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[cadillactaste]

We just recently purchased a Ferret Nation cage for our new additions. And picked up one of our babies today but one is still being weened so he's still with the breeders.

I was wondering if there was a better pan for my cage than the metal ones that you can get at Bass Equipment? There's is 2 1/2 inches deep.


http://www.bassequipment.com/Cages/Ferret+Pans/default.aspx

He's such a darling fella...My son named him Nibbles.

[VenusTheChin]

I have not had any experience with the FN but I can tell you Nibbles is adorable!

[cadillactaste]

Thank you...we think so too.

[cadillactaste]

Contemplating a deep tray from Bass Equipment for the bottom level. And not sure if I'll later switch to linners with it. Currently I'm fighting bedding all over the place in my son's room...First mistake...putting cage beside his bed! He ended up sleeping in his brothers room last night due to bedding all over his bed from Nibbles being ornery...

Not sure what we're going to do...I don't believe I'll ever add the ladders to the cage...I am contemplating adding wooden ledges to help assist him getting from the top level to the bottom level. But I seriously am afraid to allow the entire cage to be open. For fear they will fall from the top and hurt themselves...But allowing them to go from the lower level to the top level...with ledges assisting them I believe is the route I plan on doing...But I "must" order deeper trays...

Though I was considering liners...making them...what with fleece right? I can't keep having such a mess in my son's room...So they what pee on them...and it is aborbent enough to take it?

[Jo Ann]

... not sure if I'll later switch to liners with it.

What are the liners made of?
Are they like piddle pads for dogs?
Are they accessible to the chins?

First mistake...putting cage beside his bed!

   That was the second mistake ... chinchillas are nocturnal and need to be where they will not disturb a human's sleep.   They can get pretty loud when they are playing at night.

   Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

... not sure if I'll later switch to liners with it.

What are the liners made of?
Are they like piddle pads for dogs?
Are they accessible to the chins?

First mistake...putting cage beside his bed!

   That was the second mistake ... chinchillas are nocturnal and need to be where they will not disturb a human's sleep.   They can get pretty loud when they are playing at night.

   Jo Ann

Liners is what I seen on another site...it's a cover made for the tray that is made out of fleece...sort of like a pillow cage if you will...that covers the tray...But not sure if I want to have "laundry" from the chin...when I have enough laundry from having a family with kids...

But I ordered a Bass Tray today...I heard another person on another site has the same cage as I do...and the trays fit real snug inside the cage. And they are metal and also deeper to help with the bedding all over the floor we are dealing with currently...I am going to try and litter train the chin...as mentioned in the magazine area of the forum. See how that fares... I'm holding off on ordering a second tray...I need to see if my chins will get along. So if they get along I'll order the pan that has the access hole in it for the lower level and they will have run of the entire cage. If they don't...I'll order a full tray that will go on the bottom level of the cage. And keep the Ferret Nation cage simply as two cages in one. Due to my having the full tray without the access hole in it currently on the top level of the cage.

As for the environment...my son's room is the quietest room in the house. Due to they have a rec. room in the basement that is finished off. With french doors leading to the patio from that room...which is opened during warmer months and we get a lot of neighborhood kids that have summer houses on the lake where we live. My son once asleep sleeps like a log...When my son is home during the day...the only time you'll catch him in his room is if he's reading a book. I wanted to put the chinchilla in the quietest room...with the least commotion. So I hope I hope it works out...

[Jo Ann]

   Sounds like your little one is in the right room.   

By litter train ... do you mean pee and poop or just pee?

They can be litter-trained in the urinating department, but not in the poop part ... it drops freely as they go from one place to another ... even when they are sleeping.   

I would think the laundry for chinchilla tray covers would be like going back to diaper changing ... no thanks!  Dumping the pine chips is much easier.   

    Jo Ann

P.S.   Nibbles is precious!

[cadillactaste]

Oh...just urinating in the litter box. I guess I should have been more clearer...

When we get all the kids in our house during the summer months...rule of the house is..."Take it downstairs" bedrooms are off limits. I don't need three rooms of the house trashed...rec. room is there to play in and downstairs so I don't have to pass an open door and see it.

Your thought on the liner is basically what I also thought...

And thanks for the compliment of our Nibbles...we think so too.

[cadillactaste]

Our tray came today...and boy is it LOUD!  I was wondering if ones would think it alright if I placed a fleece fabric under the tray to cut down on possibly some of the noise.

[Jo Ann]

   I'm not understanding ... how can the tray be loud?  Isn't it on the bottom of the cage on a solid surface?   

    Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

  I'm not understanding ... how can the tray be loud?  Isn't it on the bottom of the cage on a solid surface?   

    Jo Ann

The tray is metal...Which sits on a metal rack...not a solid rack...it just seems louder...it maybe his thick PVC bouncing too when he's jumping around...I gave him a chew stick...some are on his toy hanging in his cage...but last night he kept tossing it and it would bang on the metal...sort of an echo I guess...My son said it doesn't bother him...and he slept fine last night...I swear that kid sleeps like a log! I don't know if I could sleep in that room at night...I'm a light sleeper...

[Jo Ann]

   Oh, OK, now I understand.  A towel or light weight blanket between the metal rack and the tray is one way to muffle most of the sound.
A nice thick layer of bedding should help, too.

   Sounds like you have a very active little chin.  An active chin is a healthy chin.   

   Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

  I was trying to litter train...thus no bedding in the tray except his litter pan. But...if the noise of two become over bearing...I'll keep that in mind. And try the bedding in the trays. Our Nibbles throws it out in his rambunctiousness play...He's very healthy if that means active and about.

[Jo Ann]

   You can still liter train with bedding in the tray.  The training part is keeping the soiled litter in the litter pan (some use a ceramic potty made for ferrets as a litter pan) and when you find a spot he has urinated on in the other part of the tray, remove the wet litter to the training pan, wipe the regular tray area with a solution of vinegar and water and add a little fresh litter.

   Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

  You can still liter train with bedding in the tray.  The training part is keeping the soiled litter in the litter pan (some use a ceramic potty made for ferrets as a litter pan) and when you find a spot he has urinated on in the other part of the tray, remove the wet litter to the training pan, wipe the regular tray area with a solution of vinegar and water and add a little fresh litter.

   Jo Ann

Your just full of tidbits aren't you Jo Ann...Thanks! A ceramic potty...I need to locate one of those...currently I'm using a glass loaf pan.