Ferret Nation Cage HELP!

[MrsSlagle]

Hello everyone!

I will be picking up a used Ferret Nation cage today and I plan on taking out basically everything in it and creating wood shelving/ledges for my 2 chins and their current 2 4wk old babies.

I've been googling (most of the time it brings me to this website) ideas for Ferret Nation overhauls and all the cages look awesome. HOWEVER! I notice they all use FLEECE?! I've never heard of this in a chinchilla cage until now. I've always used shavings for their bedding.

NOW! My question is -
I can see from this Ferret Nation cage I'm thinking about picking up, the pan is way too shallow to hold any shavings. So there are a couple of ways around this (so I have read).. One being that I can replace the pan with a shipped pan from Brass Equipment. Or I see people using Fleece as the lining. Even still with the new Brass Equipment deep pan.

How on earth do you keep the Fleece clean?? Do you have to spot clean twice daily? Does it smell after a day of no cleaning? Do you take it out and wash it in your personal washer at home?

I would love some assistance! I'm picking up this cage in roughly 3 hours!

Thanks so much,
Lauren

 

[obcsed]

I have used both fleece and shavings. I find fleece a better option. They tend to kick the shavings out of the cage even with the deeper Bass pans plus it is expensive to keep changing it. All my guys are now on fleece. I simply fold them up each night and shake them out over a garbage can. I change them every 4 days. More than that and they start to smell. I also have a couple of chins that will use a litter pan to pee in. It is just a small square glass baking dish with aspen shavings in it. I change the aspen in those nightly.

Yes I wash them in my own washer. I shake them out really well to avoid getting hay and such in the washer. Using a little white vinegar in the washer helps eliminate any lingering odors.

 

[carmen holt]

when you wash the fleece dont put any fabric softener in it...i change mine also every few days i have the fleece in pillow style all i have to do is slide it over the plastic pan i like it very much

 

[FuuHouhouji]

I prefer fleece 'cause I'm allergic to bedding. I vacuum it once a day, and change liners every two to three days. You can also use wood to keep the bedding for falling out. Like wood surrounding the bottom. Whimsy does them, she calls them “scatterguards” she sells them here: http://www.whimsys-menagerie.com/cageaccessories.htm and here is a video of a cage with them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-WRjHD_nks.

 

[kickster]

Fleece is the way to go!!! I at first didn't use bedding because of the shallow pans which I replaced one and made my self liners. They have cut down my floor mess by so much!!! And I haven't even noticed a smell. But I just use litter owns which the two girls are pretty good about. It took a very long time be ause my sewing machine didn't work and we spent all night messing with it. Trunks out the pistin thing went too far and we couldn't adjust it so we just put a screw in it then we messed up the bobbin thread thing so I sent it to the grandparents and old grandma finished them for me.

 

[3CsMommy]

You might also research marble tile for the bottom, which can be used in conjunction with fleece. Anyway, fleece works because the chins can't fray it like woven fabrics, so they're less likely to eat parts of it and get sick and can't get toes etc. tangled in threads and accidentally tourniquet a limb. When I had access to a utility sink & dryer I used fleece liners, but had to upgrade (I like sweeping off tiles better) when I got my apartment and got stuck using a laundromat.

 

[MrsSlagle]

Just picked up my ferret nation for 80$ on craigslist!! I gotta clean it out after work this evening and go shopping for fleece and wooden shelvings!! Super excited!!