Well, borrowing on a previously successful attempt of mine and some list
suggestions, yesterday i made three new hammocks for my ferrets - no sewing
necessary.
 
Ingredients:
 
One old pair sweatpants
One pillowcase
Scissors
Hammer
Kitten
(from fabric store):
Installable 'eyelets' - these come fairly large
 
These can be made to fit your cage, which is the nice bit.  Take the old
sweatpants and stretch the leg out between the two sides of the cage it will
hang from - cut it at that length.  With the scissors, punch a small hole at
the large, newly cut end.  Punch a matching hole at the ankle end (i put it
right above the elastic cuff/seam), making sure to remember that the holes
must be lined up so that the leg will hang evenly.  Install one eyelet in
each hole - you get to bang on things with the hammer at this point!  I
removed the elastic from the ankle cuff because i have elastic-hungry
ferrets, but you might not have to do that.  Hang the new hammock up with
whatever you'd like - you can use twist-ties, shoelaces, velcro, or go out
and buy hooks if the kitten in your house makes it too difficult to use
shoelaces for any household project.  Makes two hammocks and one pair of
sweat-shorts *grin*.
 
Pillowcase: a whole pillowcase fit nicely into one of my cages, but you
might need to cut extra off one of the narrow ends.  Size pillowcase to fit
cage, cutting size from the narrow (ie, already open), not the wide, sides,
and then install eyelets in the four corners, hang, and voila.  Stuff with
towels and happy ferrets.
 
These two things are very cheap - the box of eyelets costs maybe $3.00,
tops - and are tremendously washable in the laundry.  That is, if you dont
affix them to the cage with superglue, or something like that.  :) It only
takes me a few seconds to remove all hammocks from all cages to toss them
into the wash, and they're cheap enough to provide several for each ferret.
 
Melissa
 
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      Melissa Litwicki                              "Is it ... atomic?"
      [log in to unmask]                             "Yes! VERY atomic!"
[Posted in FML issue 1807]