Suggestions on how to keep Thor off the side of the cage?

[tianniccari]

Hi everyone, we moved Thor into his new cage about 2-3 months ago now. I noticed that he tends to spend a good amount of time climbing on the sides of the cage, even though we believed he had enough to climb on in his cage (wooden dowels and fake vines). When we had him out of the cage yesterday, we noticed that his nails are starting to wear down. We want to put something on the inside of the cage before his nails get too worn down and it becomes an issue. I have attached some pictures of his cage, any input on this is appreciated. Should we add more wooden dowels or vines or something else? Also, is there anything we could put on the sides of his cage on the inside so he doesn't climb on the screen?

Let me know if you need any more information on the cage.

Thanks ~~

Thor's New Cage

• tianniccari
• Mar 20, 2016

Thor's New Cage

• tianniccari
• Mar 20, 2016
• 4

 

[alphakenc]

My suggestion is freerange next,its a beautiful cage but he is still inside in that cage day n night,a little freedom will does him well.

 

[KLowery88]

You can look at things like safety fencing or construction fencing and attach it inside. Like this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Tenax-Guardia...1463676899&sr=1-1&keywords=construction+fence

 

[cyberlocc]

Nice cage.

 

[Alexander1]

My Cham tends to do the same, I guess they see a easier route to where they want to be.

 

[tianniccari]

My suggestion is freerange next,its a beautiful cage but he is still inside in that cage day n night,a little freedom will does him well.

We would absolutely free range if we had the room, but unfortunately we do not We do try and take him out of his cage for about an hour everyday, just because I know I wouldn't want to be trapped inside a cage all day long.

You can look at things like safety fencing or construction fencing and attach it inside. Like this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Tenax-Guardia...1463676899&sr=1-1&keywords=construction+fence

Do you think that would be too unstable? I know that kind of stuff is bendy. I thought about doing something like a lattice but I didn't know if it would be too smooth for him.

Nice cage.

Thank you!

My Cham tends to do the same, I guess they see a easier route to where they want to be.

Yeah, I figured that what it was. But I would still like to prevent him from doing it because it is wearing down his nails and I can tell he's having a harder time gripping the side. I don't want him to be falling constantly because he wore down his nails

 

[alphakenc]

We would absolutely free range if we had the room, but unfortunately we do not We do try and take him out of his cage for about an hour everyday, just because I know I wouldn't want to be trapped inside a cage all day long.

Here is my counter offer suggestions,whenever u and ur family see what he climbing on the side of the cage,one of u can let him out right then under all ur supervise along with him together,hope this will help.

 

[cyberlocc]

I have seen people use the construction fence stuff with good results.

Gutter guard is really stable just secure it to the screen well.

A vinyl lattice would likely work well, I don't think it's to slick. He Will use the edges of the lattice not the surface.

 

[hkitchen]

Maybe add some vertical dowels so that not all of them are horizontal.

 

[alphakenc]

Maybe add some vertical dowels so that not all of them are horizontal.

I like that idea,think outside the box,where would u put the vertical dowels?on the screen or anywhere??

 

[hkitchen]

I would put them from your horizontal dowel to another horizontal dowel.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hi everyone, we moved Thor into his new cage about 2-3 months ago now. I noticed that he tends to spend a good amount of time climbing on the sides of the cage, even though we believed he had enough to climb on in his cage (wooden dowels and fake vines). When we had him out of the cage yesterday, we noticed that his nails are starting to wear down. We want to put something on the inside of the cage before his nails get too worn down and it becomes an issue. I have attached some pictures of his cage, any input on this is appreciated. Should we add more wooden dowels or vines or something else? Also, is there anything we could put on the sides of his cage on the inside so he doesn't climb on the screen?

Let me know if you need any more information on the cage.

Thanks ~~

Thor's New Cage

• tianniccari
• Mar 20, 2016

Thor's New Cage

• tianniccari
• Mar 20, 2016
• 4

I try to use natural branches and definitely not dowels which are too slick and too similarly sized. I've also zip tied 1/2" plastic mesh to the screen. It will cut with a pair of scissors and it comes in black.

 

[alphakenc]

Vertical branch sounds better to me the idea gets better n better guys n gals.

 

[MeruJack]

Vertical branch sounds better to me the idea gets better n better guys n gals.

I use thin green nylon rope in some of my enclosures for vertical and horizontal pathways.

 

[Little_eazum]

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue my veiled scared me tonight. Came home to do his last most of the day and found he sleeping upside down from the cage. Temp all the way through the cage till the lower 1/4 is 70F. One thing I've thought of is what hkitchen suggested, run vertical branches not only between the dowels but also around the outside of the cage. My little guy noticed his crickets doing it and followed them up the side of the cage instead of climbing across the vines.

 

[alphakenc]

I use thin green nylon rope in some of my enclosures for vertical and horizontal pathways.

Great idea,perhaps u are a bird keeper like I am,I use the rope for my parrots.

 

[Damicofam6]

try getting the bending branches, they are sold at most pet stores in different lengths and thicknesses

 

[tianniccari]

I have seen people use the construction fence stuff with good results.

Gutter guard is really stable just secure it to the screen well.

A vinyl lattice would likely work well, I don't think it's to slick. He Will use the edges of the lattice not the surface.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Maybe add some vertical dowels so that not all of them are horizontal.

That's a good idea. We'll try and add some more.

I try to use natural branches and definitely not dowels which are too slick and too similarly sized. I've also zip tied 1/2" plastic mesh to the screen. It will cut with a pair of scissors and it comes in black.

We had wanted to use natural branches but unfortunately there aren't many trees around our house that we can take branches from. We looked into buying fake branches that look real, but they can be kind of expensive. Also it's hard finding branches that are long enough to fit his cage. But the plastic mesh is a good idea, we'll have to look into it.

I use thin green nylon rope in some of my enclosures for vertical and horizontal pathways.

Great idea! We'll definitely have to look around and see where we can find some rope.

try getting the bending branches, they are sold at most pet stores in different lengths and thicknesses

We have a couple of the bending vines that run through out his cage that we bought from PetSmart, but when you need so many of them they start to be expensive.


Thanks everyone for all the help and input!

 

[MeruJack]

Great idea! We'll definitely have to look around and see where we can find some rope.

I got mine at Lowes. It was not at all expensive for the amount of rope you get and there are lots of color choices but i like more natural colors like green or brown. And because it is made of nylon, it is not at all scratchy like regular rope. I also use it for a free range area up along the ceiling of my reptile room. I can take the end of the rope and tie it onto a vine or branch in someone's enclosure when it is his turn to use the free range. He can enter and leave the enclosure when he's ready. When his turn is up, I just untie the end of the rope that is in the enclosure and retie it to a branch or vine in someone else's enclosure.

 

[MeruJack]

I got my green rope at Lowes. It was not at all expensive for the amount of rope you get and there are lots of color choices but I like more natural colors like green or brown. And because it is made of nylon, it is not at all scratchy like regular rope. I also use it for a free range area up along the ceiling of my reptile room. I can take the end of the rope and tie it onto a vine or branch in someone's enclosure when it is his turn to use the free range. He can enter and leave the enclosure when he's ready. When his turn is up, I just untie the end of the rope that is in the enclosure and retie it to a branch or vine in someone else's enclosure.