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Post by betty on Oct 24, 2020 8:01:11 GMT -8
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Post by yeti218 on Oct 24, 2020 8:27:52 GMT -8
The video is of sharks first time going into the playpen, he was a bit unsure.
The tubes are from a canadian hardware store called lee valley.
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Pim
Member
Posts: 346
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Post by Pim on Oct 24, 2020 14:52:34 GMT -8
The video is of sharks first time going into the playpen, he was a bit unsure. The tubes are from a canadian hardware store called lee valley. I though you were talking about real sharks for a second!!! lol
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Post by Markpd on Oct 24, 2020 16:17:19 GMT -8
darn, not really practical for me to buy, but maybe I can source similar over here. Lol betty
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Post by yeti218 on Oct 24, 2020 17:58:12 GMT -8
The video is of sharks first time going into the playpen, he was a bit unsure. The tubes are from a canadian hardware store called lee valley. I though you were talking about real sharks for a second!!! lol I almost replied "i wish" but quickly realized i do not want a real shark, actually. He got his name because a) i find it hilarious and charming when animals are named after other animals, and b) he bites. Lol, he doesn't seem to do it maliciously. But he'll inspect your hand and give it a few gentle test nibbles and if you dont move your hand at this point, he'll go for a real chomp and break skin. Markpd yeah i saw some other hoses at different hardware stores that are designed for dust collection, but they werent clear, and were usually floppy and sometimes have ridges through them which would be really fun for a gerbil to chew on, i think. I definitely wanted clear so i could see if they misbehave (spoiler alert - they do). You can get tubes with connectors that are often sold for hamsters, i expect you could put something together using those that would work fine. Given the length i needed, these tubes were more cost effective though.
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Post by Markpd on Oct 25, 2020 2:11:53 GMT -8
Blake does the same! Because in the past whenever I approached him I always had a treat, he would nibble around looking for the treat, I think his sense of smell is terrible! He'll do this even after I've washed my hands just before. So what I did was present my hand (the back of it) with no treats, the idea being he'd get used to my hand not always giving a treat. Not entirely sure how well that's worked as I've also switched back to feeding him treats from my fingers instead of the palm of my hand, which seemed to invite him to nip around! lol
So far the only dust extraction tubes I've seen have been flexible ducting hoses (clear and otherwise), haven't found a single pipe yet! I was also thinking the ridges would give them something to chew on, but also something to grip on. I figured I could keep an eye on them if I can't get the pipes. I would also need a considerable length, probably nearly the same amount as you.
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Post by yeti218 on Oct 25, 2020 10:06:25 GMT -8
Im happy to hear mines not the only biter.
Let me know if you rig something up, ill be interested to see other set ups.
My other idea i forgot to mention was to use those cardboard shipping tubes. The kind you can store rolled up posters in. I liked that they were safe to chew and cheap, but you cant see through them, may need to line them with something so theyre not slippery if you have a steep descent, and would need to jimmy rig a way to connect them to each other.
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Post by Markpd on Oct 26, 2020 11:47:07 GMT -8
Jerry rig? Funny you mention poster tubes, I have one in the tank which my gerbils love to run through and hide in, today I picked up a 2nd one and was wondering the same about using it as a connection tube. But like you alluded to, it will be slippery inside. Think I'd stick to the clear flexible hoses, I found pipes later on, but then I'd have to line it with card like you did, I'm not convinced my gerbils wouldn't chew them up . Anyway, atm I don't even have a pen, or anything to put in it, nor do I know where I'd put it..... Btw, I was thinking of using plywood instead of MDF or cardboard, lighter than MDF (I believe) and strong than card, and seeing as they'd be walls and not floors they wouldn't be able to chew it. So no issues their.
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Post by yeti218 on Oct 26, 2020 13:27:52 GMT -8
Jerry rig? Funny you mention poster tubes, I have one in the tank which my gerbils love to run through and hide in, today I picked up a 2nd one and was wondering the same about using it as a connection tube. But like you alluded to, it will be slippery inside. Think I'd stick to the clear flexible hoses, I found pipes later on, but then I'd have to line it with card like you did, I'm not convinced my gerbils wouldn't chew them up . Anyway, atm I don't even have a pen, or anything to put in it, nor do I know where I'd put it..... Btw, I was thinking of using plywood instead of MDF or cardboard, lighter than MDF (I believe) and strong than card, and seeing as they'd be walls and not floors they wouldn't be able to chew it. So no issues their. According to the infallible internet, jimmy rig is a "new age version of the reference", with jerry rig being the original expression. Apparantly "jury rigged" is another version of the term, but i think we can both agree not to use that one. My gerbils do chew the cardboard inside the tube. Mostly its just a nibble here and there, but Chicken decided to strip all the corrugated bits of one section til he's left with smooth cardboard, it was the steep bit leading into the tank so it had to be replaced, it was unclimbable. That doofus was just hanging from his teeth and hands and then kept sliding down the pipe because he'd already stripped away all the "stairs" below him. This time I made the cardboard lining extend several inches from the tube, so he can start chewing on that and maybe itll take him a little longer to get around to destroying more integral parts. But yeah, definitely a bit of maintenance involved with this.
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Post by Markpd on Oct 26, 2020 14:51:38 GMT -8
Heheh, good to know . Lmao, I wish you'd caught that on video! Blake has darn near under-mined the house again, theirs just a slither of bedding left holding it up and it's sinking already, when it drops a whole load of bedding is going to fall with it too! lol
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Post by betty on Oct 27, 2020 4:38:09 GMT -8
I just ordered myself 50 shipping tubes from Royal Mail - they worked out at just 68p each - all half a meter long. Thought they were a bargain - especially as I was going to cut them in half to use. Really sturdy too.
Then found out you can actually get them even CHEAPER elsewhere online!!!
I would imagine piercing holes at the ends of two would allow you to join them seamlessly together by 'sewing' them abut with some cable ties (would need to check regularly) or thin wire (sharp knotted end externally of course)?
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Post by yeti218 on Oct 27, 2020 10:49:51 GMT -8
That’s a really good idea Betty.
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Post by Markpd on Oct 27, 2020 12:45:00 GMT -8
That's good to know you can buy them in bulk, will you be using them as tunnels or chewing fodder? If the former, how will you get by the grip problem?
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Post by betty on Oct 27, 2020 15:02:17 GMT -8
I am planning in using mine for chewing with the gerbils (obvs); hiding food in enrichment toys for my jirds; and hidey-holes for my doops.
Funny how they all do different things with the same tube?
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Post by Markpd on Oct 29, 2020 11:40:21 GMT -8
My boys have barely touched the poster roll I put in there (it's been in there over a month), I think they like it too much as a hide away, as well as getting from one end of the cage to the other .
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