C&C Navi and Scarletts cage progression thread.

So, ignore the mess in the pics. I'm still working on this thing lol. I also miscalculated the size of the fleece so I'll have to rectify that. Kids want to put one of the cat beds in there for them to cuddle on since the cats don't use it. Not sure the cage will be wide enough then though.

As for introductions... I swear Navi thought Scarlett was her mother. She kept climbing under Scarlett like she was trying to nurse. It made me wonder about appropriate age of weaning.

Poor Scarlett worked her way into a corner for a good hour while Navi kept squeaking at and crawling under her. I had nothing in the cage but some bell pepper pieces at the time. Then I moved the alphalpha tunnel I mistakenly bought for Scarlett into the cage. Navi just chattered excitedly and followed Scarlett into the tunnel.
Then they started to chase each other around it after another hour.


SCARLETT IS SQUEAKING AND RUNNING AND ACK!

She was my silent pig. Traumatized from being ignored. I honestly didn't expect this to happen. Navi is happy as a clam just like a little kid. And I know what popcorning is now. So freaking cute.

In other news, cage will definitely have a baby proof base. Scarlett was even trying to squish her head through the squares a little and I don't want her to get hurt. I can see how my seven week Navi could get stuck.

They need to go back to their own cages tonight until it's finished and set up. How long should I let them play? They're having a blast.

Actually, you should leave them together. If you separate them, you'll just undo everything they've accomplished tonight. Just clip some fleece across the corners of the cage, put some cardboard along the side so the little one can't get out, and let them be.

Introductions are a once and done thing. It helps absolutely nothing, and just slows the whole process down, if you put them together and then separate them again. Do whatever you have to do to make the cage baby-proof and leave them in there.

Well, I could probably put the base together. I just wasn't quite sure yet how to do it. Navi couldn't see her for a second and started squealing really loud and Scarlett came running and then they both went back to chattering. I suspect the conversation translated like this...

N: You're gone! I'm all alone again. WOAH IS ME!!!
S: Shush babykins I'm still here.
N: oh. Hi. I thought you were gone forever. Don't scare me like that again. Never never never OK?
S: OK babykins I'll be your best friend forever.
N: I like you better when you talk.

Oh, so, I don't have to worry they may hurt each other when I go to bed?

You've got to leave them alone sometime -- you can't watch them forever. If they've done this well so far, they're probably good to go. Leaving them together is certainly preferable to splitting them up for the night and then having to start all over again.

Well the separating them was more to keep the cats away. I have a little huntress who seems quite interested in the pup. I don't trust her to blink.

Well that was a lesson in futility. I should have listened to my instinct because even measuring four times it still had to be recut and rescored and is shoved in so tightly it won't ever provide any circulation. I was too tired to do it right. It's 2:00 a.m. and I've got to be up at 6:00. And now I have to figure out when I can afford another thing of cloroplast and how to get it home since I am not wanting to do the 15 mph and still wanting to blow off the roof in spite of being tied down.

My perfectionism is showing and now I'm cranky. At least the caves are happy. I'm terrified it's not strong enough to keep the cat out.

if the coroplast is cut too big, you can just re cut it slightly smaller? but you don't really want much space between the coro and grids. you don't need to worry about circulation as long as the walls aren't more than 6 inches, I think.

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I have a pup so 9 inches are recommended. It's not as simple as cutting smaller. The scoring has to be redone as well. After my third time remeasuring and cutting I had to ram it into the cage and broke zip ties. So I still need to recut ahain. It doesn't fold right anymore.

Oh well. I'm not dealing with it again until my pup is older. But they look like they are in an aquarium right now. I also have no idea how to make a functional lidded cage that I can open and close.

I need to stop starting projects late at night. It makes me cranky lol.

I'll be OK. It's just a sheet of plastic. I'm just annoyed. Caves have been chasing wash other all night and this morning. I'm waiting for th to crash and burn lol.

I made lids out of grids for my cages. I'll try to post a picture when I get home. For cat proofing you may want to do closet shelving. It's stronger than the grids.

Thanks. I know the lid can be done with grids and I have an extra box of six cubes so I can overlap if need be.

I'm trying ton figure out where best to pursue kitchen to encourage pottying in the same place. If I use the old cage I can d it as a loft but will they climb the ramp to get there? If I put it on the main level they lose some running space.

I'm leaning toward loft.

As for water bottle, should I just cut the coroplast to fit it into the cage?

I made a lid with 2 wire closet shelves. Cut lip off the middle bolt cuttets. Attached with zip ties, I can fold them back.

I put a litter pan in each corner - to keep the fleece down and because they tend to poo in the corners. I use wood pellets under fleece.

I had to recut coroplast and ended up taking it and also tapping scored and making a new one. Hth.

Looks great!!, your perseverance really paid off.