NIC cage emergency!

[ladygaga]

So me and my best friend Laura spent all weekend making a huge condo fur my little Sophie. We went to home depot and bought plywood, had them cut it to size to fit for flooring and shelves. We used adhesive squares of leolium to protect the plywood from accidents with pee from rotting and deterioration of the plywood. We used wooden dowels to support the shelves. We also obviously bought zip ties (neon multi colored of course ) to keep everything stable. We cut the portions of the linoleum that didn’t fit and ran into the problem of the gaps in between the linoleum which I’m scared urine or water will leak through already. The problem I’m having is Sophie is an avid chewer and is already nipping at the zipties and the edges of the shelves. What can I do to stop her from doing this? I’m thinking vinegar but I’m trying to re litterbug train her and I don’t want her to get offended with me doing this in her new cage by invading. What can else can stop her besides toys because those aren’t keeping her occupied enough either. I want this cage to last as long as possible and I’m a perfectionist so I need done very detailed solid answers. This is no nonsense time. Please help I know I should have bought whole sheets of lenolium but of course the straight men at home depot weren’t taking us very seriously and getting the exact measurements in the store and having to explain 10 times that a rabbit is just as much of a companion as a dog or cat, we both were a little flustered and just wanted to get the cage going asap. Please please help.I just love my bunny and want nothing less then the best

[jerseygirl]

I’m not sure what you could use for gaps with the linoleum… Is it between the squares? You could try a silicone sealant perhaps but make sure it’s well cured before putting base and shelf back into the condo.

I’d use wire or metal clips that you pinch shut with pliers in the places where she can reach the zipties. You could probably leave most the other ties as they are. For the shelf edges, what about capping them with some safe wood like untreated pine. If you nailed a piece to the edges that was wider then the shelf thickness it would create a lip. So 1/2 inch or so would sit above the shelf surface. She could chew on that instead and not be able to get to the linoleum. It might not look great but when you have a chewer you sort of have to give in and provide them alternatives.

Edit to add: These images from rabbitcondo.com show some wood capping on the edges. It looks like these ones are directly on top of the shelf covering.

[KatnipCrzy]

Can you post a pic of what you are asking about? so we can better answer your question.

[ladygaga]

Thank you for the reply i will definitely consider the wooden edges I think that’s the most logical thing to do. And as far as the gaps between the linoleuim I will try maybe something like that it just might be difficult especially since the shelves will be near impossible to remove without another 2 hours if having my friend reattach them. And the cootie issues could you post a picture of the metal your talking about? It all sounds very helpful. Fur right now I’m trying to just apply vinegar to what I think she may chew on but the metal protection sounds alot safer and more efficacy and permanent and I think will add even more stability to the entire cage, which can do nothing but extend the life of the cage and keep Sophie even safer I actually immediately took pictures after I posted thus topic but I don’t have a desktop computer at the moment, I’m posting from my iPhone 4 so is there any way you guys might also know of to upload pictures from a smartphone? When I go to add pictures in my album in my personal profile the option of browsing files is gray and won’t let me search my phones gallery to upload them? I think the pictures will help sooo much more for everyone to understand

[jerseygirl]

The metal clips are sold as fencing supplies. You need special pliers to crimp the clips. 

 I just found these pics from an image search. Someone posted these great up close pics on a chicken forum.

These are J clips

 

There are also C clips

 

Then there are these more heavy duty ones that you sometime see on exercise pens.

 

[Author]

Messages