The playpens arrived

[cypher]

Good job with the fix, looks like they're really having fun in there now
Don't we always need more toys lol! No ham can have enough

[DrKMcK]

I am utterly flabbergasted!!! None of my hammies have even tried that! I didn't know they could do that!!! Both Ted E. Bear and Nutmeg stay in their playpens for hours. They have water bottles and food and a house to rest in if they want, but they never try to climb the cage. That's just amazing. Talk about Spiderham!

[Pebbles82]

Ooh thats a good idea! Sliding them under the sofa! I currently have a huge brown cardboard envelope containing my sheets of corroplast which are waiting to be made into a playpen - propped against the wall behind the hamster cage - not very attractive - slide the whole lot under the sofa yay! Including the pen when it is made and folded down.

[Willow Wisp]

Originally Posted by DrKMcK

I am utterly flabbergasted!!! None of my hammies have even tried that! I didn't know they could do that!!! Both Ted E. Bear and Nutmeg stay in their playpens for hours. They have water bottles and food and a house to rest in if they want, but they never try to climb the cage. That's just amazing. Talk about Spiderham!

Awww both Ted E. Bear and Nutmeg are obviously very good hammies Maybe you could send them my way to teach Willow and Ebony a thing or two, they are little monsters LOL
Neither of them struggled either, they just climbed up and over like they were walking along the floor LOL
putting the polycarbonate sheet on the top of the playpen has worked I dis wonder if because it's so light they would manage to push it up, but touch wood, although they both still climb up to the top of the pen they haven't attempted to push it off.....YET

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Ooh thats a good idea! Sliding them under the sofa! I currently have a huge brown cardboard envelope containing my sheets of corroplast which are waiting to be made into a playpen - propped against the wall behind the hamster cage - not very attractive - slide the whole lot under the sofa yay! Including the pen when it is made and folded down.

Yes the playpen, polycarbonate and hardboard sheets all slide under my sofa BUT the ever mounting amount of playpen toys etc plus 2 10inch exercise balls and both their cages are still all over the place LOL

[Artisans_uk]

Wow! My dwarf fluffs have tried to get a grip on the vertical bars but they just slide down, which is quite cute to watch! Fortunately they don't persist, (otherwise I think they might have improved their vertical bar climbing skills by now) and they go back to playing with the "proper toys"

As for the ever increasing number of playpen toys and the size of them, I now have an ever increasing family of plastic boxes. I'd have a lovely set of bin cages if I didn't need somewhere to store all their toys.

[Sarahmcx]

I got a playpen for my new Syrian and discovered this morning when I let her out for the first time that she could climb up. She is still very scared so I didn't want her escaping and hiding away in my flat.

Have now been to B&Q and got both bits you have mentioned! Will just put some heavy objects on top of the plastic if she now tries to lift the plastic. The flooring idea is great as I was just going to use newspaper but was worried my carpet would get ruined. And as you said it all slides under the sofa so I'm really happy!

I have made from cardboard a few areas where she can hide away, as well as a treat toy from a loo roll holder. I have a few wooden gnawing objects but she hasn't touched these. I'm reluctant to buy more if she isn't interested!

[Gatsby]

Geezo they made short work of climbing that lol.
I use a home made pen. I bought lots of brown boxes off eBay. Ripped them all at the join and unfolded them.
Taped them all together with duct tape.
Fold the bottom flaps out to the outside and add my dumbell weights around the whole outside.
A faster the opening together with wooden dolly pegs.
The pen just fits on a single bed sheet.
Large, cheap, effective and climb proof

It does not look as nice as your pen though

[Willow Wisp]

Originally Posted by Sarahmcx

I got a playpen for my new Syrian and discovered this morning when I let her out for the first time that she could climb up. She is still very scared so I didn't want her escaping and hiding away in my flat.

Have now been to B&Q and got both bits you have mentioned! Will just put some heavy objects on top of the plastic if she now tries to lift the plastic. The flooring idea is great as I was just going to use newspaper but was worried my carpet would get ruined. And as you said it all slides under the sofa so I'm really happy!

I have made from cardboard a few areas where she can hide away, as well as a treat toy from a loo roll holder. I have a few wooden gnawing objects but she hasn't touched these. I'm reluctant to buy more if she isn't interested!

I'm so pleased this thread has helped you Sarah
It's been 3 months since I bought the polycarbonate for the top and hardboard for the floor of the playpen and neither of my girls have managed to escape since doing this, and there has been no damage to the hardboard either
They have never attempted to lift the top off, I think it's just to huge for them to move so weighting it down has never been needed
I hope you have as much success as I have, it certainly brings me piece of mind

@ Gatsby, that's really great

My Ebony is a fully trained carpenter though, I'm pretty sure she has her City and Guilds certificates tucked away in her pouches somewhere
My Willow isn't too far behind her either, she doesn't have quite as many diplomas yet but she's getting there

Neither of mine could be trusted with cardboard and bed sheets, they're too naughty

[Shannonmcn]

The trip to B&Q was such a good idea! I've been thinking about trying Cc in a pen but she's like spiderham, she would be out of there as quickly as your girls!

[RubyDG]

Oooooooh! Brilliant fix!!