Hi. So, I have a question... Has anyone else ever had a ferret "escape"
from a Ferret Nation cage? I didn't think it was possible until this
morning when my dog found one of my ferrets on the floor a few feet
from hers. Fortunately, she is quicker than he is and got under her
cage before he could "catch" her - he and another of my dogs think
ferrets are food (they are NEVER allowed around the ferrets when the
ferrets are out of their cage). It took me about 5 minutes to figure
out how she did it. Granted, I was really tired and it was dark out but
I figured it out in the end... Even more confusing since I've had the
2-story ferret nation cage for about 7 years now and about 8 ferrets
and nothing like this has ever happened. My current two have been in
there for 5 years or so now (they are about 7 ish I think - rescues).
So, are you all ready to hear how she did it? Well, she used her head
as a sort of "wedge" and bent the bars all around the side and back of
the cage until she found two she could bend far enough apart to squeeze
through. Didn't think it could be done did you? Me neither until now...
The worst part is that now that she knows "how" to do it, she will do
it over and over again no matter what cage I put her in (and this one
has - had - very sturdy bars over other brands) so a "new" cage is
"out". My best solution at the moment is that I went to the hardware
store and bought that rectangular, mesh-type garden fencing (the type
that is about 1/2 inch by 1 inch rectangel pattern) and cut it to fit
the frame of the cage. I only cut it high enough to go to or above the
first "rung" of the bars of the cage hoping it will be high enough
to deter her from trying it one row up. I zip-tied the crap out of
it! Those should work if/until she realizes she can "chew" through
the zip-ties should she so desire. They do, however make stainless
zip-ties. More expensive, but she can't get through those if it becomes
an issue. Can't use wire wrap because I don't want the dogs or ferrets
to hurt themselves. The ferrets play in the cage sometimes and roll
into everything and the dogs like to put their paws up and "watch" the
ferrets from time to time. Well, wish me lukc with my escape artist.
And let this be a "warning" to everyone that even the ferret nation
cage is no match for a determined ferret!

Kate
With weasels Juno (aka jail breaker) and Kombi

[Posted in FML 7329]