Vesna Kovach wrote: >As an experiment, when we replaced the tube, thought we'd splurge on the >Shephard & Green tube. What a difference! After two years, the tube is >completely intact! It costs more up front, but then you save... Hmmm...you're lucky! <G> My Shephard & Green tube lasted a total of 2 months!! My ferrets are still using it but it's now got many, many holes and tears in it (I watch to make sure no pieces get ripped away that could be eaten) and a section about 3' in from one end has been "sprung", the plastic torn between the wire coils for about a foot or so just leaving the plastic-coated wire with nothing in between. (I've been meaning to borrow some wire cutters from my dad to cut this end off.) Several shelters wrote to me a little while back when I posted about wanting a cheaper clear tube, and a number wrote back. There's several places that sell them for $12-16, some include s/h, others don't. Anyway that's what I'm going to do once I have the spare funds to get a new one! (WA-state) Megan & 5 tube-destroyin' fuzzbutts [Posted in FML issue 2573]