# Martin's vs Critter Nations (vs Prevue Hendryx?)



## Felix (Oct 25, 2015)

So everyone, particularly those of you who have had a variety of cages...Which cage would you say is your favorite?


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## Felix (Oct 25, 2015)

To the 6 people who have voted for Critter Nation so far, have any of you owned a Martin's Cage as well and which would you prefer? Comment guys!


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I've had several different types of cages including a critternation and a martins.

As well as being quite active in a ton of rat groups. it is easy to see critternations are by far the preferred ideal cage for most people.

The critternation are awesome sized. Their bar spacing is perfect. As well as having vertical bars which are great for climbing. The wheeled base is great for storage and having the cage up some. Both doors opening fully makes cleaning and decorating and getting to rats just amazingly perfect. They are sturdy and won't easily be destroyed or damaged. The only real con is that they are large and heavy. Some people in smaller spaces or who move alot may not like that. It also has some small spaces that can be difficult to clean easily. Very few people do not love the critternation, they are seen in the community as the best cage easily. Even better that you can easily add to them, making doubles or even larger!

Martins are probably IMO the second best cage out there. They are well built. Perfect bar spacing. The smallest cage you should get is the 680 and you MUST get them powdercoated. They can be a bit more expensive, you can only get it from one source which doesn't really have the benefit of sales and such. Shipping is not free lol. I really like them for babies. They are smaller in size and the smaller ones can be placed on a table. Easier to clean as you can put it in the shower. Nice sized doors. I am not a huge fan of all the shelves/ramps honestly. I like my rats to climb more and I enjoy adding more hammocks and such. It is not open concept lol 

I do not like any of the ferretcages. The bar spacing is too big. If you decide to get smaller rats or babies you will have to wrap them (and wrapping a cage is so god awful). if you are spending that much money just spend alittle more IMO and get the more ideal cage IMO.


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## RatEmporiumToronto (Jun 10, 2015)

I voted Critter Nations but I also love my home made cages! I didn't vote home made cages because they are definitely more difficult to clean and disinfect so those of you who are looking to buy/make them be prepared for a bit of extra work! 
If it wasn't for disinfecting I like home made.


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## Felix (Oct 25, 2015)

The main problem for me was $134 (with shipping) for their *smallest *applicable cage. That was insane! Critter Nation or even Rat Manor both seem to be a better deal. 

How hard would you say Critter Nations are to clean in comparison to Martins? What would you say one really has over the other then?


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I had a Ferret Nation and a Martin's R-680 and greatly preferred the Martin's. The FN/CN is going to be far more solid and spacious but that can also work against it in that it is incredibly heavy and difficult to clean thoroughly. I could just throw my 680 in the bathtub and give it a good wash down.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Voted for critter/ferret nation. i know looks aren't important but I find martin cages to be butt ugly. Not just that but the larger cages don't come on wheels which is a problem for me because I like to take my cage outside to wash and I don't want to lug around a big cage everywhere.


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I have a critter nation and I've had Martin's, but my favorite is my quality cages. I've just moved my girls from a critter nation to one and my boys have always been in it. It's the same sq foot as a critter nation, but I like the set up better, it's easier to clean and easier to hang stuff in, in my opinion. The price is higher though. 

I have two of these ones, with a stand. http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=129_169_179&products_id=945

Since my boys can't be in one group it's also helpful that I can pull up the ramps and have 3 separate cages for them. According to the ratty calculator 4 could be in each level. So having a couple pairs and a group of 3 is perfect.

My girls chewed up all the plastic in the critter nation, even the shelves. Darn those half wilds...they get bored very easily and for some reason LOVE to chew plastic.

I put our starling in the critter nation. That is working out great.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Felix said:


> The main problem for me was $134 (with shipping) for their *smallest *applicable cage. That was insane! Critter Nation or even Rat Manor both seem to be a better deal.
> 
> How hard would you say Critter Nations are to clean in comparison to Martins? What would you say one really has over the other then?


day to day cleaning..critternation wins hands down. Deep cleaning- martins win. With all the shelves and idk the bar grid style the martins can trap some gunk/trash and I personally find it a pain to wipe them all down. Where as the CN has easy to wipe down bars/pans. 

But for deep cleaning the martins can be tossed in the shower or hosed off super easily. There are no nooks that trap gunk/urine. The CN is heavy, you would have to take it apart/power hose it clean in the little gaps. 



Fu-Inle said:


> Voted for critter/ferret nation. i know looks aren't important but I find martin cages to be butt ugly. Not just that but the larger cages don't come on wheels which is a problem for me because I like to take my cage outside to wash and I don't want to lug around a big cage everywhere.


I actually did hate the look of martins, from pics online. But in person idk they actually look really nice. IDK if the grid style just does not photo well or what lol but I think it looks really nice in person.



> I have a critter nation and I've had Martin's, but my favorite is my quality cages. I've just moved my girls from a critter nation to one and my boys have always been in it. It's the same sq foot as a critter nation, but I like the set up better, it's easier to clean and easier to hang stuff in, in my opinion. The price is higher though.


I've never actually heard of those cages before. Are the shelves like blocked off with just alittle hole?


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

The balcony shelves? Yes they are enclosed. Makes it nice if you want to put a litter box, a bunch of blankets or hide on them, nothing falls off. They have their own door so you can still get to them easily to clean or find a rat. 

Of course my favorite thing is no plastic. Two of my girls are just monsters about chewing up stuff. The critter nation is easy enough to replace the main floors, but the small shelves, just forget it. The QC have lasted too. I had both of mine since I had my ferrets and that was like 18 years ago. 

Now ideally if I could write up a perfect rat cage for some company to make it would be a mixture of the cn and qc but have really deep bases for each full floor.


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## Felix (Oct 25, 2015)

mimsy said:


> I have a critter nation and I've had Martin's, but my favorite is my quality cages. I've just moved my girls from a critter nation to one and my boys have always been in it. It's the same sq foot as a critter nation, but I like the set up better, it's easier to clean and easier to hang stuff in, in my opinion. The price is higher though.
> 
> I have two of these ones, with a stand. http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=129_169_179&products_id=945


 Wow those look awesome, but crazy expensive! Did you ever get a deal on 'em? Glad you like them


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## Felix (Oct 25, 2015)

moonkissed said:


> day to day cleaning..critternation wins hands down. Deep cleaning- martins win. With all the shelves and idk the bar grid style the martins can trap some gunk/trash and I personally find it a pain to wipe them all down. Where as the CN has easy to wipe down bars/pans.
> 
> But for deep cleaning the martins can be tossed in the shower or hosed off super easily. There are no nooks that trap gunk/urine. The CN is heavy, you would have to take it apart/power hose it clean in the little gaps.


 How often would you say a "deep cleaning" is necessary then for a CN?


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I got mine a lot of years ago and they were not as expensive, plus I got a discount for getting more than one. Back then there wasn't really any large cages except for qc and martins that I was aware of here in the states anyways.


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## artgecko (Nov 26, 2013)

I voted for the CN, but I've never owned a Martin's cage. My biggest issue with the DCN is that it can be hard to hang stuff... You can't hang thing attached to the side of the cage with doors and you can't easily do corner items (like triangle shaped hammocks) because you can't attach things directly to the corners of the cage.. The vertical bar spacing on the top of the cage (when it is open, the bars running towards the back of the cage) is pretty large, so it can make arranging things tricky. I also wish it was lighter so that it was easier to wheel around to deep clean. 

I do love that the doors are so large and it makes the cage easy to wipe down. 

As others have said, the plastic can be a problem. I got my DCNs on sale, but then had to pay to kit them out in stainless steel pans from Bass Equipment and in addition, I bought metal half-shelf trays from flower town chinchillas (I understand Bass makes these now). That's an additional ~$80 per cage, but now my rats can't chew out and the cage isn't as smelly as the plastic used to absorb urine odor.. I can also use aspen now, so that makes it a lot easier for me than fleece. 

I agree that a hybrid would be good. Something like a DCN, but with deep metal pans, big access door, and lighter weight.


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

artgecko said:


> I agree that a hybrid would be good. Something like a DCN, but with deep metal pans, big access door, and lighter weight.


I'd like the deep metal pans to have a nice enamel on them as well. 

I'd also like it to be slightly less deep, 20" is easier to reach the back of the cage with and then just make it a little taller and the stand a little shorter. I also want it to have 3 full floors, that can have the ramps lifted to make 3 cages if needed. Plus it gives more bars for hanging stuff.

I'd like more bars going vertical, for hanging stuff purposes.

I'd like the doors to be full doors, however I also would like small doors for having food/water bowls, like what you see with bird cages. It also makes it easier if you have several rats and you are just visiting with them, to give pets and say hi..and you don't have a sneaky one going up and over the top of the cage. My boys are not that naughty, but my girls...I'll be talking to like 3 of em and giving pets and such, close the cage and then notice I've got someone looking at me from the top of it. Little devils.


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## artgecko (Nov 26, 2013)

I agree about the depth...It is kinda hard to reach all the way back (I'm short and have short arms too). I also agree about 3 full floor being a cool idea. I think the DCN design is too tall vertically per half (i.e. if a rat falls from the top of the top unit to the floor of that unit, they could get seriously hurt). I like the idea of the vertical space being less, but still tall enough to hang stuff.


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