# Cage Talk // I just bought the R-680!



## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

This is very exciting! My mischief of 2-3 girls has been living in a Rat Manor with a Martin's R-660 (Rat Cubbyhole) on top. I'd keep the doors open 24/7 so they could climb from one cage to the other. This gave them plenty of room, and the 660 was handy for holding new rats, or giving them a safe place to hang out while I cleaned the Rat Manor. 

Apart from being small, the 660 is pretty awesome. I bought it used, but even after years of use it's still in great condition. Lightweight, large door, so easy to clean. It's small but it doesn't feel cramped. 

The Rat Manor, on the other hand, feels quite cramped and it's hard to decorate in any meaningful way. I like to make castles and mazes out of cardboard boxes and there's just no room to put them in the RM. The small shelves are always coming loose. And it's SO HEAVY. The doors are too small to remove the litter box, so I have to lift the whole cage every time I clean. The pan is not any larger than the cage and I have to do all these tricks to get it back in the base. Super annoying. 

I've been wanting a new cage for some time. The catalyst came this week when my new rat Betty discovered the fun of exploring the house! I'm glad she discovered free ranging, but now I have to keep the doors closed which means they're either stuck in the Rat Manor or the R-660 for most of the time. 

So after doing a bunch of research (thanks to everyone on the Internet who's ever posted a photo of their Martin's cage!) I decided there's plenty of advantages to having increased floor space, a big door, and an overall lighter cage that will be easier to clean. I plan to keep this on top of my bookshelf, freeing up valuable space in my living room. 

Anyone here have the 680? I'd love to hear cleaning and decorating tips! 









Betty waiting for her new cage to arrive. . .


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

I don't know any of these cages but I'm hoping for pictures  Always fun to see peoples setups 

And yeah..big doors and floor space is next to essential for atty owners


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I dont have the 680 but I love martins cages. They are very high quality.


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## thyme (May 25, 2009)

Years ago, I had the R-695 and my girls and I were very happy with it until I added a pair of boys. That convinced me to upgrade to a double Critter Nation, and I've been using it since. 

But about the Martin. I liked my Martin a lot and it suited me perfectly for my group at the time. My Martin was a lot more color-coordinated than my CN is now - I used to cut up fleece liners and match them to my hammock sets. I loved how I could attach hammocks, ropes, and toys anywhere in the Martin. I know some folks put bedding in the bottom trays, and while my girls at the time used a litter pan (for the most part), I used to put digging boxes or shallow dishes with frozen peas and corn on the bottom level where things were less likely to be kicked out.

Cleaning the bars was a little tricker than the bars on my CN now, but it was super easy to just unhook the top from the bottom and haul it outside to hose it down. I miss being able to do that. The CN is much more of a permanent fixture even with the wheels.

Also, your Betty's adorable! She looks a lot like a girl I used to have.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

The big advantage of Martin's cages over CN's seems to be that they're more portable and easier to clean. With the 660 I have now I just wipe it down with a damp rag sprayed with alcohol or vinegar. I line the shelves and the bottom with newspaper. It's super easy to change out the paper, spray some vinegar or alcohol on the pan and wipe it down. 

The Rat Manor on the other hand. . . you *can* wipe it down, but the shelves come loose and you have to fuss to get them back in place. I can't believe I tolerated the RM for so long, and only because the rats were never confined in it.

I can't wait to have a cage with a door big enough to take the litter pan in and out! I'll post photos when it arrives and I get it all set up


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I had a Rat Manor for...2 weeks. However, I realized that it could have been less annoying have I had zip tied the shelves to the cage🙄. I have two DCN now.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Minky said:


> The big advantage of Martin's cages over CN's seems to be that they're more portable and easier to clean.


This is a little bit true, but let me tell you about the RUUD cage.
Right now it's sitting in the back of my closet, and has been for the past year. It's nickname is Satan. Why is such a huge, expensive cage sitting unoccupied in a closet? 'Cause it's a major pain to clean. Don't get me wrong; Martin's makes great cages. The thing is built like a rock, but it also moves like a boulder. I did a cage review somewhere in the forum, so I'm not repeating it. I sincerely hope you enjoy your Martin. If it weren't for the cleaning, I certainly would have enjoyed mine. Just invest in a good scrub brush for all the wires.

Maybe someday I'll get that pressure washer I've been dreaming about.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Thanks for the info, Ratatat. This must be down to a size issue. My Martins 660 - which is basically just a holding/travel cage - is a dream to clean. The RUDD seems quite humongous indeed. 

Gribouilli - I wish I'd thought of zip ties for the Rat Manor. I'll mention that to whoever buys it! XD


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I loved my R-680!


Here are a few pics of my layouts:













































I ended up taking the bottom shelf and ramps out of mine to allow more room for hanging baskets, etc!


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Thanks for the photos Jaguar! So many options, so many places to put fun activities and hiding places. I like the white basket you have in the top left - do they go in there much? It's wonderful to see ideas for how the space can be used. 

My 680 arrived today and I've spent most of the night putting it together (thanks SO much whoever suggested using zip ties instead of the c-rings) and decorating it. The ratties seem very contended already, like more content than I've seen them. I'm relieved that they finally have some elbow room. I'll post some photos tomorrow, right now I'm pooped!


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Okay, here's my first photo of the R-680. I had to use a small bungee to secure the door because it seemed like a determined Betty could sneak through the gaps. Behind the cherry hammock is a box filled with tissue paper. Inside the box on the lower shelf is Nanook's plastic igloo. I have a feeling I'm having as much fun with this as my rats are!


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Minky said:


> Okay, here's my first photo of the R-680. I had to use a small bungee to secure the door because it seemed like a determined Betty could sneak through the gaps. Behind the cherry hammock is a box filled with tissue paper. Inside the box on the lower shelf is Nanook's plastic igloo. I have a feeling I'm having as much fun with this as my rats are!


That's so cute!

Hey, one of the best parts is designing the cage. I'd do it as a business, if I could.

The cleaning of the fleece/tissue paper part, however, is not something I envy.

Bungee is definitely a good idea.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

I give them tissue paper to make nests, and then I just toss it when I clean the cage. You can get tissue paper for gift wrapping at the Dollar Store in all kinds of cool colors and patterns.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Yeah, but my problem is that they drag the fleece into every nook and cranny before peeing on it. Then it gets stuck in my washer. Like eww.


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