are ready.
I see two reasonable options that you have:
1. Get the Ferret Nation and separate the levels until they get along. That way each will have plenty of room and stress levels during bedtime will be reduced for all three of you.
2. Get two separate cages and keep each in his own cage during bedtime and when you are away from home.
If and when you move, you can decide what you want to do at that time, given how they get along by then.
But make their time with you right now, count. It needs to be as good as it can be! In ferret time, a year is an eternity away.
It is right now that their time with you is most precious. It is right now that good memories are being created.
Imagine having a baby, you would not put it on the floor, if you had a crib to put it in.
Ferrets aren't human babies of course. But they do depend on us, in the same way a baby depends on us, to keep them safe and from harm. We do this by providing for them what they need to be safe. And ferrets need a cage to keep them safe when we can't be there to protect them from their natural curiosity, which can get them into trouble.
Tressie
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Post by Tressie on Jan 22, 2010 21:25:12 GMT -4
PS - send my last post before I saw your last one.
Time - be patient. They will eventually get along as well inside the cage as they do outside the cage.
It sounds like Baby is the one who wants to cuddle, whereas, Rickey is not quite ready.
A brand new cage will be a new space to both of them and they are more likely to get along quicker in a new cage they are discovering together.
If you have room for a cage with a larger floor space then that should work fine. Most people don't have the floor space and so go for the levelled cages.
Tressie
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mindy
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Post by mindy on Jan 22, 2010 21:47:05 GMT -4
I keep my dogs in kennels when I am not home and I keep my ferrets in their cage when I am not home. It is all about the safety of the animals. I would never forgive myself if they got hurt because they were roaming around when I wasn't there to supervise them. There are just so many things they can get into. It is just not worth it.
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Post by Ashley on Jan 22, 2010 22:03:49 GMT -4
If your ferrets aren't getting along while in their cage together just yet, than I will agree that the Ferret Nation is by far the best ferret cage available! Having personally had many ferrets coming in and out of my home I've needed to make separate living areas with not much notice, and the ferret nation is the perfect solution for this. If you ever need to separate any ferrets, for any reason, it takes only a second to make two different cages for them by flipping up the ladder in the middle level.
As for not caging your ferrets, I have two ferret nation cages, as I have two different play group. My ferrets also have their own bedroom, which is divided into two sections with a Marshall's playpen securely bolted to the wall. My ferrets have had their own room for 5 months now and the only time they go in their cage is at night time, simply so they don't get sick of their room and are excited to be let out again every morning. If it were not for that reason I would never cage my ferrets.
I agree some rooms can never be ferret proofed, but as long as you know what you're doing and there is literally nothing in their room but a door and a window 5 feet off the ground than it can be just as safe as a cage. My ferrets bedroom is exactly that, their bedroom. While I'm home I let them out into the rest of my house for supervised play.
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Post by Tressie on Jan 23, 2010 7:31:07 GMT -4
You have a lot of experience with ferrets Ashley, and I have no doubt that if you say your room is ferret-proofed, it is. I am also confident that you would have provided a safe environment for them in their ferret room. I am assuming they can access their cage when you aren't home? However, for first time ferret owners, I think there are so many things people don't realize could be a problem. Here's an excerpt from Dr. Strong (Emergency Clinic vet who has ferrets): BEGIN QUOTE: Cages and housing: Although some people keep ferrets uncaged in their homes, I feel that a cage is a very good thing to have. I mentioned that ferrets are persistant, and something in your home that has never posed a threat to your ferret for years may someday surprise you. I say this from experience. My ferrets were "free range" for years. We had a large glass vase (3' tall and 4"diameter) that we dropped pocket change into. One morning I woke to see that a toss cushion had been knocked over against the vase and Newton had used it to climb into the vase headfirst. She was stuck and had been in the vase upside down all night. She was delirious and dehydrated when I rescued her. A cage is a great safety investment. You may buy one or build one yourself. We used a large dog crate modified with half inch square wire mesh attached to the walls for our ferrets when we began confining them. It held their litterbox, a hammock, a water bottle and a j-feeder. It had 6 square feet of living space for the two ferrets we had at the time. When we got Mojo, our third ferret, we decided to expand. My father in law helped us to build a three-level oak cage that fit in with the decor of our livingroom much better than the dog crate had, and it provides much more space for our ferrets (photo to the left SEE LINK BELOW). It's dimensions are 2' deep, 3' wide and 4' tall. The three levels provide almost 18 square feet of living space. We are able to use one level as a "rec-room," one as the "bedroom" and one for food and litterbox. If you build a cage, make it easy to pass through a doorway (2'x3'). In the event of a fire, firefighters will make an effort to retrieve caged animals, but only if it can be quickly and easily removed. When choosing a cage for your ferret keep in mind what kind of animal a ferret is. They are not arboreal. They do best with long, wide floorspace. There are ferret cages for sale that have short benches and are built vertically. Undoubtably many ferret owners use these cages without problems, but they provide little floorspace and geriatric or ill ferrets may have problems navigating the narrow shelves to get to their hammocks. I knew someone who kept her ferrets comfortably in two rabbit cages that were joined together by PVC pipe (holes were cut in the plastic bottoms to fit the pipe through and pipe strapping was cinched around the pipes to hold them in place). This gave the ferrets double the space that typical pet cages provide. There are also plastic cages that come with built-in corner litterboxes and feed troughs that work well for ferrets. Because ferrets sleep most of the day, a cage with 4 to 6 square feet of floorspace can accommodate one or two ferrets provided that they are given plenty of playtime out of their cage. END QUOTELink: www.ferretvet.ca/information.html#CagesAnchorShe mentions some good ideas! Tressie
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Post by Ashley on Jan 23, 2010 7:37:44 GMT -4
I would just like to clarify a bit more about not caging your ferrets. Christina, I would not recommend you not cage your ferrets just yet. The only way I believe not caging ferrets is okay is if they have their very own bedroom, meaning the sole purpose of that room is to house your ferrets. While I had my ferrets and still lived at home with my parents, I knew my room was ferret proofed, but it was my bedroom before theirs, and even though I new it was safe I had so many things in my room that they could easily got into trouble and hurt themselves, it's as easy as climbing up on a bookshelf and falling down or them eating an earing, or a small piece of...well anything you forgot to pick up off the floor. I also would never let my ferrets free roam in my old apartment because who knows what they would have got into while I was not home. My point being, Christina, until you are able to give them their very own bedroom with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in that room but their toys, and an extremely durable and ferret proofed baby gate, I would not recommend you leave them out while you're not home. Ashley
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Post by Johnny and Demon on Jan 23, 2010 10:08:57 GMT -4
Ok I am still confused lol What do you think everyone :
My ferrets have their own bederoom with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING than a window and a door , litter boxes, puppy pads, water dishes, food, toys (that I double check every day and night). No heaters, no electrical plugs, etc. I took my idea from a friend of mine - she has ferrets for more than 20 years and now she has her own room she gave a room for her 2 ferrets (they are 8 years old now). My ferrets are almost 2 years old now and they NEVER been caged before, but I will buy a Ferret Nation because we are moving into a new house in 3 weeks. I was thinking about giving them their room back, its a small room just like the one I have for them now. I do not want to give a large room because in case of fire, I want to find them quickly - if you know what I mean. Do you think if I can empty the new room like I did with the one they have right now it would be safe ? Or should I still keep them in a Ferret Nation cage ? If so, I'm better get a FN right now ;D lol
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Post by christina127 on Jan 23, 2010 11:39:22 GMT -4
The only way I believe not caging ferrets is okay is if they have their very own bedroom, meaning the sole purpose of that room is to house your ferrets. My point being, Christina, until you are able to give them their very own bedroom with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in that room but their toys That is exactlly what i mean. i will be leving my perents home at somepoint this year.. i am planing on giving the boys a full room for them only. nothing else in there but them their toys food water beds and of corse litter boxes.
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Post by Tressie on Jan 23, 2010 14:03:51 GMT -4
Annik - you will have to make that decision for yourself.
You are getting varying opinions from experienced ferret folk who differ on this point.
My ferrets have their own room as well. I have 3 Ferret Nation cages in there. I also have 3 separate play groups.
Now Tortellini who is my climber, will climb up on the Ferret Nation cages if left to her own devices, I know I have to cage her when I go out, or she could fall and hurt herself. So she shares the Ferret Nation cage with Sadie who needs peace and quiet and not to be bugged by other ferrets when I'm out. These two are my senior ladies and get along fabulously.
Bellissima and Carissima have to stay in their cage when I'm gone, because they don't get along with anyone else, plus neither are descented. They are both blind from juvenile cataracts and Carissima has a deformed front paw. For their own safety, they remain in their cage when I'm out.
Cannoli is too fat to climb up anywhere and he's not very active, so he gets to sleep in the dresser when I'm out. Dolcezze, is up briefly in the morning until he gets his pred, then he doesn't get up again until evening, so he also gets to sleep in the dresser. Donnola has odd schedules (beats to own internal drum) and doesn't get along with many ferrets, but does get along with Cannoli and Dolcezze so she also gets to sleep in the dresser with the big boys.
Finally my two youngsters, Cremino, the baby and Cappuccino, the teen share a cage and because of their age and inexperience, and foolishness, they remain in the cage when I'm out.
All of this to say that you have to use common sense and do what is best for your particular ferrets in a way that will ensure their safety, and that fits in with your comfort level and your lifestyle.
If you can afford it, a Ferret Nation cage is great to have! You can remove the bottom doors and put a step stool or ramp to the entrance so they can come and go as they please. And when and if needed, they can remain safely in their cage. One day, one or the other will require surgery (they all eventually do, for one thing or another) and having a cage to keep one in during convalescence will be a godsend.
Many things to consider, but ultimately the decision is yours, what is important is that it is an informed decision and in your case that is certainly true. You are carefully weighing the pros and cons and that is part of being informed.
Tressie
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