Free Range or Enclosed Playpen?

[Bexi87]

It's very early days with the girls but I've been trying to plan how to train them to be out of the cage.

Ideally I want to be able to let them have free range to my living room when I am home (with all wires covered up!) but I'm not sure how to get to that stage.

At the moment I build a small playpen across the front of the cage out of pieces of wood and let them out for about an hour minimum. As they are already so tame they are getting bored fast, Flo has already been attempting 'spider-Goo' impressions.

The thing is I don't know if it will be better to just let them out in the front room from the start, or somehow build up to it?

Does anyone let their monsters 'free range' and if so how did you manage it?

[deguconvert]

I know there are . . . just can't think who at the moment. Hopefully they catch sight of your thread!

[zo]

Hi i let mine run around the front room they love it and then they just go back in there cage themselves after a bit but if they don't go in i just get them in by getting there treat bag out then they come running in i have to watch them when they are out though as i have wires around near our tv and they like to chew the kids toys and hide in them lol little buggers

[Bexi87]

Did you just let them out and see what happened the first time?

[zo]

I think one of them escaped to start with i was really worried I wouldn't catch him or get him back in he went under the settie and stayed there i caught him in the end i just sat down on the floor and stayed quietly now all 4 of them run around the front room and go in and out of there cage when i let them out i sit on the floor and they come running over and away

[Bexi87]

Thanks, think I'm going to give it a go on Friday. That way if it takes me hours to catch them I don't have to get up for work the morning after

[zo]

Yeah sometimes it does take ages catching them

[bouncy]

I let my goos have free range in the kitchen. I put a barrier across the doorway, open the cage, sit on the floor, and watch them go! They seem to love it from the word go, but I could never leave them alone. The first time they came out, they munched straight through the cable supplying my storage heater (turned off). They've also taken a fancy to absolutely anything within reach, running away with their prize (like the label off the top of my broom), or trying their teeth out. So far, the dustpan, bins, my cushion, and even my big toe have all fallen prey. I guess the toe was my fault, because Spidergoo kept getting under my feet one evening, so unintentionally got kicked a couple of times. He took it out on my big toe. One thing they're not allowed to touch is my kitchen units - I only finished building my kitchen last year!

They live in the kitchen, as it's got the most consistent temperature, and they know it's their space.

They have tunnels, dust, a ball pit, and other random bits to play with whilst they're out. I close the door at the end when they've all had enough and have gone back in of their own accord.

[Bexi87]

Well the girls have had 2 hours of free time tonight - didn't take too long to get them back in either.

They seemed to enjoy it although they jumped and everything but that will calm down as they get more used to it

[uglibug]

We have odd little goos. We have cuddle time every night, but only Buddy and Mater really take any notice of it. We just sit or stand by the cage and open the door, normally we just get ignored, lol. The only plus side is that I assume their lack of interest in coming out means they are happy with their space inside and don't really feel the need to get out all the time.

[thedeguwrangler]

I let them roam free in the livingroom, just gotta make sure everything you don't want chewed is moved all the time... sometimes they go home themselves when they get tired or bored, but they usually run away and hide. xD

[cheekyfilly]

I used to let mine out round the living room til I got a playpen so that they can have time out while I am at work. When you feed them if you get in the habit of saying the same thing for example "dinnertime" then when you want them to go back in,say the same thing and eventually they will associate the word with their bowls and will head straight back into the cage. I then used to just give them a piece of food if they had already had dinner as a reward.

[ryanj]

Unfortunately we wouldn't be able to let ours have free range as our house is rented and fairly old so there are too many nooks and crannys for them to disappear into. However, our hallway might be a good area as it's carpeted, not too open and there are not gaps anywhere.

Did I see somewhere that a bath can be a good play pen?

[moletteuk]

Hallways can work well, I would think the bath is a bit small, bathroom's can sometimes be an option to make safe as there won't be wires, you would need to block off any plumbing/ trunking holes behind toilet/ sink/ bath.

[queenroblin]

After we moved in this house we kept a load of our boxes (broke them open) and put them around the parts of the room we don't want the goos to get at, which is most of the edges because they love to chew skirting boards. We also have a computer, loads of old games consoles near the floor and bookcases which they will chew if they get the chance.
So having the cardboard block off areas means that they can run around the majority of the room without us having to chase them off something every two seconds.