# Can Critter Nation cages come off the stand?



## hailey_rora (Oct 17, 2017)

Hello everyone! I really want to get a single critter nation cage but I don't have room for the entire cage with the stand in my room. Is it possible to take the stand off and just use the cage it's self? If you have done this can you attach some pictures? If I can't successfully take the stand off I'm going to get this cage https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Habit...=UTF8&qid=1508880332&sr=8-5&keywords=rat+cage What do you all think about this one?
Sorry for all the questions!! Thank you!


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## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

For sure! You just don't assemble the bottom stand. My SCN is like this, and I've never had any issues with any cage instability or anything like that. I had a similar issue to you, where the cage needed to be under a certain height. I've had it for going on 2 years now without the stand, and my ratties love it!

Here's a picture of my "standless" CN:

View attachment 289538



I've heard mixed things about the other cage your looking at, mainly that some people's rats have chewed up the plastic base/shelves. I'd imagine the door size might make it a bit hard to clean as well. Otherwise, seems like a decent sized cage. 

However, I've never had it myself, so others might be able to give you more input.


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## hailey_rora (Oct 17, 2017)

Shadow <3 said:


> For sure! You just don't assemble the bottom stand. My SCN is like this, and I've never had any issues with any cage instability or anything like that. I had a similar issue to you, where the cage needed to be under a certain height. I've had it for going on 2 years now without the stand, and my ratties love it!
> 
> Here's a picture of my "standless" CN:
> 
> ...


Thanks so much! That's what I've heard about the other cage too but the thing I like about it is how easy it would be to move. We travel kind of often and I need to be able to transport the cage to a pet sitter. That's why I'm hesitant to buy a CN...


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

I do recommend avoiding a cage that is built of plastic, it'd be a waste of money if they just chewed a big hole in the base. You can buy a Martins cage that is all metal though. Martins are just as good as CN cages, they're just different and suit different preferences. When buying a CN, it's best to keep in mind that they're more like a piece of furniture and aren't suitable for someone who wants to take the cage places. With Martins you'd be able to pick it up and move it, they're durable, and if you get the right model they are very spacious. I recommend you look at the R680 or R685. If you plan on getting a lot of rats (4+) then I suggest the R695 or the RUUD. If you order a martins, be sure to order it in powder-coated, not galvanized.


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

Critter Nation cages are a giant pain to transport, even without the stand. They're seriously the worst to try to move around. I house-sat for a friend once and I brought over one of the units of my DCN to set up at his house. It took three trips from the car with the heavy metal components to get the whole thing into the house. I was fortunate that my cage assembled and disassembled very easily, sometimes the little connection points come a bit bent or pinched and these cages can be really difficult to put together.









Critter Nation cages are so terrible to transport that a week after I got back from house-sitting for my friend, I went out and purchased a "travel cage" for my boys so I would never have to move the CN again. This worked out really well. I found a used guinea pig cage on craigslist for $20. At home my boys had their big cage and if I ever needed to travel, they could stay in their smaller back-up cage for a week or two.









When not in use, this travel cage was disassembled and stored in the basement.

One more thing about using a Critter Nation without the stand; The bottom of the cage will not be flat on whatever surface you're putting it on. It will have to rest on the four metal posts in the corners. Normally, these posts slide into the hollow tubes that make up the base. You'll probably want to put blocks of wood or something underneath these metal posts so they don't damage whatever surface the cage is sitting on.


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## hailey_rora (Oct 17, 2017)

CorbinDallasMyMan said:


> Critter Nation cages are a giant pain to transport, even without the stand. They're seriously the worst to try to move around. I house-sat for a friend once and I brought over one of the units of my DCN to set up at his house. It took three trips from the car with the heavy metal components to get the whole thing into the house. I was fortunate that my cage assembled and disassembled very easily, sometimes the little connection points come a bit bent or pinched and these cages can be really difficult to put together.
> 
> View attachment 289546
> 
> ...


Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed


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## Ratologist (Nov 24, 2016)

I really, really recommend taking the Critter Nation dimensions and measuring out how much space it will take up in your room...like clear the whole space where you plan to put it. Critter Nations are huge...much more than they appear in photos. I really thought I wanted to one. I bought one used off craig's list, and it was WAY. TOO. BIG. I can't imagine having room for one in a bedroom, but, then again, I live in an older home. Our bedrooms are smaller. Just be sure you want one before spending the money. 

I don't have a lot of experience with other cages, but the Rat Manor has a metal pan, rather than plastic. You'd want to cover the levels with something so the rats can rest their feet, but it's pretty solid and they can't chew it.


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## hailey_rora (Oct 17, 2017)

Ratologist said:


> I really, really recommend taking the Critter Nation dimensions and measuring out how much space it will take up in your room...like clear the whole space where you plan to put it. Critter Nations are huge...much more than they appear in photos. I really thought I wanted to one. I bought one used off craig's list, and it was WAY. TOO. BIG. I can't imagine having room for one in a bedroom, but, then again, I live in an older home. Our bedrooms are smaller. Just be sure you want one before spending the money.
> 
> I don't have a lot of experience with other cages, but the Rat Manor has a metal pan, rather than plastic. You'd want to cover the levels with something so the rats can rest their feet, but it's pretty solid and they can't chew it.


I actually just measured this morning and I definitely agree with you. I would LOVE to have a CN but I just don't have the room! I'm thinking of getting the Kaytee cage and just reinforcing the plastic on the bottom to make sure we don't have any escapes. Because other than that the Kaytee cage is exactly what I need!


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

hailey_rora said:


> I actually just measured this morning and I definitely agree with you. I would LOVE to have a CN but I just don't have the room! I'm thinking of getting the Kaytee cage and just reinforcing the plastic on the bottom to make sure we don't have any escapes. Because other than that the Kaytee cage is exactly what I need!


I really recommend avoiding the Kaytee cage, there was a horror story of someone's rats chewing through it within a week. While that doesn't happen to everybody, it would be throwing a lot of money in the garbage. I read some reviews that the bars are really flimsy too. Again I seriously cannot recommend a Martins enough, they have huge doors, the bars are lined up in a way that makes decorating so much easier than in any other cage, and they'll last you forever. You can get the (powder-coated) R680 for just a bit more money. It is one of the best cages. I like my martins just as much as my DCN, I really do. A cage is meant to be a safe place that your rats will not be able to escape from, and the Kaytee cage is a good size but it carries risks, it just isn't very durable.


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## hailey_rora (Oct 17, 2017)

Coffeebean said:


> I really recommend avoiding the Kaytee cage, there was a horror story of someone's rats chewing through it within a week. While that doesn't happen to everybody, it would be throwing a lot of money in the garbage. I read some reviews that the bars are really flimsy too. Again I seriously cannot recommend a Martins enough, they have huge doors, the bars are lined up in a way that makes decorating so much easier than in any other cage, and they'll last you forever. You can get the (powder-coated) R680 for just a bit more money. It is one of the best cages. I like my martins just as much as my DCN, I really do. A cage is meant to be a safe place that your rats will not be able to escape from, and the Kaytee cage is a good size but it carries risks, it just isn't very durable.


I'll definitly look into that. What's the difference between the galvanized and powder coated? What do you use to cover the wire floors?


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

There are a number of things that I don't like about Critter Nation cages so I switched to a Martin's "style" cage earlier this year and I couldn't be happier. I recently picked up a used R-680 to use as a back-up / travel / hospital / emergency cage. I think it would make for excellent permanent housing for a pair of rats. It doesn't take up as much room as the Critter Nation but it's still pretty spacious. It can be set on top of a table or dresser so it doesn't have to take up any floor space. It's much, much, much lighter than a Critter Nation so it can easily be carried to the bathroom or outside to clean. Because the walls of the cage sit directly on the bottom of the plastic pan, there's no way for rats to chew on the plastic base. I can't speak highly enough of the Martin's R-680.

There are lots of different ways to cover the wire mesh levels. I sewed some mats with an absorbent layer sandwiched between two layers of fleece. They're based off of the Ratropolis tutorial but you can find tons of video tutorials on youtube, as well. If sewing isn't your thing, you could also cover the wire levels with anything ranging from vinyl tiles, cardboard, newspaper, plastic canvas, or the plastic mats that Martin's sells.

Martin's cages are made from galvanized steel wire mesh. The galvanization process involves applying a zinc coating to the steel to help prevent rust. Galvanized steel is flat gray in color and it is somewhat rough. Galvanized steel can absorb urine and start to stink horribly over time. The smell can't be washed out. Constant contact with zinc might not be the healthiest thing for a small animal either.

Powder coating is kinda like a sealant that will totally cover the galvanized wire and prevent anything from soaking into it. It's like a super durable "paint". It's a little more expensive to have a Martin's cage powder coated but it's totally worth it.


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## RATBOI (12 mo ago)

Ratologist said:


> I really, really recommend taking the Critter Nation dimensions and measuring out how much space it will take up in your room...like clear the whole space where you plan to put it. Critter Nations are huge...much more than they appear in photos. I really thought I wanted to one. I bought one used off craig's list, and it was WAY. TOO. BIG. I can't imagine having room for one in a bedroom, but, then again, I live in an older home. Our bedrooms are smaller. Just be sure you want one before spending the money.
> 
> I don't have a lot of experience with other cages, but the Rat Manor has a metal pan, rather than plastic. You'd want to cover the levels with something so the rats can rest their feet, but it's pretty solid and they can't chew it.


i know this is old but im commenting for people who may rediscover this tread lol, i have the rat manor and i wouldn't recommend it for ANYONE i got mine for free off of a friend ,i would never pay for this cage, the doors are so small is basically impossible to clean and you can fit almost nothing into the small doors, the pan is incredibly difficult to remove and the levels are crap, don't get one!!!!


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