# Critter nation assembly - help!



## Abbeymore (Apr 8, 2016)

I just had my new single unit critter nation delivered and I am putting it together with the help of my two teenagers, (and my ratties!) 

All was going well until it came to putting in the side pieces. The pegs will NOT go all the way through the holes, it's like they are too wide (yes I removed the red plastic plugs). I have tried bending the front and back parts away from the sides and towards the sides, hitting it with a rubber mallet... it just won't go through the bottom part. 

Any advice would be wonderful as I really want to get this thing finished and set up for them! I am sooo frustrated!


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## mghemm437 (Nov 19, 2015)

I had this same problem, though unfortunately I have no idea what I did to fix it. It took me over an hour just to get the side pieces in, and it was still a very tight fit. I tried using pliers to adjust the metal square on the front/back panels that is around the peg hole. That was the part that was too wide.


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## Abbeymore (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks I'll give that a go, I did try hitting the square bits with the mallet but no luck, the peg seems to go through the top square fine but no way is it going through the bottom hole. Maybe if I drill it wider? I don't want to ruin the cage...


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## mghemm437 (Nov 19, 2015)

CNs are great but a total pain in the ass to put together. I am glad my girls are relatively clean, because I never want to have to take that beast apart and put it together again!


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

One thing I noticed when I was putting mine together was the floor of the cage wasn't lined up right and was keeping the sides from fitting in right. Also, I had to bend the, um...flanges? at the top so they would slide into the slots on the front panel.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

catty-ratty said:


> One thing I noticed when I was putting mine together was the floor of the cage wasn't lined up right and was keeping the sides from fitting in right. Also, I had to bend the, um...flanges? at the top so they would slide into the slots on the front panel.


Yeah. You gotta bend everything. I also used some zip ties on the sides because mine kept falling apart when I moved it. It's a loaner from the rescue, though, so I have no idea how many times it's been taken apart and thrown back together.


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## Abbeymore (Apr 8, 2016)

OK, so I finally got it together, I tried pliers, the rubber mallet, begging, praying... finally I got so frustrated I whacked it so hard that the mallet snapped in two BUT one side went in - yay! One peg of the other side went in fine but the little square wouldn't shift enough for the second peg, I gave up and forced the top parts in so it has a little gap at the bottom on the back right but it looks OK. Geez, I never want to have to do that again, plus I hope I never have to take it apart! 

Now I have to find some fleece liners and some more toys for them, their hammock, house and wheel filled their other cage but look very lonely in the CN! 
Thanks everyone for your help


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

I've taken mine apart a couple of times. After forcing everything together properly the first time, everything went together without any problems the 2 times I've taken it apart again.

I know what you mean about everything looking so lonely in the DCN!


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