FN and Fleece help

[Abby102013]

Hey everyone.
I just bought a FN double cage and I have a few questions.

Are the shelves plastics?

I see a lot of talk about covering shelves with fleece. Do you do this for all the shelves? What is the point of it?

Also, I see that the cage does not have a deep bottom, like mines does right now, so do I not use the carefresh bedding anymore? Just put fleece? Also, what do I put down so she can pee, I know she will just poop where ever, but where will she pee?

Please help me.

 

[choob99]

Yes the shelves are plastic, most ppl replace them with pans from BASS Equipment Company, they have metal pans already precut to the FN size, and then ppl cover those with fleece or use bedding, whichever you prefer

 

[ninjaturtletayy]

It really depends on your preference. Like choob99 said, you can get the deep, metal bass pans. People cover the plastic to prevent chewing because chewing plastic can be fatal for chins. I personally just got fleece covers for the two big plastic pans. I didn't use the plastic shelves since I have a ton of wooden ledges instead. In my case, I have a glass baking dish full of shavings that my chin uses to pee. Some chins aren't litter trained though and will just pee anywhere. If that's the case with your chin, you'll have to wash the fleece more frequently.

 

[Brittany]

Hey everyone.
I just bought a FN double cage and I have a few questions.

Are the shelves plastics?

I see a lot of talk about covering shelves with fleece. Do you do this for all the shelves? What is the point of it?

Also, I see that the cage does not have a deep bottom, like mines does right now, so do I not use the carefresh bedding anymore? Just put fleece? Also, what do I put down so she can pee, I know she will just poop where ever, but where will she pee?

Please help me.

The shelves are plastic, and as stated the reason we cover them is to keep the chins from chewing them. The best way to cover them is with a pillow case style liner that the chins can't get under. I used to make these when I ran a chin store, if you're handy with a sewing machine I'd be happy to teach you how to make them.

I would recommend that you don't use carefresh ever, it is made out of paper which can clog up their digestive track. Personally I just let my chins pee on the fleece, but many people put shavings in a glass or metal pan.

As long as you cover the pans and shelves with fleece you can use the ones that came with the cage. It'll be much easier in the long run if you invest in metal bass pans from this company: http://www.bassequipment.com/Cage+Pans/Ferret+Nation+Pans/default.aspx

The pans are metal, so the fleece liners will be much simpler, and the pans are deeper, so they'll do a better job of keeping poop in. Initially its going to cost some money to get a good set up, once you get set it should be easy to maintain. :thumbsup:

 

[Abby102013]

What kind of shavings? Thanks everyone!

 

[Abby102013]

Also, if you would teach me that would be great!

 

[Brittany]

What kind of shavings? Thanks everyone!

Also, if you would teach me that would be great!

Pine shavings (no cedar, no carefresh). I have a lot going on this week, if you don't hear from me by friday shoot me a PM! I'd be happy to teach you!

 

[ninjaturtletayy]

i use aspen shavings myself.

 

[CRG7]

I just switched to fleece in my CN last night. I had used Carefresh at first, since my starter cage came with it. I then used a mix of kiln-dried pine shavings and Carefresh as this was a less expensive alternative to pure Carefresh, and the kiln-dried pine shavings could be picked up for just a few dollars at any Walmart (didn't have to worry about running out to a pet store).

I'm not sure that my ChiChi cared much for the bedding, but he was also hesitant about the fleece (although, he tends to be a little unsure any time I change something in his house). I'm thinking that he prefers it now, though, as he usually is in one of his hay tunnels when I wake up. Today, he has instead chosen to sleep directly on the fleece liner next to his hay tunnel.

My boy is still young, but I never had a problem with him trying to chew plastic. I opted to go fleece (I will add tile in the warmer months) as it won't create the mess created by bedding and will ultimately save money. As I said, I think my ChiChi never cared much for the bedding so I also took that into consideration.

 

[yasluna]

Fleece question

I have been looking into fleece for my chin's cage instead of the bedding from the petstores. I would like to make it but when I was looking at the fabrics I found there are polyester, cotton and wool fleece. which is better for chins??? does it matter?

 

[CRG7]

I have been looking into fleece for my chin's cage instead of the bedding from the petstores. I would like to make it but when I was looking at the fabrics I found there are polyester, cotton and wool fleece. which is better for chins??? does it matter?

I used blizzard fleece from Joann fabrics; it cost me around $15 for two yards (one yard with print, one solid color) after using a mobile coupon -- the fleece wasn't on sale. Everyone on here seems to say to use blizzard or polar fleece or any anti-pill fleece.

The two yards was enough to cover both of the large Critter Nation pans, as well as the two small and have extra pieces leftover for hammocks/pillows/etc. I made a corner hammock, but my little guy doesn't seem to care much about it (loves his regular hammock, though), and a no-sew pillow filled with some cut up extra fleece. He has now taken to sleeping on his pillow a lot. This morning I found him sitting on it chewing on a hay cube that he carried over by it.

I just grabbed some anti-pill fleece from Walmart to use when the other bedding is being washed. It was less than $10 for 2 yards.

I was going to make pillowcase style fleece bedding and insert the pans, but instead found I could get away with use cutting it a little longer than the pans and folding it under. I cut old towels and have those placed underneath the fleece for absorption.

My little guy wasn't sure about the fleece at first (is always hesitant when I first change things), but instead of sleeping in his hammock or timothy hay tunnel, I found him sleeping directly on the fleece the first morning after I changed him from bedding to fleece.

 

[yasluna]

I used blizzard fleece from Joann fabrics; it cost me around $15 for two yards (one yard with print, one solid color) after using a mobile coupon -- the fleece wasn't on sale. Everyone on here seems to say to use blizzard or polar fleece or any anti-pill fleece.

The two yards was enough to cover both of the large Critter Nation pans, as well as the two small and have extra pieces leftover for hammocks/pillows/etc. I made a corner hammock, but my little guy doesn't seem to care much about it (loves his regular hammock, though), and a no-sew pillow filled with some cut up extra fleece. He has now taken to sleeping on his pillow a lot. This morning I found him sitting on it chewing on a hay cube that he carried over by it.

I just grabbed some anti-pill fleece from Walmart to use when the other bedding is being washed. It was less than $10 for 2 yards.

I was going to make pillowcase style fleece bedding and insert the pans, but instead found I could get away with use cutting it a little longer than the pans and folding it under. I cut old towels and have those placed underneath the fleece for absorption.

My little guy wasn't sure about the fleece at first (is always hesitant when I first change things), but instead of sleeping in his hammock or timothy hay tunnel, I found him sleeping directly on the fleece the first morning after I changed him from bedding to fleece.

thank you so much for you answer... plus, you gave me some good ideas

 

[Smidgeyy]

I use fleece for my CN. Thankfully, my little boy managed to litter train himself, so I just use a random container that I found somewhere. I think it's a hard plastic, but he doesn't chew it at all.

I use paper bedding too, but again, he leaves that go. I've never caught him eating it. The stuff he was in before I got him was very similar to what I use, so that could be part of it.

I'll gladly tell you how I make mine, though I probably waste fleece. Lol. I use three layers (two on top, one on bottom). :]

 

[CRG7]

thank you so much for you answer... plus, you gave me some good ideas

You're welcome!

As for the pillow, I folded a section of the extra fleece in half, then cut slits about 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" long on the other three sides. I tied the slits together per side. When there was only a small corner left to tie up, I folded the pillow inside out so that the tied ends would be on the inside, cut up some extra fleece and shoved it inside as stuffing, and tied up the final pieces and just kind of shoved the ends inside (cut off one small end that I couldn't get inside). Some people make them with the frayed ends on the outside. It took probably less than 10 minutes to do, while watching television. Quicker than having to dig out the sewing machine.

I bought some grommets at Joanns that I had intended to use to secure the fleece bedding to the cage (before opting to just fold it under), and some small binder clips from Hobby Lobby, so I used those to secure the corner hammock.