Chinchilla dog playpen

[coffeebeans]

Good afternoon. I know this has been asked SEVERAL TIMES, but i've been trying to find a playpen for my adopted chinchilla. I would love to get a dog playpen, but the issues I am having is that the gaps between each wire is way too big, and/or its not tall enough. My chinchilla isnt much of a jumper, but i REALLY dont want to take the risk. I've seen people on here using cardboard, but in order for me to get enough cardboard for his play area, it costs almost $200. And both me and my husband feel like if we're spending that much money, we might as well get a dog pen. I have also heard of people using the bathroom as their play area, but our bathroom is WAY TOO SMALL for that. Not to mention both me and my husband want to be with our chinchilla (Gizmo) while he plays, which would give Giz less room in there.

Any help would really be appreciated. Like I said, I know this question has been asked fifty thousand times already, but I'm stuck. I've looked for more hours than id like to admit online trying to find something suitable for gizmo. I know that people get those pet tents, but I want that to be a last resort, because i dont want him to feel like hes caged off 24/7.

thank you

 

[Spodumena]

Some suggestions have been put up here, which might be helpful:

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47439&highlight=playpen

Is cardboard really that expensive where you are? Even getting reinforced tape and large boxes for moving and then breaking them down to make a tallish pen shouldn't be $200.

I'm still thinking through the playpen idea too. Luckily I just moved house so happen to have large, study, (and still clean) cardboard boxes that we've taped together to form an accordion pen for them.

I'm sure others will have more suggestions for you and your chin!

 

[Airyn]

$200 will buy a lot of cardboard! Would it make more sense to for you to chin-proof the room rather than build an enclosure? Or is there too much for him to get into in the play area?

 

[Godofgods]

a few factors to determine efficiency/practicality of this. Where is your chin located? Some might have him in there bedroom or basement or (like mine) have there own room.

i have this pen i use for sand baths. A chin could jump over it, but interestingly, and oddly, enough not one of mine ever have. (I dont use the roof)

I also have a relatively chin proof room. Since they had a habit of trying to eat the paint off the walls at my last place, i made sure to take precautions this time. Since they have there own room, i lined the whole wall with a linoleum floor. Then used lengths of poplar wood as trim on the top and bottom to hold it in place. And should it be needed, the linoleum can be washed where it is, and wood can always be replace if it came to that (use screws not nails)