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| Rhino Resource Center: Rhino Forums > Rhinos in Captivity > Zoos > Bars: Vertical vs Horizonal |
| Posted by: Rynotamer Sep 6 2007, 10:08 PM |
| Hey guys, Well it's sad but it has taken a sick rhino for us to finally replace a solid concrete wall with bars. What do you all have? Vertical or horizonal? We're leaning towards the vertical. Then what spacing between bars. Any suggestions? Mark |
| Posted by: Rhinoman Sep 7 2007, 08:57 AM |
| Hi Mark, Thats a good point, the outside yards for the black rhinos at the Western plains zoo at Dubbo are Horizonal, this is a large breeding complex. Others have Vertical bars inside there rhino houses, I think because they have much less room, such as the white rhino house that Whipsnade zoo use to house its white rhinos in. I would lean towards the Vertical on the inside and Horizonal outside Rhinoman |
| Posted by: adam Sep 7 2007, 03:48 PM |
| Mark, Columbus has horizontal bars in one area and vertical in another area, and personally I like the horizontal. It seems to give us better access to the animal, and does not seem as crowded. I really think it is a personal preference. If you need photos of our set up let me know and I can email them to you. adam |
| Posted by: Rynotamer Sep 9 2007, 02:44 AM |
| Thanks Adam, But I think we're gonna be putting in vertical bars. I agree with that hor. may be easier but our male Spike is a climber and both would have a hay day rubbing on the bars. Either way, we will gain alot more access than what we have now...concrete walls. We have horiz. bars outside though. Still looking for zoos that have vertical bars and what amount of spacing between the bars. Please. Thanks everyone, Mark |
| Posted by: locogogol Sep 10 2007, 09:35 PM |
| hi guys, where i work at Miami Metrozoo, we have vertical inside pen posts (perhaps 2ft in-between?), and outside we've got two 'padocks' (islands surrounded by moats) & one rear 'breeding' pen w/ both vertical & horizontal posts & heavy gauge chain-link. as to the verticals i have no doubt that the access is better (especially for leg blood draws). we are however considering a new pen w/ horizontals for hopefully a new addition to our family, as well as probable economic reasons. another thing to consider tho, actually as to chain-link, is that in our first intos our female sustained quite a few scrapes (which would have been more 'incidental' i believe if it were not for the fencing). just my two cents! yuri |
| Posted by: mark Sep 11 2007, 12:56 PM |
| I remember reading one cautionary tale about a rhino and vertical bars in BBC Wildlife more than twenty years ago. In 1986 a young female sumatran rhinoceros was given as a gift by the King of Malaya to the King of Thailand and was housed at the King's elephant stables in Bangkok. Unfortunately the animal died when it got its head caught between vertical bars and panicked. This incident is referred to on page 53 of the IUCN publication Pachyderm 15, 1992. This is the link. http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/afesg/pachy/pdfs/pachy15.pdf |
| Posted by: adam Sep 12 2007, 06:50 PM |
| That is a good point about vertical bars. When we had our calve we actually added mesh to prevent the baby from sticking its head and legs through. For the adult animals the space bewteen is not big enough for them to put their heads through. |
| Posted by: CassandraS Sep 25 2007, 07:38 PM |
| Hey Mark, We have vertical bars in our holding building, and horizontal cables around our exhibit. The vertical bars inside are different distances apart-anywhere from 9 to 11 inches apart. The larger spaces are definitely easier to access the animals, and slide through if you want to. Even the biggest space, our adults cannot fit their heads through. We boarded up the bars when we had our calf, because she could have fit through the largest spaces. If I had to choose, I would do all vertical bars, 11 inches apart. The vertical bars are so much easier for training, and they can't rub their horns as easily on vertical. |
| Posted by: Rynotamer Oct 4 2007, 06:03 PM |
| Update, Well we had vertical bars installed in our barn, 14 inches apart and verdict is in.....WE LOVE THEM. Our female who used to be the scardy cat loves them too, she can see us and training is going good. Thanks everyone for your imput. |
| Posted by: CassandraS Oct 6 2007, 09:26 PM |
| Mark, Just for my future reference-can your adults fit their heads through the 14" spaces? |
| Posted by: Rynotamer Oct 10 2007, 12:01 AM |
| Female can to about her ears....Male cannot. Since our female is still "under the weather" she isn't pulling any of her tricks on people. But we're going to have to watch it once she get well again. Biggest worry right now, not to get peed on by Spike (male). 9 years never been peed on by a rhino, don't plan on starting the habit. mark |
| Posted by: Rynotamer Oct 11 2007, 01:38 AM |
| correction...female can stick head all the way through. some bars are slightly further apart. We still like them though. |
| Posted by: safari_dave Jul 19 2008, 12:13 PM |
| Vertical bars inside with a space of about 8 inches, haven't measured them. Never had any issues with these bars. Concrete walls are at the back and sides with the vertical bars on the keeper walk. This house is off show to the public. |
| Posted by: wanteed Jul 9 2009, 09:27 PM |
| Hi All, we use vertical bars inside. Distance between them are about 8-10 cm. In every box are some wider for the keepers acces. It safer for the rhinos because they can not climb on barrier and push horn there. When we have calf we put from the keeper side horizontally wood to prevent calf go through. The same we use on gates outside. To boundary we use stony walls, big stones, moats. We never use horizontal bars, but for example in Port Lypmne Zoo in UK they have horizontal bars in outside enclosure without any problems, but they have very big enclosures, about several hectars. I full support vertical bars. |