# Cage Updating



## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Hello :3

So I've been thinking a lot lately about updating my girls cage. According to the rat cage calculator, it's big enough for up to 8 rats. At the moment I have 7 rats in it, and they seem happy enough. It's just that I personally don't like it. It's broad and clumsy looking, it's hard to clean out and there's only one tiny door on the front of it which makes it hard to hang up hammocks or toys. 

It's by FOP which is an Italian company - as far as I'm aware, at least - and pretty much the leading cage brand in Ireland (probably England too, I'm not sure). We very rarely get other brands in the pet shops. I think it's official name is "FOP White Chinchilla cage L" but it's hard to find anything online about it. I have a picture anyway to show you. 










I think it looks a little smaller than it actually is in the photos, but if you see it in person it's actually quite broad and tall. I just want a new one that's easier for me to move around and clean, and maybe a bit bigger just for the girls sake. 

I've been looking (jealously) at all your Critter Nations, but I cannot find a single place that will ship them to Ireland. I found a similar one but the price is just waaay beyond what I could comfortably afford. It's called the Royal Suite 95 Double, but it's 269euro, reduced from over 300! I know it's a good cage, but surely that's a lot to expect anybody to pay? Here it is anyway: http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/rodents/cages/chinchilla_cages/157454

I'd appreciate hearing people's opinion on whether or not you think it's worth the money. Also, if you know of a good cage that's easily accessible, nice and big for the girls and reasonably priced, it would be really great if you could link me to it. I've been window shopping for well over a week now and so far haven't found anything better than the Royal Suite that would ship to where I live.

Thanks guys! Also pictures of your cages if you got them online (or at a pet store, anywhere really) would be greatly appreciated. I like seeing cages when they're actually set up rather than relying on the photos on the website selling them. It's better seeing them the way they actually are - lived in by ratties! <3


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

I have this cage and I can safely say its the best cage you can get in my opinion. I've had mine now for over 2 years and it still looks new. It comfortably fits 12 to 14 if well set up and is nice a spacious for smaller groups. It's a lot more robust than the explorers which you may be able to get in Ireland too (similar to the critter nation and cheaper than the srs) but I know most people that own both prefer there srs.

One of the great things with this cage is its flexibilty. You can set it up traditionally, or you can take the middle out giving you a really spacious climbing space. If needed you can split it into 2 cages which comfortably fit 6. The one downside of this cage (apart from the price) is that once you have it there's no better cages to dream about owning lol. I love shopping for cages (well window shopping) but have been forced to look for spare cages instead lol.

Here's some pics of mine set up, I tend to favour middle out layouts, it helps keep my boys fit and slim.

First off some pics of it being used as two halves (my girly guests are staying in half of it, so my 4 lads are relagated to just one half. Not that they mind with all that girl smell...


















Next some more normal layouts for me

































If you've got any questions about it feel free to ask


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## centennial (Aug 28, 2012)

Where did you get/how did you make the tray pans? One of my boys SPRINTS out of the cage if I even crack it open to re-fill their food, so a little barrier would be nice to slow him down haha


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

The big grey tray someone made, they've stopped doing them now alas but you can get custom stainless steel things made fairly easily over here.

The perpex kick barrier i made myself. You need thin perpex sheeting (can get in DIY places) a long straight edge and a stanley knife. Measure the length you want and aim for a depth of about 15cm (this works well for oldies or youngsters and you can have really deep substrate with this), 10 isn't bad either but i wouldn't go shallower. use the straight edge to score along the perspex at the desired lenght, do this a few times until your over half way in the perspex, then very bravely bend it over the straight edge and hope. Useually you get a nice clean edge that may need minor filing to get rid of the sharp edges, occasionally something snaps in the wrong place. Duck tape is a great way of covering this. I made four of these and found that slotting them on the inside of the cage between the tray and the bars worked really well. I cable tied the side bits to the side bars (via a few drilled holes in the perspex) but the front supported it'self well. I added a bit of white plastic 'U' section on top of the front bit of perspex as they like to stand on it and it's kinder on there feet, though duck tape works well too.

You can do the same with corrigated plastic, it's much easier to cut but isn't as hard wearing and doesn't look as nice. My perspex kick trays have been in use for about a year, i have a lot of friends with correx versions who are on there second or third as the rats kindly ate them...


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Thanks for the pics, that's really helpful to see what it looks like all set up. I'm sort of convinced at this stage...you're selling it well! 

I was reading some reviews online about other cages that look similar but are a lot cheaper, and apparently they're really badly made. I think I might as well just pay the 269 and at least I'll have a well made cage that will last me a few years at least. 

Oh, and Isamurat...your brown rat that's in the last of those pictures is absolutely gorgeous. What's his name? :3


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

That will be the explorer, it is not nearly as well made. If you can affod the srs its well worth it.

The Brown blurr (he is very active lol) is Sam, he's an agouti rat and is quite mad, but seriously lovely. I like active bouncy licky boys and he is a brill example.

Oh worth mentioning, the main difficulty with this kind of cage is hanging stuff, as the front is open. There's a few ways to tackle it. One is to keep one door shut and hang from there. Another is to hang small chains from the roof and use them. I tend to use my sticks a lot too, with them being so tall they give me lots of points to attach too as well as climbing oppertunities.


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## riotfox (Apr 16, 2010)

just wanted to say, isamurat, i love how you have set up the cage! it looks like a great setup and i would stick with one of those cages if i were you .


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Thanks, I get far too much enjoyment setting up my cage, it does take a long time, but the rats help me lol.


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

Thanks so much, that's good to know about hanging stuff up. It probably couldn't be any more difficult than the cage I have now...curse that tiny front door -_- 

Sam is gorgeous, the brown blur himself! <3 

Actually I was just at the pet shop yesterday to get a new heat lamp for my beardie and they had an actual, real life Critter Nation on the floor! It had three albino chipmunks in it, and they said they've had it out back in the shop for about five years now. THEY COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE I BOUGHT THAT WHITE ABOMINATION, GODDAMN! But anyway, it's the first time I've ever seen a CN in real life and it was a thing of beauty. The chipmunks were just running in circles but that's all those poor creatures ever do. They said they MIGHT sell it once the chipmunks are gone, but there's a good chance it will be sold with the chipmunks so I'm not getting my hopes up. 

I'm pretty sure the Royal Suite is what I'm going to end up getting, but at least now when I get a new cage I can't say it was bought on a whim. I've definitely done enough research now, so I'm feeling good about that at least!


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