# This cage on ebay - yes or no for starter rat cage



## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

I'm looking for a starter rat cage. My friend has the slightly smaller version of this one that she lines with cardboard. We've put lots of hanging and climbing toys inside and the rats seem really happy. This one is slightly bigger with space for 3 rats (but I would only have two, so they'd get a little more room). 

Here is the link to the cage.









*DETAILS*

2 Front Doors
1/2 Inch Cross Removable Metal Shelves & 2 Ladders; Safe For Animal's Paws
Slide Bottom Tray is removable for easy cleaning
Dimension: 30"Length x 18"Depth x 24"Height
Animal Safe Epoxy coated finish
Bar Spacing: 1/2"
*PROS*

easy to clean
very little smell
lightweight
fits on top of my current dresser perfectly
well within my cost/budget (meaning more money for toys and such)
good ventillation
rats in the slightly smaller version seem to like it a lot
fits 3 rats, with 2 rats, lots of room for extra toys!
slide tray for easy cleaning!
^ metal bottom - no plastic for rats to chew through
plenty of space for a litter tray
? animal safe epoxy coated finish ? (I am not sure if this is a pro or con)
*CONS*

vertical bars (see note below)
slide tray for easy cleaning (if I line the bottom of the cage it.... won't matter)
? animal safe epoxy coated finish ? (I am not sure if this is a pro or con)
*NOTES*
I know the bars are vertical but again, I'd provide lots of climbing surfaces and would be okay with attaching something to the bars to also allow climbing (although none of my friends rats seem to have any problem at all scaling the surface of the cage - they just stretch to reach the horizontal bars.)

I plan to start litter training them early. I've heard mixed opinions about cage bars causing bumblefoot so I am not sure what to do here? Most of my friend's just make sure there's not poop on the cage levels/floor but maybe I'm missing something. 

What I'm looking for is the following
*
1. Is there any reason this cage is absolutely terrible? *
- Have people owned them in the past and found that something bad happens to their rats?

*2. What can I do to make the cage better?*
- What kind of linings (fleece? cardboard? cloth?) do you line all levels or just the bottom?

*3. Are there any other pros or cons you can see that would make this a good or bad choice?*
- As I get them, I'll add them to the list above.



Thank you so much everyone! I'm also more than happy to hear alternatives. Right now, a cage with a footprint of 30in x 18in (2.5ft x 1.5ft) is the most ideal cage for me. Anything larger and I have to find a new location to put it and I'm not sure that my smaller bedroom will have the space / I want to make sure they're out of direct reach of my cat (another reason why the Critter Nation doesn't appeal to me right now). I know the Martins cage fits this profile as well and it's another consideration but the cost of it is a bit higher and I don't like the fact that the bottom is plastic. But if the cons build up on this one I might end up switching to that one.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

EDIT: Since I can't edit my original message (10 minute time limit?) I also remembered that a lot of people like the *PetCo Rat Manor *which is within my budget as well and despite the plastic base seems to be a well liked cage. Should I consider this one over the ebay cage? Thanks!


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

The Rat Manor cage has a metal base. It is a good starter cage for 2 rats maximum. But only if you use zip ties to hold the shelves to the cage as it is very annoying to put them back in each time; they fall from the cage easily at cleaning time. Also a single critter nation isn't much more expensive and a better cage. You can have one for $20/month for 6 months, no interest rates on certain websites.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

Gribouilli said:


> The Rat Manor cage has a metal base. It is a good starter cage for 2 rats maximum. But only if you use zip ties to hold the shelves to the cage as it is very annoying to put them back in each time; they fall from the cage easily at cleaning time. Also a single critter nation isn't much more expensive and a better cage. You can have one for $20/month for 6 months, no interest rates on certain websites.


I don't know how I didn't realize it had a metal base! Thanks for pointing that out and for the advice on zipties.

The biggest issue with the critter nation is the size. I will be visiting our new place on Wednesday and will be able to better measure the rooms. The landlord gave me the room sizes but no layout so I have no idea where doors are or windows which means I can't plan for anything right now. I am also concerned about my cat getting into the critter nation since it's lower to the ground. His paws could definitely fit through the 1/2 inch bar spaces and while he's a very good kitty I don't want either him getting bit or the rats getting hurt. I am hoping they'll be okay with one another but I'm planning for the worst case scenario. A cage that can sit on top of my dresser puts it out of his reach for sure.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Wouldn't your cat be able to jump on your dresser? A cat can easily knock down a Rat Manor, but not a critter nation as they are super study and heavy. But yes wait after you vusited the place. Rats can't have air draft coming their way, like directly in front of a fan, window you plan on opening, AC vents...so a few other things to think about.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

The cage would fit snugly over top of the whole surface leaving to place for him to land so there would be no place to jump! (He doesn't jump on things without a ledge after a kitten disaster when he tried that.)And yeah - I want to know where the drafts might be. It's a pretty snug room from what I saw of the upstairs version but I know downstairs might have different vent layouts too.


*Dresser top is exactly 1.5ft x 2.5ft so anything that fits on that is ideal. Critter nation is significantly larger.


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## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

You can try martin's cages. Make sure it is powder coated and is at least the r-680. The others are too small.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

I have no experience with this cage, and although there are lots of cages out there that are better for happy rats easier to clean and that you will like better, there could be a lot worse. There have been a lot of members who have used this cage, although I think some just for a short time. If you get it, make sure to cover mesh with a clean substrate and keep it clean. And they also need to get out often as it isn't a big cage. You should start saving for a better cage,slow and steady is better than not at all.


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## CourteesRatties (Feb 23, 2016)

I have 7 cats and no problem with the critternation


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## buzzwizz619 (May 31, 2015)

> *3. Are there any other pros or cons you can see that would make this a good or bad choice?
> - As I get them, I'll add them to the list above.*


I would be worried about the bar spacing on that cage, i wouldnt put males under 9 months in that bar spacing. When my boys were 4/5 month they tried to climb into a cage with that bar spacing, and they would squeeze through enough to almost get stuck but not quite enough to get all the way in. For a split second i thought they were going to kill themselves.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

Ratloved said:


> I have no experience with this cage, and although there are lots of cages out there that are better for happy rats easier to clean and that you will like better, there could be a lot worse. There have been a lot of members who have used this cage, although I think some just for a short time. If you get it, make sure to cover mesh with a clean substrate and keep it clean. And they also need to get out often as it isn't a big cage. You should start saving for a better cage,slow and steady is better than not at all.


Scratch the stuff about this cage. For some reason I had that you were asking about the rat manor, and. That the cage I was talking about. Not the one on eBay, sorry for my confusion!! Silly me😳


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

JAnimal said:


> You can try martin's cages. Make sure it is powder coated and is at least the r-680. The others are too small.


The Martin's 680 cage is the exact same size as the ebay cage I linked. 

The Rat Lodge (R-680) = 30" x 18" x 24" - 7.5 cubic feet of space.
The ebay cage is 30" x 18" x 24" - 7.5 cubic feet of space.
The Pet Manor is 22.5" x 16.5" x 32" - 6.93 cubic feet of space. (slightly smaller)
Did you mean the Martin's r-680 or a different cage? I just wanted to double check.



CourteesRatties said:


> I have 7 cats and no problem with the critternation


Nor does my friend. However, my cat can, and has, gotten his paws into spaces that are a 1/2 inch wide with ease. (He has extra toes which seems to give him some flexibility in jamming the extra three into weird spaces). He also is really curious and when I've had other types of small critters around he wants to get all up in that space. While I'm hoping they mostly "get along" (aka, they can both be in my room and not pestering one another) I also don't trust him and the critter nation is literally right there on the floor with him. It's one of three big reasons I'm holding off on the critter nation as much as I like it.




buzzwizz619 said:


> I would be worried about the bar spacing on that cage, i wouldnt put males under 9 months in that bar spacing. When my boys were 4/5 month they tried to climb into a cage with that bar spacing, and they would squeeze through enough to almost get stuck but not quite enough to get all the way in. For a split second i thought they were going to kill themselves.


Isn't 1/2 bar spacing the recommended size? I haven't seen anything with smaller unless it's 1/2 square holes. Most cages that are for rats do the 1/2 inch bar spacing, Critter Nation included. When they're young I could always cover it with another mesh if I find a problem. I'll definitely keep an eye on it though! Thanks for the heads up!



Ratloved said:


> Scratch the stuff about this cage. For some reason I had that you were asking about the rat manor, and. That the cage I was talking about. Not the one on eBay, sorry for my confusion!! Silly me


It's good to know though, since I am considering the Rat Manor. You did say "there are lots of cages out there that are better for happy rats easier to clean and that you will like better" - and I was wondering what those might be? I'm looking for something with same type of footprint... I'll add some reasoning below why I was looking at the cages for 2 rats. 

At minimum, I was told 2 cubic feet per rat. With two rats, that's a minimum of 4 cubic feet - the Pet Manor would give them just over 3 cubic feet each and the Ebay cage and Martin's R-680 gives them 3.75 cubic feet each. 


My biggest issue right now is that I feel going vertical wouldn't be a problem but going much beyond the 30"x18" (2.5'x1.5') footprint puts me in a bit of a bind since I don't really have the space for additional furniture. I'll be checking out my apartment Wednesday which will help me get a better idea of the layout of the bedroom but right now it's my biggest concern. I'm home frequently enough that I suspect they'll have a decent amount of playtime out of the cage but I do want them to have enough room to play in their cage too while I'm gone!


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

If you are between the rat manor and a Martin, definitely go with the Martin. It is just a better built cage. However, don't go with the galvanized, get the powder coated. The galvanized will smell like urine in a few weeks/months and you will never get the smell out and it will just get worse. If you can afford it I would pay the extra few dollars and go with the 685 powder coated. The flip top lid makes it easier to clean and change fleece or other substrate on upper levels. Most of this info is from second hand experience of the lady who keeps most of the rats from the rescue I foster for. She has many different types of cages plastic and metal as many have been donated, but I asked her opinion.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

Ratloved said:


> If you are between the rat manor and a Martin, definitely go with the Martin. It is just a better built cage. However, don't go with the galvanized, get the powder coated. The galvanized will smell like urine in a few weeks/months and you will never get the smell out and it will just get worse. If you can afford it I would pay the extra few dollars and go with the 685 powder coated. The flip top lid makes it easier to clean and change fleece or other substrate on upper levels. Most of this info is from second hand experience of the lady who keeps most of the rats from the rescue I foster for. She has many different types of cages plastic and metal as many have been donated, but I asked her opinion.


Thanks a million! I appreciate it!


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

Alright, since I saw that a lot of people liked the Rat Manor I went ahead and decided to grab one while I was at PetCo to at least get a sense of it. It was on sale and while I wasn't sure this is the cage I wanted in the end I figured I could use it to find out what I liked and didn't like. I can see the benefits of it, with the deep metal pan and height but I'm glad I can return things because I wasn't impressed with it overall. 


I took a shot after I set it up and added some accessories (which I'll also comment on) A lot of the stuff I bought was to get size/scale reference for when I make the official purchases.





*RAT MANOR*

*PROS*

I do like the height. I think that's a really nice feature and wish some of the other "3-rat" cages had the height of this one.
Deep tray good for shavings if you're using them
Doors have a locking mechanism to make sure that even if they're pushed on your ratties can't escape! Nice!
Easy to assemble/disassemble. Could pretty easily travel with it if you're staying some place for a week and can take your rats!
Fairly lightweight. Base makes it sturdy/heavy enough that it'd be difficult to knock over but it isn't too difficult for a human to carry.
*CONS*

The base is weird in terms of putting the cage onto it. I don't like the 'squeeze the sides' method to lock it into place.
FLIMSY - oh my goodness are the levels on this thing flimsy as heck. Everything was warped and while not "floppy" any weight on them causes them to bow pretty noticeably. Not a fan.
Mesh of the shelving and ladders is REALLY small. If you don't cover this with fleece or something and have your rats litter trained you should expect your rats to get bumblefoot because they're just going to compress their poop and pee into the tiny holes and walk all over it constantly. I had no idea until I pulled out the cage and was pretty disappointed to see that. (This also makes it difficult to hang anything from the shelving too)
Base is really narrow which doesn't leave a lot of room for something like a wheel. You can fit one but it takes up most of the bottom level.
Base needs some type of rubber footing if you're putting on a smooth surface as the metal has no traction. I would suggest putting a rubber mat down or actually purchasing rubber sticky feet to adhere to the bottom of the cage for maximum grip.
Despite locking mechanism, doors were pretty flimsy. Rats are smart and pretty strong and I can definitely seem them able to get out of this if the secondary lock isn't placed on.
1st level door is at a weird height and bumps into the base. Second level door is better but not by much. Doors are a bit small but cage can be lifted off to clean easily.
*ACCESSORIES*

*WHEEL (not shown, Kaytee Giant Spinner)*

Liked the see through of the kaytee giant spinner
wheel seemed a little unstable, realized after there's a knob to lock it onto the cage wall
bit too cumbersome for the tiny cage, hoping it will fit in different cage
*KAYTEE GLASS WATER BOTTLE*

REALLY GREAT
seem to hold water really well
make sure you only fill to line and tap to get bubbles out once flipped over or your bottle might leak or not work
I'll be getting another one
con: it's not that cute
*NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GLASS WATERBOTTLE*

more expensive than kaytee waterbottle (but cuter)
TERRIBLE QUALITY SEAL AND SCREW TOP
didn't leak but looked like the rubber seal would break or fall apart any second.
wire to hold it onto cage is cheap and sad
*OTHER STUFF*

HAMMOCK - fine but made for ferret cage. Straps too long. Just going to make my own
BIRD FEEDER TRAYS - to use for catching water drips. need ones that sit closer to cage as mine slid around and stuck out too far,
HANGING WOOD TOY - seems great, friend has one for her rats and they love it
CONFETTI WICKER BALLS - same as above
Getting this cage and setting it up really gave me a good perspective on what I definitely don't want in a cage which I think I needed. So this one goes back to the pet store along with the nat-geo waterbottle, bird feeders, hammock and wheel. I'm keeping the dangly wood toy, wicker balls with confetti, and the kaytee water bottle.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

I guess I should do a review of this cage too!





*EBAY CAGE "MCage" - 30x18x24 inches*

*PROS*

BIG. Not as big as a Critter Nation but not far off. **be careful not to buy the smaller version. It's nearly the same cost.
SPACIOUS. Same point as above really but you can actually fit boxes and wheels and toys comfortably in here without it feeling overcrowded! So many hammocks and tunnels!
Easy to set up and easy to break down. If you're relocating a lot, it's a bonus.
Spacing on the ladders and platforms is wide enough for poop to fall through and not get mashed in. Reduces worry of bumblefoot if not using liners on ladders and such.
In the same vein as the last bullet point, you can easily hang toys from the levels where it was difficult to do so on the Rat Manor
Fairly lightweight. Size makes it a bit awkward for a small human to carry but it's doable. Would not recommend carrying with rats inside. No
*CONS*

Warping. It's not as flimsy as the Rat Manor but it's not exactly a critter nation. Be aware that you may need to reinforce the structure with zip ties or use tools to bend shelves straight. (Rat Manor was significantly worse though so....)
Depending on where you're putting it, the base might need some traction to keep it from sliding. The wire is less slippery than the flat metal base of the Rat Manor but you'll still want something I think.
Doors just pop over one of the bars to lock. While none of our rats have yet to escape they're also pretty small and I don't think they have the weight to do it. Larger rats would probably get it open. I'd invest in a small carabiner clip that won't let the door open by more than a half inch. Just for safety.
Not a critter nation.
This isn't the all time most amazing cage but I felt it was significantly better than the Rat Manor and once we moved all the rats into it, they seemed to love the extra space that their old cage (same size as rat manor) didn't provide. Here's my final recommendation:

*
If you have the money and space to do so, get the Critter Nation (or comparable cage). It's really the best cage out there and is sturdy, secure, and well worth the cost. *

That being said, not everyone has the capability to get a critter nation. I have to worry about space and movability which is much more difficult. You can bet that in a year or two, assuming I still have rats, that I will be getting a critter nation because they're just BETTER. But for the price and the portability and size, I feel that this cage is a pretty decent setup. Be aware of the flaws it has and know what you need to do to make it a better cage!


Happy cage searching everyone! I hope this helped!


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

P.S.

I just bought a Critter Nation. Ahaha


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

Yay!! Good for you. They are the best cage ever. I have three of them. The are easy to clean, decorate, get rats in and out of, and the list goes on. I know you didn't originally want to get the CN, but I really think you will be glad you did.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

Ratloved said:


> Yay!! Good for you. They are the best cage ever. I have three of them. The are easy to clean, decorate, get rats in and out of, and the list goes on. I know you didn't originally want to get the CN, but I really think you will be glad you did.


TBH, they probably won't go into it right away. But the deal was too good to pass up so I went for it. The ebay cage still wins out for portability and positioning in my room. TT____TT


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## jamekn (Apr 9, 2016)

The space between the bottom of the cage and the pan seems large enough for an ambitious rat to escape. I suggest a cage that does not have a slide out pan


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

jamekn said:


> The space between the bottom of the cage and the pan seems large enough for an ambitious rat to escape. I suggest a cage that does not have a slide out pan


Please read the rest of the thread! 

*edit to add: I also didn't have that part pushed in all the way because I had just picked it up and moved it. When properly seated it is not an issue.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

I have that cage (or atleast very similar design) and Pippin learned how to open the doors. She grabs onto the bars above the door with her mouth and pushes the door open with her paws. I had to put pad locks on it lol


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## keeta0 (Jun 28, 2016)

I actually have this cage and it works very well for my three boys! But they are quite tiny and it wouldn't be probably all that nice for three full grown rats. Ill be turning my bookshelf into a cage for them so size wont be an issue. But this is a good cage to start with. the shelves are indeed annoying and arent held together very well but it wont fall. just a bit wobbly. This cage does work though! I would recommend a nicer cage though for future if your rats are young and need space to grow.


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## smoteymote (May 28, 2016)

keeta0 said:


> I actually have this cage and it works very well for my three boys! But they are quite tiny and it wouldn't be probably all that nice for three full grown rats. Ill be turning my bookshelf into a cage for them so size wont be an issue. But this is a good cage to start with. the shelves are indeed annoying and arent held together very well but it wont fall. just a bit wobbly. This cage does work though! I would recommend a nicer cage though for future if your rats are young and need space to grow.


 Read my updates - I got a critter nation 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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