How do you clean the cage if it has a super large door, like a FN142?

[woolala]

I got my baby girl last weekend and prepared for her a feisty ferret cage. The cage has a very large front door though (see pic attached).

I just wonder how can I keep her inside without escaping when I open the door to clean up the cage? It's very hard to block the door completely.
I know FN has the same type of door, so how do you guys do it?

 

[Stackie]

Most of my chins just go up into their fleece tubes or higher corners of the cage while I'm cleaning. I do have one guy that loves to try to escape, however, so he goes into his carrier while I clean his cage.

 

[woolala]

She is only with me for four days and I still can't pick her up to move her anywhere. She tried hard to escape this morning, and successfully jumped off, which is very scary because her cage floor is 36 inch above the ground. She is only 2.5 months old but is very fast. My friend called her "silver lighting"...

 

[chinnmyheart]

cool cage I like how you decorate it

 

[cindyv3737]

Both Shelly and Artie leave me alone when I clean their cage. Button, hangs out in her carrier. She has taken on the roll of Houdini during cleaning times.

 

[BenD188]

Normally mine jump to the top shelves when I vacuum, so theres not a problem. If just opening one door at a time isn't working, you could try putting them in a carrier? That is what I did in the past when the cage needed some scrubbing.

I like what you did with the fleece pee guards. I was thinking of doing the same thing. How did you attach it to the cage? It would defiantly help keep the poo in.

 

[smhluvsmh]

I usually clean during playtime, but on the nights that we do not have playtime, 2 of my girls go into their tubes or on different shelves and the other just watches and explores the vacuum. They have never been allowed free exit of their cage so they really don't try to escape. Give her time. She will learn.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Just pick her up and put her in a carrier. She will not be traumatized by it, mad, maybe, traumatized, no. She will get used to it.

 

[Lillybabe]

You will have to figure out how to scoop her into a carrier. If you place the carrier right at the door opening she may crawl into it on her own and then you will not have to pick her up. Both of my girls who are only a bit older at 3 months will try to escape or get in the way while I am cleaning.

I love your cage setup however I wonder if she will use the litter box with the grate over it. I do not think my girls would... I think they would pee somewhere else if I did not have the litter box open for them to pee in. Also your chin is a bit young to litter train, doesn't pee get all over the tiles and on her fur? Or all over the wooden ledges?

If you have to chase her down because she's jumped from the cage it will be a lot more scary for her than being scooped up into a carrier.

 

[woolala]

Prepare a long strip of fleece (it should be longer than the perimeter of your cage).

Starting from one door walk the fleece around the cage and pass it through the bars occasionally (you want to keep the majority on the outside) until you reach the other door.

Flip the extras, tuck in, and fix with metal clip. Done!

Here are pictures of its side and front. I guess the picture may help you understand the process better.

Normally mine jump to the top shelves when I vacuum, so theres not a problem. If just opening one door at a time isn't working, you could try putting them in a carrier? That is what I did in the past when the cage needed some scrubbing.

I like what you did with the fleece pee guards. I was thinking of doing the same thing. How did you attach it to the cage? It would defiantly help keep the poo in.

 

[woolala]

At first I didn't cover the litter pan with grate, and she peed in it fine. But she also rolled in it, take bath in it, dig hard and threw most of the shavings out, etc.
So now I covered the pan with grate, fixed the grate to the cage so she cannot lift it up, and filled the pan with shavings. She can still reach for the shavings or pick up some with her hand but can't make a huge mess.
Ah, and...yes, she still choose to pee into the pan even when the grate is over it. There is no pee on the tile or on the shelves, and her fleece tube and hammock are very dry. I guess it's because I left some old/soiled shavings in the pan when I added the grate, so the smell guided her?

 

[woolala]

Just pick her up and put her in a carrier. She will not be traumatized by it, mad, maybe, traumatized, no. She will get used to it.

Pick her up by the base of her tail :hmm:? Never tried that... maybe I should...
Thanks!

 

[woolala]

You will have to figure out how to scoop her into a carrier. If you place the carrier right at the door opening she may crawl into it on her own and then you will not have to pick her up. Both of my girls who are only a bit older at 3 months will try to escape or get in the way while I am cleaning.

I'll definitely try that! Brilliant! Thanks

 

[Lillybabe]

You are very lucky! My girls are definitely not that potty trained.... they pee on the fleece liner some, quite a bit in the litter pans, and on the rare occasion I see a spot on a ledge.

 

[woolala]

You are very lucky! My girls are definitely not that potty trained.... they pee on the fleece liner some, quite a bit in the litter pans, and on the rare occasion I see a spot on a ledge.

Ah, in that case I believe it's really the tiles that does the trick.

I had fleece for two days and she peed everywhere though I left the litter pan open. But once I put down the tiles she went straight to the litter pan. I guess she hated peeing on a flat surface.

Anyway, I'm very proud of her!

 

[~Alex~]

You could also try putting out her dust bath, covering the openning when she is in it and putting her in a carrier or playpen. (whichever you have)

 

[Lillybabe]

The dustbath trick works in a pinch... but if you're spot cleaning the cage daily.. you don't really want to offer the dustbath that often. Also it gets your carrier or play area covered in dust. When I offer dust it's typically after I'm done doing my deeper cleaning/replacing the fleece. I find chinchillas aren't a lot of fun to handle when covered in dust. You get it in your eyes, nose, and mouth.. plus all over your hands and such. The Blue Cloud especially is very fine which is good for their fur but not good for my skin or respiratory system.

 

[ChinnieMommy87]

We clean ours during playtime. It helps that way the vacuum doesn't scare them to much and they don't get in the way.

 

[Godofgods]

Almost all of my chins will try to escape if i try to clean the cage. I usually do one of two things depending on how much needs to be done. I either work on while they are asleep and try not to wake them. Or i wait till the evening, and let them out to play while i clean. (their cages are in the same room that they play in. So i can still keep an eye on them)

And my momma chin is even more bold then the rest of them. She will hop in and out of the FN cage at will. With no help. Almost an 18 inch jump, and she does it with ease.

 

[Dewdrop]

When I first got them, I had to put them in a carrier during cage cleaning......Now they all ignore me and just jump up on some of the higher shelves..