Corner Hammocks & Bridges

Lately, I've been contemplating whether or not it would be cheaper if I were to JUST buy pouches! I have a pretty swanky set up with the kids where they have actual shelves and they are covered with fleece panels so they can stretch out their little paws if they want. That being said, I've never really noticed my kids ever really using their bridges nor hammocks and RARELY if ever their braided fleece rope or fleece vine.

Just wondering the general consensus out there. Do YOUR babies use the fleece vines a lot? Fleece rope? What about the corner hammocks, etc?

Wondering if I would save more money if I just buy pouches of a fancy design and leave everything else out.

OR, as a compromise, maybe get the fleece vine, braided rope, bridge & corner hammocks but buy them in a solid black/white so they match whatever pouches I put up.

Thoughts?

Well I don't have any corner hammocks, bridges or shelves. I do however have a basket swing with room enough for them to sit in, a fleece tunnel they can run or sit on or in, a fleece hammock that I now hang long & open, play bin, fake branch, and 4 fleece vines (also 2 pouches, a wheel & a diner).

What they use most? Besides sleeping in pouches, lol: They love their vines, they do climb & run over the ones that are connected at both sides, not the one hanging straight down, they love to sit on or in their play bin & their diner, I'm sure they're using their wheel, I just can't hear their new one, and they don't usually use it when we are in the room, I see them sometimes on or under their fake branch (under mostly when it was horizontal), and I sometimes see them in their basket & in their hammock, but not often, even less on or in their tunnel, & a lot of the time, they will sit on the floor or hang from the walls or roof. I have hung more toys from their roof over the tunnel, they may sit on it a little, but most of the time they access toys from walls & roof.

Even though the cage sets with corner shelves & bridges look nice and could be nice to have, but if you have other options of places to sit and stretch or rest their toes, they're not a necessity. Sounds like a fleece lined shelf & other toys s/a baskets & bins that they can sit and play on that gives them a variety of "toe positions" should be sufficient. I would recommend though leaving 1 or 2 those fleece braided vines in though, you can make those yourself, no-sew relatively cheap, and they may climb across them from time to time, maybe when you're not with them. Mine really do climb on them and run across, not as much as on the actual cage bars, but they do seem to enjoy having them in there, I kind of have them connected so there is a destination (furnishings or toys, & locations of food & water sources) either at one or both sides, or even along the way.

It is different for all gliders but I do consider having one of those either hammocks or bridges important at all times because I think it is good for their feet and also great to catch gliders Or let them lounge.

This is also the reason I make custom sets almost exclusively, not all gliders enjoy the same things. Mine for instance never use tunnels, anything made with that hardwire mesh, braided ropes, ball pits, or sugar combs. My girls love nesting boxes, the star cove , their cube, the raindrop nest, bridges, and tassels hung horizontally and not vertically. Mine will choose a specialty pouch over a normal one given the choice too.

They all have different personalities and the younger they are the less they try new things.

If you notice your gliders don't like something don't force it but don't abandon all hope. Try doing different things like putting tension on both ends of those ropes, hanging the bridge the other length of the cage, one time I hung 4 corner hammocks corner hooks together then clipped a bell in center and clipped the rest of the hooks to the cage and they loved all the noise it made, if you have more than one bridge hang them on top of each other and put treats in between, just mix it up and play.

Oh yeah I should say it is perfectly normal to get what you want in a set. My sets for myself right now have a raindrop, a cube, a starcove, a bridge, 2 hammocks, 2 tassels, a pouch, and this tube thing.....i obviously haven't come up with a name for yet, hahah.

That is so totally true, although I only have 2 gliders, I will see one of them from time to time just sitting in a lounging like position in their hammock now that it hangs long and more open. Originally this is the hammock they loved to sleep in when closed until I got them the new pouches. Here is a photo of them when they were in the closed hammock
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Here is a pic of the hammock the way it is now, long & open, best one I have of it. I haven't managed to get a shot of them inside, because when I've caught one in there, I never have my camera and they move on by the time I go get it, lol.
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They did abandon the closed hammock when I put their "tree pouch" in there, but then they vacated that for a regular style pouch. Fickle.

I swear I ought to leave the camera or my phone on the computer desk, so I can grab a shot when I peek on theme during the night.

VE, I am going to start a new thread because many of these pouches...I have never even heard of! I think it would be great to get a visual idea of what a "raindrop" pouch or a "starcove" pouch looks like--especially for newbies!

I know some designs are exclusive to their designers. But what a great way to market yourself, yes?

It's posted under Shopping if anyone wants to add pics to the thread...or at least links to one's vending site?

I posted a reply finally!