# My new SP Exotics cage! *pics*



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Woohoo! No more franken cage!  

I was originally planning on buying a FN, but Iâ€™m going to be moving around in the near future and nice as they are, FNâ€™s are not very portable. So I narrowed my choices down between a SP Exotics and a Martinâ€™s, and decided on the SP because I liked the idea being able to move shelves and toys around a bit more. 

Overall itâ€™s a pretty decent cage, I was able put it together by myself without any tools, and the shelves and ramps are bigger than I thought they were going to be. So far the only thing I donâ€™t like is itâ€™s difficult to use with liners, I couldnâ€™t really secure the liner to anything. So far the girls are leaving it be, but I think Iâ€™ll try to devise some kind of system with velcro or something.



















The only modifications I made were to put clips on the doors, because clever little Saki can open drop down type doors, and I took out the annoying â€˜bowl-in-a-hole.â€™ The girls like using it for access to the hammock below the shelf. The cage also came with a mesh wheel, but the girls seem happy with their Comfort wheel so I left it out.

edit:typo


----------



## Leala (May 31, 2007)

Nice cage. What did you do to modify the door to keep it from being opened by clever little Saki?

Also what model of cage is this because I think this is the same one I've been looking at myself.
How much did it run you?


----------



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Itâ€™s a Super Pet Deluxe My First Home for Exotics. You can get it at Petsmart for $99 or online for $75-$85 (not including shipping charges.) 

I added those silver clips on the two doors, theyâ€™re attached to cage with little chains because I would inevitably loose them otherwise. :lol:


----------



## Leala (May 31, 2007)

Nice =).
I can see it now. I didn't look close enough before it seems.
Thanks a lot =).


----------



## zlioness (Dec 27, 2007)

I have this cage and I love it! Is the Comfort Wheel quiet? I want to get a new wheel because the one that came with the cage squeaks ALL night long.


----------



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

The moving parts on the Comfort wheel are plastic so it is quiet, but what might bother you is the sound of rattie feet pounding on plastic. My Saki is a hardcore wheel runner and she can make a fair racket on that thing! Iâ€™ve heard from a few people that it can start to warp under heavy use. Iâ€™ve only had mine a few months, but it gets a fair amount of use and itâ€™s in good shape. Itâ€™s also easy to keep clean, which is nice.

Have you tried spraying Pam on the axle parts of your wheel? I have a smaller version of that wheel for my mice and a little Pam keeps it pretty quite. Olive oil/vegetable oil would work too.


----------



## dragonegg (Oct 2, 2007)

I tried the velcro on the shelves, but found they didn't work so well in the long run. The rats can still pull up the fleece if they put their minds to it and the velcro sticking on the shelves attracts all the dirt and makes it harder to wipe down. Maybe just attach it from the outside with clips?


----------



## Fudgeoo (Mar 6, 2008)

I have been looking for a better cage for my rats and that one looks perfect but for some reaosn i seem to always get big and or fat rats, would that be spacious enough for them? your rattys seem kinda small


----------



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

dragonegg said:


> I tried the velcro on the shelves, but found they didn't work so well in the long run. The rats can still pull up the fleece if they put their minds to it and the velcro sticking on the shelves attracts all the dirt and makes it harder to wipe down. Maybe just attach it from the outside with clips?


Hmmâ€¦thanks for the heads up on the velcro. Iâ€™m actually pretty surprised they still havenâ€™t messed with the unsecured liner at all, if that continues Iâ€™ll just leave it as it is. If not I guess Iâ€™ll try some binder clips.



Fudgeoo said:


> I have been looking for a better cage for my rats and that one looks perfect but for some reaosn i seem to always get big and or fat rats, would that be spacious enough for them? your rattys seem kinda small


Hey Fudgeoo, this cage can hold up to 4 rats according to the cage calculator. I do have smaller girl ratties, if you tried to put, say, 4 humongous boys in it, it would be kinda cramped.


----------



## Fudgeoo (Mar 6, 2008)

I know this isnt really the spot for this but do you know why i would always have big rats? i herd rats grow to their environment?


----------



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Iâ€™ve heard that too, but I donâ€™t think thereâ€™s much truth it. To my knowledge genetics alone dictate size, coat color, ear set, etc. The exception would be malnutrition/severe illness, which would stunt growth. 

I guess youâ€™re just lucky to get the big guys. :lol:

edit:more typos...silly me


----------



## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

If you've ever taken apart a computer you'll find that there are several very powerful magnets in the harddrive. I used to use them to secure liners in my Superpet cage.

If you fold the corners over the magnet to where there's a piece under them and have a magnet under the cage I doubt even a very determined rat could move it.


----------



## jesirose (Feb 22, 2008)

Vixie said:


> If you've ever taken apart a computer you'll find that there are several very powerful magnets in the harddrive. I used to use them to secure liners in my Superpet cage.
> 
> If you fold the corners over the magnet to where there's a piece under them and have a magnet under the cage I doubt even a very determined rat could move it.


Hah that is really clever - you can buy super magnets at the craft store for under $3 for a set of 6


----------



## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Thatâ€™s an excellent idea! Thanks!


----------



## amybunny (Aug 17, 2007)

I have this cage for my four boys and we LOVE it! It's awesome. Every one says the "pee river" stinks, but I like it because it keeps the pee "secured" in an area...instead of dripping all over the cage. You just have to wipe down the shelves a few times a day, but you'd be doing that kind of stuff in an FN anyway....spot cleaning .


----------



## Phoenix (Jan 29, 2008)

It looks great! Could you use elastic on the liner corners to secure them to the shelves? I can't tell from the photo if there is enough space to anchor the corners well. Or you could devise some sort of wrap around approach, maybe add straps and velcro them on the underside of the shelves? Sounds like a lot of extra work to me especially if they aren't really messing with them yet. :? 

Did the litter pan come with the cage? If not where did you get it? I like the way it secures to the cage. Ours has tabs but they don't really fit with the bar spacing on ours and our girls can get it loose and move it away from the sides.


----------

