A jumper...

[GorillaJTA]

I have had Flea for about two weeks and we are getting along fine. He is fine with me petting him whenever and will run up my arm and perch on my shoulder. The problem I am having is this: I use to FN142 cage with him, and any time I open the top or bottom he tries to jump out. His play time is in another room and I carry him to that, and he never gets off of me whenever he does his shoulder perch, but it gets awkward every time I need to refill food or hay and he threatens to jump out onto the floor the whole time (and has several times), and my bedroom is not chinproofed yet (a slow process for me since I have school stuff and electronics). How can I get him to stop jumping out since I don't want him to get hurt jumping from the top or to get lost in the bedroom somewhere. I have him "trained" so that he comes to me whenever I tap on a spot a few times, so it is not normally hard to get him back in the cage, but it gets annoying when I am cleaning the cage and restocking. Any ideas?

 

[lauralynne]

Have you tried giving him an apple twig to keep him occupied while you're doing that?

 

[Ash]

You're openly opening one side of the FN correct?

 

[GorillaJTA]

I only open one door at a time so that I can hold him back. I have tried distracting him with a twig and even putting a shreddie in the back to distract him, but the open door is too much temptation.

 

[3CsMommy]

Could you attach a shelf on the outside so that he has a resting place that would keep him close to you while still satisfying that desire to be out? At least it would keep him closer to under control until you can finish getting the room chinproofed.

 

[lauralynne]

You may have to let him get out and put him in a carrier while you're cleaning.

 

[mishellyshel]

i have 2 chins like this.......every night when i refresh their cages, if i dont keep shooing them away with my hand, i have to take them out. ususally it is less work to just take them out and put in the bathroom while i refresh.
distracting them works sometimes, but 2 days in a row of distraction....not happening!
you are going to have to either put him in a carrier or safe room or have everything at your hand & hold him off with the other hand.
i cant tell you how many nights, stitch jumps into my arms and i hold him while i am replenshing food & hay! i try & put him back and he jumps right back into my arms.
if i have all my supplies right near his cage, i can get in & out pretty quick!
good luck........hopefully you will find something that works for you.

 

[Brittany]

We have a chin like that and normally if you pretend to grab at her she'll go running to the top of her cage and let you take care of tidying up. She loves escaping from her cage, but hates it when we pick her up while she's in the cage.

 

[litomzcindy]

i'm having the same problem! :[ and when im not home he def senses that and take advantage of my mother! he loves to jump out and hides under my bed until she tricks him with oats. thats the only way.. it sucks. my room is not chin proof at all!

 

[3CsMommy]

Then the first step for his safety is chin proofing the room-- Asap. Cords up or wrapped in hard plastic protectors, cardboard barriers around the stuff you don't want nibbled. The grocery store is a good source of cardboard in large quantities.

 

[Jazicat]

Edgar's favorite game is to escape and watch the humans tumble all over themselves while trying to catch him. He's a fast little guy so we put him in his playpen for the daily cleaning of the cage. I think he's just so curious and young that he can't help himself to the fun. We've already started chin proofing the living room because of this.