Escape Proofing ideas for Cunninghams

[Scotts1au]

Hi guys, I'm contemplating getting some cunninghams but have only had experience once before at keeping them outdoors which ended badly. Thought I had all of the bases covered escape proof wise but still got out.

Also I went to the Kyabram Fauna Park recently and found an escaped cunningham looking at me from the wombat enclosure despite the cunninghams enclosure being like Fort Knox with 4 foot high vertical smooth steel walls!!!

My current outdoor bluey enclosure has about 18inch vertical walls on one side, and vertical metal fences on the others. I'm thinking of maybe attaching PVC pipe horizontally (maybe 90mm) on the inside of the front facing wall but a bit worried that the might be able to scale PVC by getting their claws into it. mmm

I'd hate to make an investment like these guys http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/narre-wa ... 1020918336 only to have them scamper out of my enclosure.

Any suggestions?

[Scotts1au]

OK this isthe sort of thing I was thinking about. check out the way they have used PVC piping to stop cats escaping.
http://www.fabcats.org/owners/fencing/info2.html

[Richard.C]

that's a great question scott,i have 1 that I just cant seem to keep in the outside cage,i go over cage every time any have gotten out,once I had 4 of them out,but since last one got out,havnt had that issue,2 years now,my prob was wire breaking free ,just enough for them to squeeze out

they are great climbers,easily climb up wood posts ect,and worse are great at squeezing through tight gaps,the latter being my issue

the one at large,has been recaptured numerous times but has somehow found a way out pretty much straight away every time its returned to cage,and its learned how to avoid me recapturing it,thankfully it spends its time in one of 3 rubble piles near the compost heap or the mud brick shed near where my outside cage is in hot weather,smarty pants lizard has sussed how to avoid me recapturing it,so I have to try different methods each time,the last time I sat with a trap set with food inside,pull string when it enters,though it sucked it in it managed to squeeze out of the lid,ans further attempts it only ate the food on edge of cage,then sat watching me,like its mocking me,lol

main thing is expect the unexpected,be sure its sturdily enclosed if they can climb anywhere,even joined sections of tin can offer them a foothold,alot of folk use open topped cages,and keep them in,so unclimable barriers are your best bet

they will do well with your blotchies to,they are just as cold hardy,suprisingly still eat and active when blotchies have stopped

[Lea]

Lol, sounds like you have the Muttley of Cunninghams, Richard! I can just imagine him doing a wheezy little laugh at you from between the rocks

[Jeff]

Do they dig? How high could they reach on a completely smooth wall? I am guessing that if there were no gaps in the smooth walls at the fauna park, the escapee probably got out when the enclosure was opened for cleaning etc.

I don't know if the cost would be excessive, but we can get aluminum flashing here in various widths & lengths. I would think if you used one piece to surround the bottom 60-70 cm of the enclosure (or however much you need), it should be easy to secure the one single seam where the ends meet.

Here is an example of the stuff I am refering to: http://www.lowes.com/pd_12524-205-66020 ... spn=pla%22

[Scotts1au]

Yeh they dig in the wild but I'd probably catch them before they could dig out as the enclosure walls are about 10cm deep. Thanks for the suggestions. I might be best to try putting one in their first off and see if I can keep it in. That will force me to be creative and do an audit.

[Richard.C]

scott with mine,they only climb the wood poles,that ive seen anyways,pine and red gumposts,so if u have tin around the bottom and can prevent them climbing posts,as long as tin joins don't offer them any purchase you should be fine

my female water dragons can jump from ground to wire easily,at least 2 foot in height,the cunninghams don't have that skill and need to climb,and they are quite skillfull at that

main thing is prevent them accessing above tin section

capping any wood sections would be a good idea

[Scotts1au]

This was the critter at the Fauna Park enjoying life "on the Lamb" or should I say Wombat.

[Richard.C]

haha,looks very similar to my harry houdini