# This has probably been asked....



## rukia1988 (Mar 6, 2021)

I'm struggling. I currently have two does and there will only be two. I don't plan on adding anymore cuties to the mix. I purchased a rat cage from petsmart and unfortunately, I found out, at 3 am this morning that the girls have chewed a large hole in the corner and are running around on my dresser....happy frisky and just peachy about the situation and freedom they have received. I am going to call the all living things company and ask for a refund because really? It's only a month old. Anyway onto my question. I going to buy a critternation the one story because obviously it's large enough for my two girls. However I want to set it up high on my dresser to avoid my dog, Gus, jumping into it and destroying it. He loves the rats and would love to love them more....maybe a little too much. Is there a tutorial or something on how to assemble the single story without the legs? Should I purchase the add on instead? Also what about bedding in the critter nation? How does that work? I had one before and I did not use bedding but fleece liners and I hated that. I'd rather used bedding. Let me know your thoughts. Like I said this has probably been asked before. Picture of the current situation I am in until the critter nation gets here Thursday.


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## KimmyKim (Mar 30, 2021)

What’s funny is I had that exact cage from the store but my problem was the locks/handle things broke. The shelves broke too but that was less of a problem. No way to properly close it freaked me out so I bought the critter nation too. I used bedding at first but ended up sweeping 2-3x a day 😭 so now I have a basket full of bedding for them to dig in until I figure out a scatter guard hack. And I do believe you can leave to bottom part off while assembling it.


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

You can put a Critter Nation together without the stand. You'd just skip the first 4 steps in the [assembly instructions]. A second set of hands would make holding everything steady during assembly much easier but I was able to do it alone. 








The surface you're putting it on must be big enough to support all four corners, though. This means that your dresser would need to be at least 24" deep and 36" long. The cage will stand on the four pegs in the corners. *These pegs cannot hang over the edge of the dresser because the cage will fall apart.* You'd probably want to put something protective under the pegs so they don't damage whatever surface you put the cage on.








If your dresser is not big enough, you could purchase a piece of thick plywood cut to a little bigger that 24 x 36, then put that on your dresser to use as a platform for the cage. 

The add-on unit is not a cage and it does not work if you don't already have an existing CN cage to add it onto. The add-on unit does not come with a top and the floor has a built-in hole. The reason the add-on unit doesn't come with a lid is because you're supposed to take the lid off of your current CN, place the add-on unit on top of it, then put your existing lid back on top of the add-on unit. * I repeat, the add-on unit is not a full cage.*

As for using a loose substrate, there are a few good options for the Critter Nation. Home Depot sells a mixing tub that is pretty deep and fits into the cage nicely. If your rats are plastic chewers, they might demolish it but at least they wouldn't be able to escape and the tub is pretty cheap to replace.








[Bass Equipment] sells 2.5" and 3" metal pans that fit the Critter/Ferret Nation cages. Some people use fleece on the floor and then get a Sterilite tub to put in the cage as a large dig box. You can also make your own custom pans out of clear plexi/acrylic.


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## rukia1988 (Mar 6, 2021)

That helps a lot corbindallasmyman. My dogs name us corbin Dallas and my other dog is leeloo (I have 3 total including gus my rat watcher) 

I think my dresser is too short. I did not order the cage as of yet. I know it's pretty sturdy and won't bend too bad. I just am not sure where to put it if I can't put it on the dresser. 

Any other cage recommendations? Something I can get quick. I contacted petsmart and complained hopefully I get a refund since it's within the return period. Pretty terrible if they don't refund it. 

I like the critter nation but it's a little expensive for just two thats why I opted for the 100.00 cage. I spent 120 on the hamster cage though. So I could do it. I had them in a tank for a while about 2 weeks because I couldn't choose or decide on a cage. They were Itty bitty though and one got pretty sick doing that almost lost her. 😳she pulled through though. Anyway I stuffed a bunch of paper towels in various areas through the vars to keep them busy so they can shred and make s nest. Gave them lots if food to hide lol preoccupy them hopefully...


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

rukia1988 said:


> My dogs name us corbin Dallas and my other dog is leeloo


YES!!! Big bada boom!



rukia1988 said:


> Any other cage recommendations? Something I can get quick.


Unfortunately, my preferred cages (Martin's cages) aren't currently available as the company is undergoing some core business model changes. There are a couple of cages that are appropriate for a pair of rats, though, and they may suit your particular needs. 

The [Ware Chew Proof 3 Level Critter Cage] (7.5 cubic feet) is a similar size to the Starter Kit. It's actually about the same size as the wire part of the cage without the deep plastic base. The thing that makes it chew proof is that the wire cage sits inside of a slightly wider base. You could potentially make a similar base for your Starter Kit out of something like coroplast or acrylic. If you can't get a refund on your cage, you might be able to modify what you have to make it work. 

Another option is the [Ware 35" Mess Resistant Chew Proof Small Animal Cage] (7.7 cubic feet). It has about the same amount of cubic footage but it's a little wider and shorter. I actually like a wider cage because it provides a little more running around floor space. You don't necessarily need to use the ramps or even the levels if you don't want to. 

These are just a couple of options. Do some more research, though, and post links and ask questions about anything else you might be seeing online! Also, check out craigslist and facebook marketplace because sometimes you can find decent used cages at a good price.


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

...also, some hardware cloth might serve as a temporary (or permanent) fix for your chewed base.


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## rukia1988 (Mar 6, 2021)

Maybe the hardware cloth idea is a temporary fix. I was looking online for a metal pan base because the height and overall size of this cage is sufficient. Lucy just likes to be out and is very active at night. She is a big chewer. Dottie was still in the cage, shes more timid and not as outgoing. Petsmarts customer service said they would be in touch in a few days. I'll see if I have space to put something else and I would really like a martins cage but chewy doesn't even have the bigger ones in stock due to the situation you stated above. What about the savic cages? I currently have the hamster mansion and I really like that cage. I wonder if the plastic is chew proof?


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## rukia1988 (Mar 6, 2021)

I might order two of the ware chew proof cages and make a double tall cage or double wide. I think that would be best budget wise and size wise. I could possibly incorporate the cage I currently have as well. I know the bars are not the best and they bend easy but it could be fun. My husband doesn't want me to spend a crazy amount.


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## rukia1988 (Mar 6, 2021)

The ware chew proof cages came in. We took off a side on each cage and stuck the two together. I don't know how easy it will clean up....but it is a palace for my two rats. I'm not 100% finished with setup yet but here is what I have so far.


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