Damn cat!

[debcash]

I have some of the animal plastics racks, and love them! But my cat just figured out she can slide the tubs out. the first time it happended it thought I hadn't pushed it back in the whole way, but last night she pulled 2 out and now I'm looking for my opal and anery. :twoguns: (The cat is now living in the garage!)

I am going to put a door on the snake room and solve the problem, but I'd like look at an additional way to secure the tubs, just in case.

Has anyone used a fastener of any kind for their racks - I've seen the eye-shaped ones and was thinking that they might work. If anyone has ideas on securing the tubs, please let me know - thanks!!

 

[Taceas]

Thankfully my cats aren't all that interested in the snakes. They'll sit and watch them sure, but they don't swat at them or harass them in the cage.

Then again, most of my snakes are in a closed-door spare bedroom. The 3 that are in vivs throughout the house aren't paid any attention to by the cats, luckily.

Mine learned from an early age that harassing animals in cages wasn't too bright and usually resulted with a sore bottom or wet face. =P

Here's a post you might be interested in: Click here!

Best of luck finding your snakes. I've still got a couple MIA for a few months, hopefully when the weather changes and the house warms up they'll show up. *sigh*

 

[Roy Munson]

I posted this a few weeks ago in Traci's "Reptile Racks" thread:

How about this scenario:

Your cat hooks a claw into a ventilation hole, or under the lip of the lid, and pulls it out just far enough to facilitate an escape. Could happen, right? Or should I start looking into therapy?

I was defending my preference for using the lids for the Sterilite tubs in my AP racks. My cat is restricted from the snake area anyway, but with the lids, the fit is so snug that it would take a very large cat to fish one of them out. And they'd have to get them out at least halfway for a snake (or the cat) to be able to exert enough pressure to pop the lid.

I really hope you find those snakes.

Edited to add: Someday I'll go lidless for racks committed to only adult corns. When I do, I'll be using Terry's method (linked by Misty above).

 

[ultimuttone]

Oh no! Justified Dean's paranoia, lol.
I am sorry to hear about your MIAs, hopefully they will turn up soon. And if the tubs are loose enough to be slid out like that, using the lids might not be a bad idea. Let us know if you find something that solves the problem.

 

[debcash]

Misty - Thanks! That looks perfect - I'll stop by the hardware store tomorrow. In 9 months I hadn't had any escapees and the cat had left them pretty much alone (except once, but that was my fault). This is a new trick she has discovered and now that she knows how I don't think she'll stop. She has been in the garage since last night and my Dad is coming out on Thursday - he's a carpenter and I'll ask him to do the door for me.

Dean - Now you know -- it really can happen. They are snug in the rack and I have a piece of sheet metal layered on the back of each shelf (to help with the radiant heat). The sterilite tubs for the A/P rack have handles and the cat must just work at them until she gets it out. I would never have guessed she could do it.

They haven't turned up yet, but there isn't anyway for them to get out of the room, so they should turn up - it's going to be a late night.

 

[CornCrazy]

Deb...I hope you find them! It really stinks when they escape. I prefer having my tubs in the racks sideways. The tubs aren't stiff enough for that to be secure, however, and I was always afraid a snake would be able to push the side out enough to get out. I decided to look for some straight metal supports to use as locks. It works quite well. Sometimes they are a bit annoying, but it is well worth the annoyance to know that my snakes are secure.

By the way Dean...I'm a girl...my name is spelled with an "i"

 

[Roy Munson]

By the way Dean...I'm a girl...my name is spelled with an "i"

I know you're a girl, and I even know how to spell your name. I noticed it after I posted, but I thought "heck, she won't even notice." WRONG. I guess I'd notice too, if someone spelled my name Deen. If you were as cool as Traci, I would have never made the mistake in the first place. :grin01:

 

[Drizzt80]

Here's a post you might be interested in: Click here!

Great idea, I missed that one somewhere . . . here's what I use:

In the picture you should be able to see the short dowels in the front. Holes are drilled into the shelf for the dowel to fit into. I drilled the holes after making the rack, so they ended up being at a slight angle.

I originally placed them there as a safeguard from a cage being 'accidentally' shifted forward in my classroom . . . kids can be kids you know. They have actually proven quite useful at feeding time as well since I can replace the pegs when a snake has eaten, and I can place the peg on the shelf in front of the cage for a snake that I have to come back and double check that they actually ate (pre-shed non-feeders for example).

D80

 

[CornCrazy]

I know you're a girl, and I even know how to spell your name. I noticed it after I posted, but I thought "heck, she won't even notice." WRONG. I guess I'd notice too, if someone spelled my name Deen. If you were as cool as Traci, I would have never made the mistake in the first place. :grin01:

Spell my name wrong...then say I'm not cool...I'm crushed!

You'd better watch out! You know what they say about paybacks! :nyah:

 

[Preita]

excellent. I was looking for that picture where I had seen where someone had put dowels in front of their tubs. I think that's a great idea by the way . I was also thinking velcro on the bottom of the tub, don't know if it would work as well though