Reddit reviews MidWest Deluxe Critter Nation Double Unit Small Animal Cage (Model 162)
We found 43 Reddit comments about MidWest Deluxe Critter Nation Double Unit Small Animal Cage (Model 162). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Includes two pans, two adjustable shelves, three plastic ramps with covers & easily maneuverable stand with 4 locking wheel castersFull-width double doors on Critter Nation small animal cage and removeable shelf provide maximum accessibility for easy cleaning & feedingCritter Nation's wide expanse shelves & full width leak-proof pans provide maximized play area & prevent dangerous fallsGreat for Rats, Chinchillas, Dagus, Ferrets |tubing (Corners) 0.6 inches square & 1/2 " horizontal wire spacing allow pets to fulfill their instinct to climb & explore in a secure environmentDimensions: 36"L x 24"W x 63"HNo tools required assembly & includes a 1- year manufacturer's warranty
I'd say so. I have 8 boys in a critter nation. They're (somewhat) litter trained but i do a spot clean every day. that takes only about 10 minutes. And i do a big clean on the weekends which is just the spot clean plus throwing the fleece liners in the washing machine. I give them a few scoops of Oxbow Rat food with a few scoops of brown rice in the morning, and some mixed veggies at night. And of course treats. But i try not to over feed them with the treats.
But, there are all kinds of cage options. Obviously you wouldnt need the cage mentioned above having like 2 or 3 rats. (but you must have more than 1 rat otherwise they get depressed and lonely).
Aw that's wonderful! Congrats on getting sucked into the wonderful world of being a ratty owner - you're gonna love it!
So first things first: you ALWAYS adopt at least two rats. More is always preferable, and I personally think three is the best minimum because the difference between looking after 2 vs 3 ratties is honestly minimal, but that 1 extra furbaby makes all the difference to them. Rats are very very social and need friends to thrive and live happy lives. Even if you had all the time in the world and had 1 rat, you wouldn't be able to make up for all the things he needs to have with another rat(s).
Ratties are relatively simple to look after, although they do need a good bit of socializing, attention and stimulation. This helps them thrive and live happy lives. They're very intelligent and can learn a lot of things if you wish to do so - this stimulates them mentally and keeps their brains active, which again, makes them thrive!
I'll get the long stuff out of the way first and then give you a list of foods, bedding and cages after.
Generally, rats tend to adjust to new environments pretty well and they build bonds quickly too. It took my 3 boys about 2-3 weeks to become complete cuddlebugs and trust me. Of course, rats that come from a shop where they havent been socialized properly since a young age will be more shy and scared than rats from a breeder/accidental litters etc. There are different trust and bonding exercises you can do when you first get your ratties to help them adjust to their new home. There are generally 2 approaches that people take - slow and patient, or a bit more forceful. Both sides have their supporters and opposition. I find that a combination worked best for me. You just need to try and see which works best, all ratties are different. These are some of the things to do with new ratties:
When bringing the ratties home and setting them up in their cage, observe their behaviour. They will probably be a little shy but also curious, and the curious side generally tends to be stronger than the shy side! They will probably hide at first or stay in one place, but sit beside their cage and try not to make any sudden or fast movements. Just be there with them, let them smell you and get used to you, so they realize that you're a safe presence and youre not scary.
If your ratties are starting to walk around and explore their cage a little more, you can gently and slowly place your hand flat inside the bottom of the cage. Dont move, let the ratties come to you. They most likely wont be able to fight their curious side and will come over to sniff and maybe even have a little nibble on your nails, fingers etc. Dont move, let them do their thing.
Observe their behaviour and you'll be able to make a judgement on how they react to this approach. Put some porridge, apple sauce or pudding in your hand and let them lick it/eat it out of your hand. You want to pick something they wont be able to grab and run away with, which is why pudding/sauce type of food is a better choice. This forces them to eat near you and even lick you which teaches them that they can trust you, that they can get nice tasty treats and food off you and you wont hurt them.
They'll start becoming more comfortable and eventually they'll be climbing on you out of their cage when you place your hand inside, sleeping in your hoodie and riding on your shoulder. Let them do it at their own pace.
You should also spend time with them free roaming outside of the cage, to do some trust training and bonding. Many people choose to sit in their bathtub and let the ratties run around, explore and climb all over them. If you have a rat safe, smallish room, you can also sit down and let them explore and come to you etc. They'll have fun, they'll explore, play and they will start to include you. They'll gain confidence. Ratties tend to also playfight/wrestle with each other - this is normal and not a sign of aggression. The playfighting can look a bit scary if youre unfamiliar with ratty behaviour, but generally if theres no blood drawn and the rats still cuddle, eat and are relaxed around each other when theyre not wrestling, then everything is fine. They usually calm down with the wrestling after a couple of months.
Everything I described above is on the more slow and patient side. This worked beautifully with 2 of my ratties. One of them was a lot more shy however so I did try one forceful method with him and it worked amazingly.
If you do encounter a problem where a rat (or all of them) aren't really responding to these trust and bonding methods, then you can try the slightly more forceful approach. The idea in this approach is that since the rat is too timid/scared, you have to show them that they're safe with you. I had to do this with one of my rats and after 1 day, he changed completely. He became 100% comfortable and happy, he ran over to me when I came to the cage etc. Before that, he was in the hammock all day and didnt leave the cage, he didnt come to me at all.
I wore 2 shirts - one thin shirt underneath and a cozy big hoodie on top of that. All I did was take him out of the cage despite protests (squeaking and struggling was involved unfortunately) and I put him inside my hoodie. He was nice and warm there and at first he was a bit scared but he soon fell asleep. I walked around all day with him in my hoodie (obviously giving him water and food haha). Eventually he left the inside of my hoodie and started walking around on my shoulders, sniffing my face, nibbling on my hair, climbing up and down my arms etc.
That one day showed him that there's nothing to be scared of and he is completely safe with me. He will get food, water and shelter from me, he wont get hurt and he's completely safe. After that 1 day, he's been the most amazing sweet cuddlebug, very confident and very playful too!
So that pretty much covers the basic behavioural patterns and approaches - of course there's definitely something I missed and Im sure someone else here will bring up something I havent said, but that does pretty much cover the most fundamental basics.
As for food - ratties need a low fat, low protein diet. The best staple food to give them is lab blocks. A great brand that people swear by is Oxbow. The reason why this type of food is great, is because it's formulated perfectly to accommodate the ratties' diet essentials and the rats also cant be picky about which bits of food they do and dont like - this means they're getting ALL of their necessary nutrients. I wouldnt recommend getting any rat food mixes where all the nutrients they need are in separate foods all thrown together into a bag, because they're just gonna eat the bits they like and leave the ones they dont care for. Some people make their own mixes though and that works really well for them - it all depends on how picky your rats are. Personally, its hard for me to find Oxbow where I live and its very expensive to buy online, so I use this food. It's like a european version of oxbow, my rats love it and thrive on it. If your rats are young though, you want to give them a little more protein couple of times a week than is included in Oxbow or the food I use. Some boiled chicken two or three times a week until they're around 6 months or so (if Im wrong, please correct me on this, but Im pretty sure its 6 months).
You want to give them fresh vegetables to supplement their lab block diet. All the leafy greens are great for them, but other veggies are good too - just dont overdo it because the fibre will cause them to have runny poops. Rat poop should be like dry little pellets, with barely any odour unless you get all up close and personal. They might have diarrhea the first day or two when theyre in their new home just from stress, just keep an eye out on them. My ratties love cucumbers, kale, parsley, broccoli, tomatoes and spinach. Carrots are also a good choice. Try different things and see what they like. Here is a good list of foods your rats are NOT allowed to eat.
Fresh water should of course be available at all times. They should drink water only, nothing else unless you need some cranberry juice or something like that to mix with their medication if theyre sick.
As for cages - ratties need to climb, explore, run around and play. This is a rat cage calculator - select your units and put in the dimensions of the cage you're considering buying, it'll calculate how many rats can fit in the cage youre choosing. Of course this is a rough guideline, so use your best judgement - the cage may be big enough but if there's no shelves for them to climb onto or to place their food bowels etc. then its not suitable.
The ultimate cage everyone here recommends is Midwest Critter Nation. It's an expensive cage but it's perfect. Of course if youre only getting 2 or 3 rats, you dont need a huge cage like this. You can opt to get them the single Critter Nation rather than the double if you wish. That would be a great option for a smaller mischief of rats. The important things to look out for in a cage, is that the bar space isnt too big. This is especially important if youre looking to adopt girls since theyre smaller. The cage should also be powder coated, not galvanized and the bars ideally horizontal (this means the ratties can climb and its easier for you to hang their hammocks and other cage accessories).
I'm so happy for you :)! Are all 6 already friends? If yes you wouldn't want tot separate them!
The best cage for me is the Double Critter Nation. Here is a link if you are in the USA: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427583929&sr=8-1&keywords=double+critter+nation
I've got 2 of them and they are perfect :)! Big, easy to clean, sturdy, pretty much chew proof!
When we decided to upgrade cages for our guys, we went with the Midwest Critter Nation double unit. It's made by the same folks who make the Ferret Nation and is almost identical, except that the bars have less space between them and run horizontally rather than vertically, making them better for smaller animals and easier to add accessories to.
It's been absolutely tremendous for them. One of our boys, Harvey, is also missing one of his front paws, and he runs about without any trouble. The Critter Nation has two main levels and two "half" levels, all of them solid and of a hard plastic that the boys haven't tried to chew on (I know, amazing - but there doesn't seem to be any reason to swap them out for metal, surprisingly). The ramps that reach from level to level come with fleece covers, so there's no chance of a paw slipping between rungs.
Here's a pic of the boys giving the Critter Nation a test drive before we moved them in. They've been in it for several months now and absolutely love it.
We had planned on buying ours through Amazon.com, then found one in our local PetSmart at an amazing price one day and brought it home, just like that. (Someone must have bought it online and returned it to the store or something - I don't think they usually carry them in-store, so we lucked out and didn't have to pay for shipping!)
Anyhow, I highly recommend this model for your three chinchillas. It has plenty of room for living, sleeping, and exercising and is safe for the boy with the missing paw. It was the best decision we ever made for our chins. :)
I wouldn't recommend that Kaytee cage.
The size is nice but the spacing between the bars is 1 inch. Young rats and smaller adult female rats will be able to squeeze between these bars. A 1 inch bar spacing is generally fine for adult male rats (>6 months).
Also, that style of plastic base can be chewed through by some rats. Some rats (not all) can be crazy plastic chewers.
A good cage for a pair of rats would be one that has a 1/2" bar spacing, cannot be chewed through to escape, and provides at least 5-6 fit^3 of interior space (the more the better, though).
My favorite cages for a pair of rats would be a powder coated Martin's cage (R-680 $105 + shipping or larger) or a single unit Critter Nation ($105). Martin's cages are smaller and lighter weight and can sit on top of a table, desk, or dresser. They're easier to transport and bring outside to scrub down. Critter Nation cages are massive. Like, massive-massive. The double unit cage (currently a really, really good price on Amazon $157) enormous but even the single is really quite huge. The whole front of the cage opens up, which is also a really nice feature. The problem is that they're huge and incredibly heavy and very difficult to take apart to move around or transport.
Other decent cages include the Rat Manor ($60) and the large Mcage ($60). Between these two cages, I lean toward the large Mcage because it's larger and has bigger doors but you would want to take out the stupid wire mesh floor on the bottom of the cage.
I would recommend a cage that is both long and wide rather than tall. While tall is nice so that they can have fun climbing, it is more important that they have wiggle and walking room. A cage with a larger area per floor will allow a lot more room to run, stretch, and play.
The best cages to buy are the ferret/critter nation cages. They are wide and long which allows plenty of room. If you're on a budget, a single layer will cost you about $150-$200, but it's well worth it. It comes with a base floor for your fuzzbutts along with a shelf for them to climb onto. Here's a link to it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Critter-Nation-Single-Unit-Stand/dp/B0085W9CL8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1410383879&sr=8-3&keywords=critter+nation
If you have a bit more money to spend, I recommend going with the same thing, but the two layer cage. This will give them double the play room and satisfy their need to climb and explore. It's also not too tall, so you don't have to worry about them falling/jumping off. Here's a link to that one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ0DAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I, myself, purchased the double layer cage along with an extra "attachment" layer on the top. I dedicated the bottom cage to pooping/eating, the middle layer to playing, and the top to sleeping. It takes up a good amount of space in my room (being a bit over 7 feet tall with all three layers), but my three carpet sharks love it, and it's got the durability to last you a lifetime. (:
I hope I've helped! Let me know if you have any more questions or concerns, and I would be happy to help the best I can!
The cage it's self is oookay? It's kind of a small price jump from that one to the Critter Nation cage which is pretty much the best cage you can get besides making a crazy huge custom one so to me I'd just save a bit more and get the creme of the crop cage.
The wheel in the listing you've provided is dangerous for glider tails, most owners prefer the "stealth wheel". I have a stealth wheel and my gliders LOVE it, they are constantly playing on it. When I looked up the kind I had it was no longer available and it seems they've made a new version which is the one I've linked, I can't speak for it's quality as I don't have that model but it looks like the same and better plus less bulky then mine. I'm totally going to get one now that I know they exist haha
I don't know what the food they've shown is but if anyone tells you you can get by feeding gliders with only pellet food and no fresh fruits or meal worms they're trying to sell you something!
Good luck on your glider journey!
This is from a link in the sidebar - http://ratguide.com/care/environment/housing_needs.php - there's tons of more helpful links there
Just so you know, you want a bigger cage, not smaller. Most people here save up for the biggest cages they can afford. One of the most popular ones I see here is the tall 63" Critter Nation - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ0DAY?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwathing-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001NJ0DAY - sometimes they can be found used on Craigslist for cheaper.
Keeping rats in cages that are too small is cruel and inhumane, and you'll end up with very sick, stressed, and miserable animals.
While you're in the research stage, it'll be helpful to look up the vets in your area, to see if there's any who specialize or have knowledge rats/small animals. HTH
This cage is more expensive ($250 before tax + shipping), but it is probably the best cage on the market for gliders. Out of the box its perfect. Horizontal bars, lots of space. shelves. LARGE doors. Its even modular, you can add more sections on.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001NJ0DAY
That's the cage we have and our two love it. I agree that it's too rusty for him. Especially if he chews where it is rusted.
Also if you live near a Joan fabrics they usually have fleeces on sale. So you can get yards of cute patters for relatively cheap! We load them up with it so they have comfy little places to sleep when they don't feel like sleeping in their beds
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=midwest+critter+nation&qid=1572996901&sprefix=midwest+critt&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3NUZNUUpKNUE4QU0mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMTQzMzkxVDlYVk40UVk0UEc2JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTc1NDUxNVVETFIyUFZXWUdSJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
It's a Midwest double critter Nation cage attached to a second one.
Can go wrong with a double critter nation cage. You can keep 4+ rats in one alone! My babies love it.
ETA: https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY
that is way to expensive for how small it looks (though I didnt see dimensions listed which is a huge red flag) also my gliders have NEVER had a problem with vertical bars in the 4 years I have had them.
If horizontal bars are a must for you there are much nicer cages with bars also the tunnels are pointless an
d there are much better ways to add environmental enrichment.
all of these cages are nice:
https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Departments/Shop-By-Category/Cages/Sugar-Glider-Cages.aspx
https://www.thepetglider.com/collections/sugar-glider-cages-accessories
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY <<the double critter nation is a good size and has horizontal bars
Also, knowing how shady pocket pets is I would never ever recommend supporting them.
Hahaha! I have this cage, the Critter Nation Double Unit, and I leave the left hand side top and bottom open whenever I am in their room. They do this! Nothing like seeing 6 little rat noses trying to get your attention!
This would be a much more suitable cage for three rats as it's made of metal but the base is easy to remove for cleaning as is the shelf. http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY It's actually the cage I have for my 3 boys and they enjoy it. Eventually I'd recommend maybe expanding it to include the top cage as well so they have even more room to move around if possible. Also, the bonus of this cage is that there is a shelf below it where you can store things. Just make sure that you aren't storing food down there because they will eat it. My husband also made a little ramp out of a piece of wood he covered in felt so that when we let our boys out they can come and go out of their cage as they please. Also, we use felt rather than fluff for their cage (mainly because one of our rats is allergic to most fluff) because it's so much easier to change. We change the felt and do a full wipe down of the cage with soap and water/disinfecting wipes every 3 or 4 weeks but with cleaning up/picking up poops/emptying their poop pan every couple of days. We use a shallow and small brownie pan for a poop pan and stick it to the floor with magnets. That way it's easy for us to remove but they can't push it around or flip it over.
You can get a bowl and water bottle at petco. They're not expensive. Make sure that you get food blocks for them rather than a food mix. With a food mix they can pick and choose what they want to eat (such as just the seeds) whereas with food blocks they will get complete nutrition in one place. We keep the food blocks in our freezer to avoid any tiny bugs that may come join the bag (which happened in the past when we ordered a large 50 lb bag and kept it in a plastic container...big waste of money).
Most rats will not use that flying saucer. Also, they can be dangerous and ratties can hurt themselves on them. I would not recommend getting one.
If they fight I would just let them be unless they're really getting loud and squeaking a whole lot. Then break it up. Usually a "hey!" is enough to get them to stop. But if not then you can always poke them with your finger. Not hard. Just enough to take their attention off of each other. Fighting isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes ratties just do it for fun and it's more like wrestling even though it might look like fighting. It's also a way to establish pecking order/the alpha role.
You don't need to give them specific vitamins but there are several foods that you should never give to rats. There's actually quite a long list so make sure that you google it or use the links at the side of this subreddit. They will help you learn what is okay and what's not okay for them to eat. They will get all of their vitamins in the food blocks but rats do get bored easily so you need to make sure that you supplement with veggies and fruit. Also, yogies (yogurt drops) are a wonderful treat for rats. They LOVE them. You can find them at petco next to the rat food.
You should let them out daily or at the very least every couple of days to explore and run around. We let our rats out for a few hours a day. But please make sure that you have a specific area for them to explore and that there isn't anything around that can hurt them or that they can get into that they shouldn't. We like to let our rats run around our living room. We block off our kitchen door and our hallway door and let them run around and explore. Rats love to chew so try to keep an eye on them. Chewing is a natural thing though. They do it to keep their teeth at the right length. A good way to combat chewing is by making sure that they have enough toys and things to play with in and outside of their cage. That link to that little toy you put up is a great and fun thing for rats! They will destroy it in no time at all but they will immensely enjoy it. See the links at the side for more toy ideas or google some.
Rats do need bathes every now and again. It can be difficult though as most hate water. If you want to introduce your rats to water then use lukewarm water in your bathtub and put just enough in that part of the floor is covered but that there's still a dry area for them to go if they hate it. They may try to climb up your arms and claw the shit out of you like mine do and they may poop a bunch but don't be alarmed. Those are fear poops. Just scoop them out and continue on. Use just a dab of animal safe shampoo and wash them. Do not get their heads super wet. I usually just avoid their heads all together. It's going to be difficult to wash them if they hate the water but sometimes a full bath is really needed. Other times you can just use a warm, wet washcloth and wipe them down. If they hated the bath tub then there's a good chance they will hate the wet washcloth as well. We bathe our boys when they start to smell or just if it's been a while. So probably every 2-3 months. They are really not fans of water so we try to only bath tub bathe them if a wet washcloth won't do the trick. Just make sure that you have a fluffy dry towel to wrap them in once they are done so they can be nice and warm!
If you need any other advice please feel free to ask. Just make sure that you check out those links to the side and really really study up about how to properly care for a rat. Rats are amazing little creatures and are such fun pets but like any pet they do require care and love. So get as familiar as you can with proper care before you bring them home.
MidWest Critter Nation Single Level, two level optional depending on budget.
Space Pod
Oxbow Regal Rat food
Water bottles
Litter box
Hammock
Food bowl
What is the base made out of? My current cage for my rats has a hard plastic bottom, but they've started chewing holes in it. I did some rearranging to cover the holes until I get a new cage, but I don't want to buy a new one every 6 months because they chew holes in them. This is the one I was thinking of buying eventually so they can't chew their way out.
I upgraded to the Midwest Deluxe Critter Nation Two Story https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ0DAY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like the horizontal bars, its size, the flat floor, large doors, and that you can expand it. I can only recommend it if you are willing to work on it, as it can be hard to put together and dangerous otherwise.
If the pieces were perfect, it would not be hard to put together. But some of the connections were bent and needed to be straitened, had a bad weld that made a gap, so had to be creative and a second set of hands to get it into place. It is just a one time headache and your set might be better.
For sugar gliders, you will want to not add the middle floor section, not adding it exposes holes, and then there is holes for where you can add the adjustable shelves.
The dangerous part is the holes have sharp edges, so they need to be filed smooth. Also, the punched out bit is still in the holes on most of them. They can be removed with needle nose pliers. If this is not done, I would worry about a curious sugar glider loosing a finger or whole hand...
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The one I had before was the HQ Flight Cage https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UTZ040/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is a little smaller, but still a descent size, it has bars on the bottom and slide out floor under it, so with a bit of newspaper (or what ever you prefer) it was easy to clean it, the smaller doors can be an advantage if you have have trouble keeping the gliders inside when you open it.
I had it for three years, the main reason I replaced it is I did not like the vertical bars, even though I never had an issue, I worried about it hurting their feet, as they always slid down on the bars a bit and with the bars on the bottom, they did not have much flat ground to stand on. I also wanting something a bit larger.
Other wise, it was a great cage. It was easy to put together and the only adjustment I had to make was to zip tie shut the little bird doors on the top of it.
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I looked into both cages, before getting them, to make sure they were not coated with anything toxic to sugar gliders, which is the main issue with cheap bird cages.
I recommend amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001NJ0DAY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512059111&sr=8-1&keywords=critter+cage&dpPl=1 It is cheap right now and awesome.
Here! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001NJ0DAY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511978998&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=critter+nation+double&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51Ni5J14u-L&amp;ref=plSrch It's on sale until December 4th I believe.
My little guy loves this!
I have a bunch of cheap $5 polar fleece blankets from Walmart that he loves and makes it super easy to keep the cage clean.
EDIT: formatting
One of our large pet chain stores sells them which I suppose has increased their popularity slightly. They aren't common though! People still look at me confused when I say what they are. Try this: http://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449847947&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=liberta+explorer+cage
The cage is a two level critter nation, sometimes branded as a ferret nation. The bars are coated and chew resistant and the doors come off to make it easier to work on the insides. Overall we are very happy with it. We got ours from amazon on sale with free shipping.
This is the one we purchased, but paid closer to $180 at the time. They are somewhat modular as far as adding levels and laying out the insides.
Midwest Critter Nation Animal Habitat with Stand, Double Unit, 36 Inches by 24 Inches by 63 Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Dthsub0KHMHXE
My vet has told me it is also super important to feed a wide variety of food. This is my list that I use to find good foods
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a3tj2jbsfiekjin/FruitVegLIST2011.pdf?dl=0
and this is a modified hpw recipe
Ratio 2.05:1 Calcium 21.47 mg Phos 10.46 mg
Protein 0.59 g Sugar 2.94 g Iron 0.05 mg
Fat 0.23 g Fiber 0.06 g
1 cup Juice (Gerber Yogurt Juice *Green Juice plus extra 1/8 tsp Calcium)
1 cup Honey
3 Large Eggs - cooked
6 oz Yogurt - Plain or Low Fat Vanilla
2 TBS Bee Pollen Granules
1/2 cup Wombaroo High Protein Supplement
1 tsp NOW brand Calcium Carbonate Powder (1200 mg / tsp)
Add Water about 1 cup - using just enough to make the full batch equal 5 cups total.
Once it's made stick it in the freezer, it scoops out like ice cream.
here's a place you can get the wombaroo powder
http://www.thepamperedglider.com/supplements.htm
the 1 kilo box lasts about 1.5 years for two gliders. Keep it in the freezer
I got them this cage
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1487078028&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=double+critter+nation
and this wheel
https://www.amazon.com/Exercise-Wheel-Gliders-Rats-Stealth-XMount/dp/B00GEI46XE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1487078063&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=stealth+glider+wheel
and they love life. They also holy flying hell love meal worms.
You are very welcome and here are some links to the 2 cages I suggested
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549276276&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;keywords=ferret+nation&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-485-Products-Hammertone/dp/B000QFMYWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549276306&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=feisty+ferret
This one is from Critter Nation. The bigger one of the 2 on that page. It is a great cage and I love the huge doors. I can open them fully while I clean the cage and the gliders don't even jump out.
I actually started with my 2 chins in the same exact cage. Wound up going with the critternation at Petsmart for $260, you can get it on amazon for about $200 though:
http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY
mine came with plastic trays, very similar to a dog crate, but they make metal trays that are obviously chew proof. My gf and I made felt slipover covers for the tray though (for their feetsies, and to prevent plastic chewing), and they absolutely LOVE it!
Oh sorry! That is a "Double Critter Nation" https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1518569969&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=double+critter+nation+cage They look like that.
Sure, I believe I got in from amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483726860&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;keywords=double+critter+nation&amp;psc=1
It looks like either a Midwest Critter Nation (double unit) or a Midwest Ferret Nation (double unit). I have had both and they are great cages but I recommend the Ferret Nation over the Critter Nation as the wire gauge is thicker and less prone to breaking.
I'm looking to make non-porus replacement floors/trays for my DCN animal cage [ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001NJ0DAY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1503473468&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=critter+nation+double+unit ] for the two large bottom floors (the very most bottom and the bottom of the upper unit).
I was thinking of using something like tile, but I'm not sure if I could get something to the right dimensions? especially with the cut out on the middle level needed to let the animals pass from one floor to the other
any ideas?
it has two floors but there is a pan and floor with a cutout in a corner that leads between floors. i have the pan positioned to blobk the hole so my chins will be seperated. my girl attacks the boy on site. we bought him after our old boy died of pnumonia cause she looked sad. tried all the introduction method stuff but she hates him so they needed to be seperated.
here is the cage.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ0DAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I went with the aspen shavings for bedding and wound up getting [this cage for them] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ0DAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1). I figured since they'll be in it forever I should spend a bit more on it.
How much?
I have this for my three girls
They either love sleeping on the top in their hammocks or on the bottom in the igloo, that one looks like you can throw more hammocks and hanging things in there vs mine
One thing that really helped my guy was getting more time out to play. Different toys that provide him lots of stimulation. Cat balls with bells inside, tunnels of different kinds, that big ferret roll about ball (NOT an exercise ball, this one has open holes all over it where you can connect tunnels to it, etc.), crackly things, a plush alligator and an octopus he can go in and out of. He has stuffed animals he likes to play with (you have to be careful to use the kind with no hard parts-- stitching for eyes instead of those black bead things, and only stuffing as filling instead of any small beads).
Another thing is to take him by the scruff and just gently pull him about a foot along whatever surface he's on. Otherwise, don't react to the biting in any way (yelling, pulling away, etc). Ferrets are a little nippy and are chewers by nature. I just keep socks and pajama pants on so my guy's little nips don't really bother me.
If he is actually biting, make sure that he has the proper lifestyle. Plenty of exercise time and a large enough cage (I can't tell what you have there, so just in case... ferret cages are generally something like this, multi level and quite tall and wide). Make sure that he is getting a proper diet-- feed him either raw or a mix of 2-3 of the foods in the kibble comparison chart that's on the sidebar (with the exception of wysong ferret epigen 90-- the formula was changed on that and it has been blamed for the deaths of many ferrets... they have a new digestive support one, but I still don't trust it and my guy will not eat it).
Here is the Amazon link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TfPUAbRHSWJEN#immersive-view_1522176515846
We are just missing the ramps we just plan on making some.
We got it for free so that's why we didn't complain they ramps were missing.
is this cage ok for 3 rats? (the one level) also i found this cage for way less money and they both look exactly the same. is there a difference between critter and ferret nation?
No problem! Midwest Deluxe Critter Nation We’ve modified it quite a bit.
The material is no-pill fleece we got from a fabric store and cut to fit. We use dog pee pads under the fleece for extra absorbency.
Critter nation is that cage, the doors are the entire front of the cage. Comes in a single and double story.
https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY
We have two of those cages - and only one bottom between them after Margarat chewed an escape tunnel in the first one. We got a dual Critter Nation (non-affiliate Amazon link) for Xmas, but we really liked the All Living Things cages and keep them as a backup.
As for names ... For cuteness how about Wheezer and Spud? For eccentricity, I am thinking Attentive or Vigil, and Atlantis or Endeavor. Hmm ... No, no. Ooh, how about Copernicus and Galileo?
Though you didn't ask, I'll volunteer: Be very careful when giving your ferret(s) toys to play with. Avoid anything made of foam, for example; chewed pieces can get caught in their intestinal tract and cause serious problems. For similar reasons, avoid anything that has pieces which can be chewed off (e.g., a plastic eye); anything with plastic bits (like ribbons); and all kinds of squeaky toys and things made of thin rubber. Good toys: Cardboard tubes and boxes. Ping-pong balls. Super Thru-Way. Cotton rope toys. Large towels. Small cotton unadorned stuffed animals.
These are the exact cages we have. The two story and the single story. I don't know if they are any good for birds or not, we had pet rats.
http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Critter-Nation-Animal-Habitat/dp/B001NJ0DAY
Buy nice or buy twice! My girlfriend and I have one of these cages and it has served us quite well.