I lost RePete and shortly after I lost my mother. This has been a
most difficult month, probably the very most difficult month ever
in my life. But all such things come to a person if you live that
long and is just my turn for these devastating experiences.

So I have come to the decision I will have another ferret. The cage
needed a clean, was just done but did it again today.

This cage started as a simple rabbit cage from a pet store. It was 20
inches wide and 36 inches long with one door in it. I had purchased
Byte-me from a store and she was running around 'helping' me assemble
that cage. That was a blast!

Over time I needed a bigger cage. So I bought two more rabbit cages and
assembled them on top of another to make a big one. And then Lee wanted
a big cage so he bought a 100 foot roll of the wire and I made one for
him. The rabbit cages left me with two more bottom pans that I put
handles on to slide out for cleaning. This has worked great !

With the wire Lee had I built two cages and added a bit more to mine so
over all I made 3 cages 36 inches wide, 20 inches deep, 68 inches of
fert living height and 73 inches over all when the wood frame bottom
and wheels are added in. No two cages were alike. Two had balconies
and I have the only one with a full balcony. Byte-me loved that, but
not all ferts did.

I use a 'J' feeder on the outside and made a platform for a self
filling water 'jug' from Walmart, it holds about a gallon of water. Is
easy to clean and held in place with a gilguy rubber stretch hooked
thingy found in most hardware depts. This has worked out perfect! They
can drink naturally and always have a plentiful supply of water. I put
the litter pan on the bottom and have made a special one where they
have easy access in and out. Most use this but from time to time one
or more will pick a different spot so the cage has to be cleaned now
and then, but over all this cage is magnificent.

Over time I have added floors and doors to access every part of the
cage easily. The many floors, this one has 5 plus a balcony, make for
a ton of living area and places to play. I also built a wood box about
10" cube with a top that just lifts off and the inside is lined on the
bottom and sides with carpet. All ferrets love this, they go inside to
sleep. The hole is a door knob hole made with a drill and a door knob
hole attachment. RePete used to yank a pillow case into the hole to
plug it up, his body heat kept it warm and toasty inside. But to
prevent him smothering I made the top so it never set fully on sealed,
it left about a 3/32" crack all around the top for ventilation. This
worked out fine.

So that is where my ferts live when I am at work. Otherwise they are
out with me. They get plenty of 'out' time in my house. This makes
more work for me where they leave 'gifts' for me all over but that is
what you get when you have a ferret so I have come to live with it.

Maybe some day soon there will the pitter patter of little clawed
fanged teethed creatures waddling about my home again.

Gordon

Rev. J. Gordon Bengtson
Aarrow Ranch Aviation
Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111 

[Posted in FML 5718]