chin spin breaking cage?

[MamaJ]

Wow, I woke up last night to what sounded extra loud rattling of the chin spin. I finally peel myself out of bed to check and realize that one of the top bars has literally snapped in half from what I assume is the weight of the wheel combined with the impact of my little boy running like crazy. I am shocked, he isn't even fully grown yet.

I will have to "refurnish" the whole cage tonight and put the wheel on the other side.

Has this happened to anyone else? Anyway to avoid it happening again? Btw, I have a Feisty Ferret cage.

 

[Essentia]

I have seen it happen with a Feisty Ferret. They bars just aren't welded well. I would get a piece of KD pine cut into two pieces** (6 inches by 16 inches) and drill holes in the wood where with the wheel attaches to the cage. Put the wheel to the cage, and then through the wood, then put the washers on. The wood will keep the cage from rattling so much and will keep the wheel from putting the pressure on the bars. I hope this makes sense. I would take a picture but I don't have mine set up like this (though I am going to in the near future). Here is a picture of what I mean that Tara took of her cage, (I hope you don't mine me using it Tara!) though she did it with a flying saucer. Same premise though.

**I only say to get two pieces because it will be cheaper to get a thinner piece of pine. A pine board that is 6 inches wide and 3 ft long will only run you about $6 at home depot.

 

[mishellyshel]

the feisty ferret was one of my first cages and the bar broke just from my chin jumping on ledge! initially i glued it back and put a shelf over the break, eventually i had it welded. now most of my boys are in ferret nations and there have been no problems. but the FF has served me well. i think crysta's idea is great and 1 chin in a FF is a lucky boy.

 

[Kalandra]

Would any of you recommend doing this for a FF that hasn't broken (as a precaution)? And has anyone had it happen in a ferret nation?

 

[Chinmama]

ZZ broke the bars in his Quality Cage Mansion he was running on his flying saucer so hard.

 

[MamaJ]

1 chin in a FF is a lucky boy.

Haha, he IS spoiled, but I really would like to get him a buddy. I am just very worried the match may not work out and I will have to get a second FF/FN, my apartment isnt that big, haha.

 

[Essentia]

Would any of you recommend doing this for a FF that hasn't broken (as a precaution)? And has anyone had it happen in a ferret nation?

I highly recommend doing it for a FF that hasn't broken. I also recommend doing it for a Superpet cage, or any other cage that isn't super strongly welded. I have a wheel on every FN I have here and haven't had a problem, though I know some people use the wood just to keep down the cage shaking.

 

[Ziora]

The same thing happened to my FF from the chin spin. That's a good idea using the wood to brace the sides.

 

[chinnychinchinchilla]

if anyone has a picture of the wood trick with the chinspin and instead of the flying saucer that would be great. im a visual person

 

[cmor1031]

This actually happened to my Critter Nation cage in a few spots, but the bars didnt just break off from the weld on each of them, they actually broke right in half! So annoying!

 

[Alake]

How thick should the wood be?

 

[Alake]

How thick should the wood be?

 

[Essentia]

The wood doesn't need to be all that thick. 1/2in would be fine.