Out of Cage Play Time

[deejay]

I purchased a collapsable excercise pen for my guys' out of cage play time. It sits about 3.5 to 4 feet high and expands to allow about 20 square feet of play space. My guys don't seem to think this is nearly enough space for them though. They keep climbing out of the pen and running amok in the house. What are your guys' recommendations on how tall the pen needs to be to contain them and how much space they should get.

Some things that might need mentioning:
1 - I can't "chin-proof" and enclosed room of the house. The sutie is a rental so they can't have free play in a room as they will probably damage the wall trim and such of that room.
2 - There is 3 of them plus toys and usually 2 people who want to be in there with them while they play.
3 - Can I set up their pen around the couch so we can all be comfortable?

[Jen and her hooligan]

Getting them out from under the couch might be difficult if they decide to be stubborn... and they might chew on the frame. They will also realize that climbing on the back of couch gives them height, making it easier to jump out of the pen.
I think as far as how much space you need, I think all we can do is give them as much space as we can while keeping it safe. I think safety is more important than size when it comes to play.

[amsue0222]

I don't know about how tall but I thought that I had the perfect spot for my boys but apparently they can jump 5 feet in the air from the floor- I saw it with my own eyes-- I had a spot up stairs but it has a cubby hole window that they can jump up and out of-- so I say that if you have jumpers like me than it has to be at least taller than 5 feet.

[mistywaterwoman]

I use opened up cardboard boxes as panels against my walls, to save the baseboards. It's cheap (free if you beg at a grocery store) and easy!

You could also bring them into the bathroom for playtime, a lot of people do that. There is less chewable stuff to pick up in a bathroom, so it's easier to chin-proof.

[vafurries]

Are they climbing or jumping out of the pen? If climbing then clip cardboard to it with binder clips and voila, smooth surface. If there's room get a second pen and join the two together? It'd be kind of a pain to cover so much with cardboard though. Maybe Kara has the right idea with the bathroom. Sorry I couldn't be more help!

[saras]

I agree with what e1 else has already said. There really aren't walls high enough to keep a determined chin from escaping. They can jump extremely high... very very extremely high. I know that Boo can jump four feet straight up from the ground... I've seen that before. And several of my chins can climb anything that they can get ahold of. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Jen and her hooligan]

I was thinking about this a bit, and though I would show you what I do. I use cardboard to section off an area of my basement, rather than making an all around pen. This way I have 3 full walls, and 1 cardboard one. I still have to sit in there with them, but it is easier to monitor 1 cardboard wall than 4 you know,..LOL

from the outside...


from the inside...

[Chin ♥ Slave]

Great minds think alike!!! We use cardboard boxes as "chin barriers" too!! May not look like a page from better homes and gardens,but it works beautifully!

Art calls it the "safe from bad chins" look!!

[◊ Willow80 ◊]

i remember the days when i struggled with cardboard barriers lol having an entire room just for the chins is the best thing to happen to me (well, them lol)

[Jen and her hooligan]

Well I can't do a whole room for them, though that would be awesome!!!! But I thought about installing sliding doors in my area, but then I wouldn't be able to even partly watch TV! LOL