Hey all-
 
I also have a baby gate blocking off the doorway to my ferrets room, and
after having ferrets climb over it and, even worse, try to go through the
holes in the wires and get stuck mid-belly (requiring quick emergency work
with wire cutters), I found a very simple solution that has worked well
for several years now.  I got a scrap of linoleum (though it's not
linoleum anymore- it's vinyl floor material) from a carpet store for less
than a dollar, cut it to fit the inside surface of the baby gate, and
duct-taped it securely to the wooden frame of the gate.  Since the gate
is the kind that has 2 sections that slide over each other (and then has
the bar that locks it to the correct size on the outside) I actually cut
out a small piece of flooring first and taped it to the section of gate
that slides behind the other one (don't have to tape the 4th side where
it's behind the front gate section), then put a piece over the whole
front section.  I had one "digger" who tried to dig through the taped-down
corner but I kept a close eye on it and she was never able to dig through
the tape well enough to get the corner up.  Once a year or so (maybe
longer) I replace the tape or tape over sections that look like they might
be starting to come loose, but that's all the maintenance it's required.
They can't see through the gate like they could with plexiglass (we tried
a weezil-watchr gate but my jumper could get over it- I think they have
a taller version, though) or with the idea of nailing the plastic floor
runner to the gate, but they've never seemed to mind!  For those who
aren't handy with a drill, this might be an easier alternative.
 
Oh- I'm also the one who wrote a few weeks ago about having to move my 5
ferrets from their own room to cages only (with occasional run-around
time, and was asking about cage ideas.  I ended up talking to Martin's
Cages and ordered 2 big 3-story New Englander cages which Skip Martin
customized by cutting holes in the sides on the first 2 floors (which
caused a few other minor changes to be made) so I can atttach the 2 cages
together and have one giant cage.  I called and ordered them on Monday and
was shocked when they said they'd have them out on Tuesday!  They shipped
them Fed Ex ground (from Pennsylvania to Indiana) and they got here
yesterday, 4 days after I'd ordered them.  Amazing!  I haven't had a
chance to assemble them yet, but so far I have nothing but nice things
to say about the Martins!
 
Take care of those fuzzers-
Jamie and the Furr family
[Posted in FML issue 3668]