Stroppy ferret

[Lazy-Ferret]

I am having a problem with Kit the ferret climbing over the gate that keeps him from arguing with the second group of ferrets that live over the other side.

With out going into a tonne of extra info, the gate can not be just a case of a bit of wood, and it needs to be high enough to stop the ferrets jumping it, but low enough for us to be able to step over it.

Ferret Proofing is actually an impossible concept, basically, it is a case of finding a way of temporarily outwitting them until they learn how to get round your latest efforts.

The current gate has worked for several months, but Kit finally found a weakness in the design. The other night, I decided to try a proof of concept by attaching a bit of perspex I had left over from a Clipframe that arrived broken to the gate with some tape and see what the results would be... The perspex still had the protective cover on...

As you can see, Kit took this very personally....
Kit the ferret v the perspex sheet.

 

[solarman216]

Determined little B's aren't they, you just have to be one step ahead, like we have to be with Suza, Rusty is no problem but Suza will escape like the wind, it is a constant effort to seal any little hole or gap that she can squeeze through, and it is surprising how small that can be, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

You are not kidding, that is a severely clipped video, he kept going for about 30 mins, then went back several more times over the evening. I did peal the protective layer off, which cut down the noise a bit.

His brother has been finding a way out of the garden, and it has taken us 2 or 3 months to finally find the route he was taking. He is climbing up a concrete fence post, luckily a bit of plastic guttering screwed to the post has put a stop to that.. for now?

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

:lol I'm surprised how much purchase he has with his tiny feet, he nearly pulled it clean off

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

:lol I'm surprised how much purchase he has with his tiny feet, he nearly pulled it clean off

They are very strong... A few years ago, at 1:30am, one managed to climb up the polythene wrapping, the wall side of 5, 8foot high, 2foot wide Mirrored sliding wardrobe doors that were stood leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs, waiting to be fitted the next day. He sent all 5 down the stairs, smashing them and the stair case to bits... amazingly, there were no injuries, but there was one very sheepish ferret!!

 

[perelaar]

Vertical panel with a smooth round plastic pipe on top no solution? Liberally coated in teflon?

 

[panelbeater]

upside down gutter on top.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

upside down gutter on top.

The original gate was laminated chipboard, with a length of drain pipe slotted and then fitted over the top. Believe it or not, they could still grip on the curved pipe, and get over it. I made it higher, to stop them being able to jump that high, but then we struggled to climb over it.

To be honest, I have a nice large sheet of plastic, which, if this idea works, will most likely become the gate, but I did not want to cut it up just to trial it, as it is a good size, and would be a waste if he finds a way over it. I can't make it any higher, as we are already struggling to get over it when we are tired.

 

[solarman216]

I got loads of off cuts of plastic or polycarbonate here if you need, Rick