Pipe for fleece tunnels

[Jaina_Organasolo]

I noticed loads of you have funky fleece tunnels for your Chins in your cages. What I'm not sure of is the Diameter of Pipe I need.

I can see a thread about 6" pipe but all I can find locally at a resonable cost is 4" pipe - would 4" be big enough?

Thanks for your advice,
Julia

 

[Shooper]

I always use the 6in., the 4in. would be too small for my boys comfort. I guess it depends on how big your fur baby is.

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

It looked fairly big I have to say, but it's not a common thing in the UK and the bits of pipe have a major cost difference. local 4" pipe £10; 6" pipe online £46 + postage!!

I do have cardboard chewable tubes That I could use - anyone try that? I would imagine it would be ok if they didn't wee on it.

My boys are big bums. My smallest is 7 months old and about 550g, the other two when healthy are 660g and 780g (they've been ill and I thought maybe it would cheer them up).

These are the Chubes -

http://www.itsapetsworld.co.uk/toys--play/critters-choice-chubes/

The extra large one is pretty massive. Not sure on Diameter as I haven't gotten one that big.

Or maybe postal tubes? like this -

http://www.defendapack.co.uk/Postal_tubes_6_inch_diameter.htm

 

[xtoff]

I used a large metal coffee can here.

make sure to sand down any sharp edges or use a can opener that leaves the body of the can dull...

 

[Chub_Chub]

The cardboard tubes are ok.. Some of my chins have the large (10" X 6") Ware cardboard tubes from Petsmart http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4191231 covered in fleece. Some of the others have the metal tube from Fuzzies Kingdom
http://www.fuzzieskingdom.com/ferret-chinchilla-accessories/ferret-chinchilla-rat-tunnel.html which is slightly shorter, but still works fine. You can try out the cardboard tubes you linked, but I don't know what the manufacturing standards are overseas for those? Meaning, whether they have chin-safe glues and paper? Maybe someone else can chime in. Most chins won't eat the cardboard if its covered with the fleece. If they do, go with metal then. And chins LOVE tubes in their cages, so thats a great idea to cheer them up.

 

[alli713]

4" is too small unless they're babies. Since pvc is so expensive I'd go with the chube. I've used those in the past and they work okay. Sometimes the chin will dig the fleece cover off and chew the cardboard, but then you can replace it.

 

[menagerie]

Cardboard tubes work fine. The person who made the original tubes used 6" cardboard tubes and they last a long time.

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

Thanks everyone. I'll go with the chubes then The Pet ones I linked to are vegetable parchment so safe - my little baby loves his, He likes to peel off the paper and pull it apart.

Thank you everyone for your input. Much appreciated.

 

[rainey]

I've found that using a large metal coffee can works great plus it hardly costs anything which is nice!

 

[pamszoo]

Most of my fleece tubes are the cardboard type ones. None of my chins have ever chewed thru the fleece either to get to the tube underneath.

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

I wish coffee cans was an option but you don't really get those in the UK - our coffee comes mostly in glass jars or foil pouches

Im not worried about them chewing the tubes cos if I use the 'chubes' They are safe to give for them to chew up. I was more worried about the strength and possibly soaking up wee (mine don't *tend* to wee on fleece).