Playtime Spaces/Rooms?

[sheena lee]

I've noticed a lot of people let their chinchillas run around in their bedrooms, living rooms, etc. How do you chin proof these rooms? We have 2 air conditioned rooms, the office where the chins are, and the bedroom. My bedroom has wires and nooks and crannies the chins could get into, and of course the office has 2 computers and a lot of wires.

How do you safely let chins out in bedrooms and living rooms? I would like to let the girls out in the bedroom because I could let them out in hot weather, but I just don't see how it could be safe enough...

 

[becky12883]

My living room and kitchen walls are covered in cardboard, all cords behind, and behind the fridge/stove blocked off with about 6 layers of cardboard. It's the latest in home decor of course We don't have kids and rarely have anyone over, so I don't really mind it staying up all the time. It seems like lately the boys are out every night with tons of energy anyways.
I have a friend that lets her chin out to play in her bedroom, but only on her giant bed (four poster california king). She has 2 sides against the wall and guards the other 2. She shoves the comforter in the space between the mattress and wall on the one side too so there's no cracks for Sylvester to fall down.
If you do put cardboard around the room, don't use duct tape on painted or wall papered walls, get the extra wide blue painters tape, and make sure to keep the tape at the top so the chins can't reach it. We have about 4 pieces of tape holding ours up and the rest is held up by furniture pressed tight against the wall.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I also used to have cardboard wainscotting. Tres Chic!! That was back when they shared my office with me.

Then I upgraded to the Marshall Ferret Playpen gate system, which is prettier, and folds up acordian style when not in use. But my girls have their own room now, so the gates stay up anyway.

 

[sheena lee]

Cardboard is a good idea! We have some that we planned to use to block the chins from going under the bed and near the nightstand which is where the majority of the wires are, but we never got around to putting it up. The only other space is between the wall and the TV which can easily be blocked.. I might break out the cardboard and get to work! The good thing is that we can leave it there under the bed skirt. The office is absolutely out of the question - there's just too many wires with 2 computers and printers, speakers, etc... even though there's actually fewer spots for chins to squeeze into and hide.

I have tried to let Chia out on the bed, but she quickly got away from me and hid under the bed for 3 hours - we eventually had to lift the mattress to get her out. I cannot wait until we have our very own chin room! It's my #1 requirement when we move, a room just for the chins.

 

[Katie_2013]

I use the hallway and shut all doors then block the open end of the hallway with a gate covered in a sheet so they can't get through the bars of the gate.

 

[Chinchilla63]

Hallways, here too. We have a couple of hallways that intersect and can be blocked off easily. Lots of different ways to set up toys, they love it. I think a room would be harder unless it was empty or a special chin room, what with wires and furniture to hide under and carpets/rugs.

 

[Chin_lvr]

You can also get either foam board/cardboard tri-panels at office max....but what I've recently found is corrugated cardboard at Home Depot. I found sheets of it in the door area (the employees didn't have a clue what I was talking about) tape it up on the opposite side from he chins's use and they can't jump over it. You can cut it with a box cutter for the most part.. I am really lucky I have a little play house in the basement I'm converting from my children to chins...it's made life SO much easier! But I'm sure most don't have that luxury...soon hopefully I'll have some pics to post!

Also Kara, I want to thank you for your YouTube videos with the FN play areas!!! In the one where you specifically mention to double check the FN doors before you leave the room! Oh, my...the times I've caught that they were only "partially" closed and my chinnies could have easily escaped with a little nuge here and there!!!! You ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO PRESS THE TOP OF BOTH SIDES IN THE Middle to be SURE they're locked into place! I just wanted to thank you for that piece of advice!! Thank you x 1 million!!!

 

[sheena lee]

I would love to use the hallway but since we live in an apartment, we have 6ft openings to the living room and kitchen, which would be a bit rough to block off. I think the bathroom is the best place for now, even though we can't necessarily control the temperature, I only take them out when it's cool in the house anyway.

 

[becky12883]

Wainscotting! That's what it's called! I could not think of it for the life of me earlier. Lucky for me my house is tiny, so it took me about 12 cereal case boxes from the grocery store to cover everything.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Hahaha, Becky!! I had used old Priority Mail boxes, from when we used to do ebay a lot.

And Amy, you are VERY welcome. Goodness, I think there is always at least 1 or 2 doors that are not all the way shut, every single night. It's the biggest flaw in the Ferret Nation system.

Have you seen the "locks" we invented, for double security? Get an S shaped hook (aluminum works best) from the hardware store, and tighten one end around one of the knobs, so that it makes a flip latch over the other knob.
Here's a pic:

The hook is similar to this:

I can't tell you how much time this has saved me. I used to be going back to check the doors again and again, not remembering if I had checked them all or not. (I'm old, lol.) So I put these on, and AFTER I check to make sure they are locked, I flip the latch over. Then I can see at a glance if every cage is secure.

ETA: Of course, if your chin is smart and mischevious, it doesn't *always* work, lol...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXtRz0fbars

 

[Chinchilla63]

I swear I'm becoming obsessive compulsive with those doors! I'm going to try the S hook, great idea!

 

[Chin_lvr]

my playroom (ongoing) project

Great idea on the S hook, and I think I did see that somewhere along the way...the cages are on my way up the stairs as I turn out the lights, so it's easy for me to do as I leave the quick touch of all the doors, top and bottom...so for now...I'm ok...but YES, I've noticed, both my memory and my eyesight has gone with age!!! :hair:

we built a little playhouse under our basement stairs when we finished the basement for our children. Now the chinnies are in the basement, the children have a new playhouse outside...the chins got their "hand-me-downs" and the children love watching the chins play...plus it is pretty chin safe (except maybe that tallest ledge...which I may reconsider taking down). Also I'm working with Whimsy on some bridges linking the two walls. My biggest hiccup with the set up is ramping Mickey from his 2nd story FN home down into the playroom....I may work on a ramp through a window (you don't see in the picture) but I want to make sure that it directs him down only to the house...not where he can jump off into the rest of the basement. Ideas are readily accepted!!!

My 2 daughters (1 12, 1 almost 5) did the food coloring for the shelving! The younger one worked REALLY hard on the one multicolored one...for a really long time!!! she's SO particular!!! But BOY did they have fun painting!!! they were dyed all sorts of colors head to toe by the time all was said and done...especially the oldest!!! Funny how that worked!!! Gotta love summer vacation!!! :crazy: I'll be glad when school starts...which for us is still a couple of weeks out yet!!!!

 

[sheena lee]

Thats such a cool playroom, I'm jealous! I think when I do have a designated chin room, I'll probably be putting so much planning into it, people will swear I'm making a nursery...

 

[partygirlha]

that play room lookds really cool... one comment, make sure that the shelves are not so far up that a fall could hurt anyone

I wish I had a room I could alter in that way, but my hubby would kill me if I full gave over a room to them.