Barrier around xpens for bonding

[holtzchick]

What are some things I can do to make a barrier around their xpens when one of them has out of cage time to ensure there is no biting between the bars?

I currently made mine out of bed sheets but I have a feeling i need something much more sturdy.

Would I be able to zip tie cardboard around them? Any other ideas? Things that won't slide preferably. Thanks

 

[whitelop]

I think zip tied some card board around it, that would probably work.

Someone else probably has a better idea, because they've been through something similar. But cardboard would be a go-to for me.

 

[agnesthelion]

Maybe Imbriums (nala and gaz mom) can weigh in.. I think she had to attach something temporarily when one of their heads got stuck in an NIC grid as a baby.
Otherwise I'd say cardboard would work too......

Are they trying to bite each other through the bars??

 

[holtzchick]

Yeah they are and Phoenix is instigating it. I can't let any of them out until I find a solution

 

[tmaddox9]

Try using corrugated plastic (corruplast) and cable ties. I just did this with Wilbur's pen because when he rolls, hay, litter and bunny balls fly everywhere. I cut the corrugated plastic with a box cutter, poked holes in it with a Philips head screw driver and secured it to the wires of the x-pen. I cut sections that fit each fold in the pen so I can still fold it up for cleaning. Plastic can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes or hobby stores. Bunnies don't like to chew on it as much as they do cardboard and if they get territorial and spray it, it just wipes clean.

 

[agnesthelion]

Yeah they are and Phoenix is instigating it. I can't let any of them out until I find a solution

the girls tend to be the territorial ones. I hope things calm down. It's only been a day so lots could change as they get used to each other. I'm sure things will calm down!

 

[holtzchick]

Thanks! Unfortunately I won't be able to get this tonight since I need a quick fix.

She will be okay I think shes just super hyper about it. I am going to zip tie card board to their cages right now. They are okay when they are both caged it's just when I let one out it will run over to the other ones cage to sniff through the bars but doesn't end well. I will take things very slowly though

Thanks again!

 

[agnesthelion]

I liked the slow approach to bonding too. Best of luck! I'll be rooting for you all the way

 

[Imbrium]

Maybe Imbriums (nala and gaz mom) can weigh in.. I think she had to attach something temporarily when one of their heads got stuck in an NIC grid as a baby.
Otherwise I'd say cardboard would work too......

Are they trying to bite each other through the bars??

nah, after Nala got her head stuck in the NIC grid, I just took the NIC away for a couple weeks until she got bigger.

I do have poster board around part of the top of the pen, though, because Nala found out she could climb the pen in one certain corner by the condo and escape.

cardboard or poster board would *probably* work as long as none of them are avid chewers. coroplast is a sturdier but much pricier solution and there's no guarantee they won't chew it up (as is evidenced by the soap-coated and thoroughly chewed sides of my coroplast condo floors).

I'm gonna be bunny-sitting Q-tip next spring and plan to break down cardboard boxes and ziptie them along the bottom of Nala and Gaz's pen so tippy can free-range in the kitchen/dining room (which are open to the living room where my two girls are) during the day without anyone being able to get bitey through the bars. I plan to put it on the outside since Nala's more likely to sit there chewing on it than Q-tip, I think (plus she'll have 24/7 access to it whereas tippy will probably only be out while I'm awake). failing that, I'll put it on both sides so that hopefully I'll see the "project" before they actually get a hole made all the way through.

 

[holtzchick]

I put the cardboard up on the outside to prevent any chewing since I can supervise the one that is out of their cage better

This is what it turned out like, I had to do Phoenix's pen super high though since she is batcrazy.