Cardboard playpen

Puddles&Chubbs · Jan 30, 2009

Here is what I use for Puddles' playpen. I made it with 2x4 cardboard sheets I purchased at papermart.com. I used reinforced tape (the kind with the string in it) to tape them together. It folds up like an accordian and sets next to her cage when not in use.

It has lasted over two years now and I've never had to replace anything on it. Good as new.

Just be sure to have the tape "ends" far enough up on the cardboard so your chin can't get to them. Puddles has never been able to get her teeth "around" the tape or cardboard. It's been a godsend for playtime!

Olallie · Jan 30, 2009

wow that's a pretty good idea.

peachydays · Jan 30, 2009

Puddles&Chubbs said:
I used reinforced tape (the kind with the string in it) to tape them together.

AHA! That's what I didn't do. Ralph's needs to be re-taped, and I'll make sure to use reinforced tape when I do.

ETA - I made Ralph's cardboard playpen after seeing Puddles' pen and I have to say it works VERY well!

RichInGB · Jan 30, 2009

I use a cardboard playpen too for my critters. I got washer and dryer boxes from Best Buy(I work there), and cut along one crease and they fold out nicely. And they're tall.

Rich

Puddles&Chubbs · Jan 30, 2009

peachydays said:
AHA! That's what I didn't do. Ralph's needs to be re-taped, and I'll make sure to use reinforced tape when I do.

ETA - I made Ralph's cardboard playpen after seeing Puddles' pen and I have to say it works VERY well!

You can try using three lengths of tape too. One right on the "seam" with a little gap so it can fold, and then one overlapping a little to the left, and one a little on the right. It's a lot of tape but it'll hold up very well.

Brandon · Jan 30, 2009

That is awesome! I have been wanting to make one of those for quite some time, but have never got around to it!

Carol~Anne · Jan 30, 2009

Ha ha, look at her checking to see if she can scale that wall, lol. "If I stand on this train and stretch up real high I think I can make it."

Puddles&Chubbs · Jan 30, 2009

Carol~Anne said:
Ha ha, look at her checking to see if she can scale that wall, lol. "If I stand on this train and stretch up real high I think I can make it."

oh yeah! At first she tried very hard to get out. She even scaled it once or twice when she jumped from her cardboard castle. No success lately though. I was on to her tactics really quickly.

Jyss · Jan 30, 2009

That's really cool. I imagine when I move and don't have a room totally for just the chins, I'll make something like that. Especially if I can find boxes tall enough. I think that will be the only draw back for me. Any boxes I find are usually super small.

Jenn · Jan 30, 2009

I have a playpen for Tinkerbell and she has never tried to jump over it until recently. You can see the wheels turning in her head - she'll jump onto my shoulders when I'm sitting in her pen with her and she'll stare at the top of the pen. And I have to be careful about the taller toys in her pen - I have to keep them in the middle of the pen. I love your playpen idea and will have to checkout papermart.com to get me some cardboard sheets.

SunshineChins · Jan 30, 2009

That is the coolest looking train chew toy! Love the play yard idea, I need one of those for the chins and bunny.

Essentia · Jan 31, 2009

I contacted Lowes for some refrigerator boxes and hopefully they will call me back when they get a shipment (like they said they would). I plan on cutting the pieces like yours are so that I can accordion it to store it every day. I hope it works!

Alecia · Jan 31, 2009

That's a really neat idea. I like it! If the chins didn't have their own room, I'd totally be making one...

Okay, I lie. I'd totally be having Dan make one

amsue0222 · Jan 31, 2009

I am going to be making one out of card board, I have a PLAYYARD made for babies, but unless we are sitting in the playyard to supervise, they do try to jump over it. I have taken a big blanket to make a lid but I feel like it constricts their viewing. We usually do playtime in the bathroom, but are thinking about using that for the animals that are in quarantine and using the playyard for the other chinnies.
The cardboard playyards seem much taller and cheaper!!

gella · Jan 31, 2009

When we first got Spooky our room was too dangerous to let her play in (well it was my fiance's room and so crowded there were too many places for her to get), so we used watermelon boxes to make a playpen. In our current place we've chinproofed so there is more space, but I might use your idea to block the cages from each other during separate playtimes to avoid any more bitten toes.

Nancy S · Apr 27, 2009

Really, Really great idea-the cardboard playpen. I do have a playroom; but, am planing
to move in the near future and will need something like that. They climb and jump over
the fence type. One of my chins; is literally a "spiderchin"!!hehe. He even does it in his own cage----but, bet he can't do it with the "cardboard playpen"!! yah

alinita · Apr 28, 2009

Wow that playpen its a really good idea...

I'm gonna try to make it

hahaha

Sierrasmom97 · Apr 28, 2009

Which one of these did you order?
http://www.papermart.com/Search Pages/CombinedSearch.aspx?SearchStr=cardboard sheets

Puddles&Chubbs · Apr 28, 2009

I bought the regular brown corrugated sheets (2612448) 24 by 48 inches. $24 for a bundle.

WhiteTree · Apr 28, 2009

Nancy S said:
Really, Really great idea-the cardboard playpen. I do have a playroom; but, am planing
to move in the near future and will need something like that. They climb and jump over
the fence type. One of my chins; is literally a "spiderchin"!!hehe. He even does it in his own cage----but, bet he can't do it with the "cardboard playpen"!! yah

*sings, "Spiderchin, spiderchin, does whatever a spiderchin does"* :dance3: Sorry I couldn't help myself.

Cardboard playpen

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