Playpen Fail

[broderp]

So we bought a playpen in an atempt to keep a better eye on our little guys when cleaning out thier cage. (Makes it a one person job) Its approx 4 ft in diameter and about 2 feet high.

All was well, until I had my back to the little buggers and was cleaning out the lower level on thier FN cage. I heard my wife snicker from across the room, followed about 2 seconds later by the familiar feeling of little feet on my back, crawling up to my head then jumping down to the room to run free.

Chili had jumped to the top of the playpen, balanced himself on the top of a wire fence, jumped about 3 feet to were I was.

Leys seeif a lid will hold them... :cry3:

 

[Mummypig]

:rolleyes2: Sneaky little critters. I've got a lid on my playpen - it only arrived today - and I'm so glad it has a lid because Jasmine climbed onto my shoulders and tried (but failed miserably) to jump out.

 

[alli713]

I'm not surprised they got out, 2 feet isn't very high at all. They can easily clear that.

You can try throwing a sheet over the pen, but they may still try to jump out. Some pens have custom made ones that velcro on, which would work a bit better.

 

[LittleTrinkets]

Heehee, chinchillas are such great little jumpers! I had the same surprise when I first got into chinnies.
I would definitely by a cover if you plan on using the playpen again when you can't keep an eye on your chinnies.

 

[cindyv3737]

:laughitup: :rofl: :hilarious:

Ok I'm done laughing. 2 feet is nothing for a chin. They love to jump and figure out how high they can go. I once watched my chin jump onto her old cage. It was 3.5 feet tall. I know she could have gone higher. Tossing a sheet or blanket on top of the playpen is not a bad idea. If your little houdini's figure out they can move the cover, they will. You can also toss them in the carrier while you clean.

I just had the same thing happen to me. I had blocked the levels of my 142 with spare fleece while I was cleaning. Well I was in complete cleaning mode and thought Shell was still running on her wheel. I turned around to get a clean liner and saw Shelly sitting on my bed looking very proud of herself. I tossed her into her carrier and found the "blocking" fleece on the floor.

Chins love to keep us on our toes. :neener:

 

[Chub_Chub]

We have the tall Ware playpen. Our first "oh jeez" with the playpen: I had left already and my BF was getting ready for work, Bowie was awake and so he put him in the playpen to give him a few minutes of fun. He's in the bathroom brushing his teeth and looks over to see Bowie sitting on the toilet lid, pleased as punch. "Look what I can do!" :laughitup: We almost changed his name to Houdini at one point.

 

[Amphy64]

:hilarious:
I'm only surprised it held them as long as it did! I've seen Henry do over four feet (he looked incredibly smug afterwards), so know they can easily clear 2ft. The first time I saw him on the windowsill was quite a shock (the little ratbag has now chewed all the plaster around the windows).
Hopefully a lid will keep your two escape artists in check, good luck. :thumbsup:

 

[Jenn]

Tinkerbell climbs onto my back to check out the top of the playpen, but I am careful to not let her get too close and so far she hasn't attempted to get out. I think I have the laziest chin in the world as my playpen works just fine for her. But you can either get a top for the pen, or you can use large sheets of cardboard, either on their own, or attach them to the pen to make it taller and harder for your chins to escape.

 

[Brittany]

:hilarious: So much intelligence for such tiny brains! My Lily had a 4ft vertical jump without trying. Good luck keeping them in. Once they learn how to do something they'll keep trying.

 

[Leowyldemi]

kishi has a 3 fot high fence that we make into a pen fr the animals to play in during cage cleanings(seperately of course)and she almost cleared that yesterday , if my daughter hadn't been watching her she might have done it

 

[starleomach]

I have seen them jump from the floor to countertops..I am usually shocked if a playpen works, definitly not when it doesn't

 

[mishellyshel]

i have an average playpen. there are items in there that they can jump on. out of 9 chinchillas only 1 jumps out. Richie figured it out right away and the only thing he does in there the whole time after dusting is try to get out. first time it happened, i put a fitted sheet over and he knocked it off and jumped out. now he scales the sides sits by the top and climbs under the sheet & jumps out. he seriously does this almost every single night. it is crazy. none of my other boys do this. i think once they figure it out......forget it! i am heading out this weekend to get a 2nd playpen to attach so they have more room and hopefully more tunnels & boxes to keep them busy especially my jail breaker!

btw........this is the same chin who i watched jump from a windowsill to the toilet to the ground before we had a playpen. and at times actually jumped from the floor to the counter and from the sill to the floor. a huge jump.