# Ferret Nation Cage (also cleaning tips?)



## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

I hope this is ok to post, but I just have to share! 

I haven't gotten rats yet, still waiting to see if I get approval (which will probably take a few weeks, more information is in my welcome thread if you're curious). I have a free cage from a friend, but from the dimensions they gave me, while a rat calculator said it can hold 3 rats it's not very tall (16 or so inches). I've read that rats like to climb (plus she gave me the dimensions from memory so worried it might be smaller, it is for a guinea pig) so I looked around on Craigslist to see if there was any cages around $50 that might be better (being a poor college student and all). 

I found someone about 80 miles from me selling their Ferret Nation cage for about that price. I almost didn't get it, after seeing the pics and messaging them back they said someone was ahead of me so I offered $10 more and secured it. As long as it's as good as I think it is I'll be buying it Sunday (hopefully my girlfriends "landlord"/roommates mom is ok with me storing it in their garage until I can clean it and get rats...). 

With gas it might not be so good of a price, but I know people in the area so I figure I can stop by a friends for a bit. Which is why I searched for Chicago area as well as my area. 

It's really dirty, but otherwise seems great. It's worth cleaning all the ferret crud out of it if all that's wrong is the trays being worn out (and some slightly bent bars). 

I want my future ratties (whether I get them in the next couple of months or after I move out of here) to have a great place. 

I've heard I should use bleach to clean it, but is that a bad idea? I know when I had a lovebird I wasn't even supposed to use soap when washing it, because using any cleaners is bad for animals on their items. But I doubt ferret poop leftovers is much better. Plus since the cage is so big I'm hoping (hopefully weather permits) to wash it with a house outside, and I Know you shouldn't use bleach outside.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Just a heads up, be careful. I found a critter nation for sale on craigslist once and we agreed on a location and time and it was a two hour drive for me. Four hours round trip. We got there and waited for hours and they never showed up. Ignored all my emails and just never responded. I was so upset. Especially because I needed a cage like asap at the time. The worst part is I found her on a rat related forum later on advertising that cage.

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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

Voltage said:


> Just a heads up, be careful. I found a critter nation for sale on craigslist once and we agreed on a location and time and it was a two hour drive for me. Four hours round trip. We got there and waited for hours and they never showed up. Ignored all my emails and just never responded. I was so upset. Especially because I needed a cage like asap at the time. The worst part is I found her on a rat related forum later on advertising that cage.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Oh no  Hopefully that's not the case here....


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## naley_2006 (Aug 19, 2013)

I definitely agree with being aware! When I got my Prevue, it was an hour (and a half drive, but I'm pretty sure I got there in a little over an hour) and we had agreed on a 50/55 price. There was nothing super wrong with it, I just didn't notice the amount of rust on some of the lower parts of the stand in the pictures. She had kept it together, thankfully, and showed me and I inspected it thoroughly and actually asked her to take $45 because of the rusting. She agreed and I got a great cage out of it, but honestly unless your car is suuuper good with gas, it's not worth it.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

I get 25 miles to the gallon. 

Plus I'll probably visit my mentor.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Don't use bleach, use a 1/4 vinegar and hot water it should work. 


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

nanashi7 said:


> Don't use bleach, use a 1/4 vinegar and hot water it should work.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks! I'll try to do that.

Also, they gave me their home address, so hopefully that means they are serious?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Should be; hard to pretend you don't exist when someone knows where you live.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/Buzzbuzz_g27/library/Cage here are pics of the cage.


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## evander (Jun 30, 2013)

It looks like a great buy - even at that far away.

What kind of car do you have? Are you sure it will fit?

I have a dfn and it took up the _entire _back of my mini van.

I love mine!!

Hope this works out for you!!


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

evander said:


> It looks like a great buy - even at that far away.
> 
> What kind of car do you have? Are you sure it will fit?
> 
> ...


Oh dear.... I have a buick century. Can't you take it apart? 

If not my dad has a van, if it doesn't work I'm sure I can beg my dad to help me out after he's done bowling. 

Yeah, it really is a good deal. I love that it's blue too.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

It disembles, but is a pain to disemble and reassemble. You'll need some muscle for sure -- I'm a rather weak chick and could assemble fine, but anytime i needed to take parts off it was harder than ****.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

Be careful on who you buy from. I recently got a ferret nation (which I am still remodeling), and the person originally wanted 75 dollars for it. Ge showed me a picture and everything. When I got to his house to re-home his ferret and pick up the cage the cage was missing two wheels, the other two wheels were broken, it had not been cleaned in weeks, and it was very rusty. I've spent the last few weeks sand blowing it, repainting it, and buying new screws for it. The screws were so rusted on mine that it took my friends and I forever to get them out. Lol.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

nanashi7 said:


> It disembles, but is a pain to disemble and reassemble. You'll need some muscle for sure -- I'm a rather weak chick and could assemble fine, but anytime i needed to take parts off it was harder than ****.


Yeah, I googled it and that's what I read. My girlfriend and I have a bit of muscle, so hopefully it'll be fine. If worse comes to worse I live in basically a dorm, I can find people. 

Sadly don't have much of a choice, even if I get my dad and his van I'm not sure if I can store and clean it as easily assembled. I don't know when I'll be able to get rats. It depends on if I get approval or not. If I don't, I need to store it till I get a new place. 



Phantom said:


> Be careful on who you buy from. I recently got a ferret nation (which I am still remodeling), and the person originally wanted 75 dollars for it. Ge showed me a picture and everything. When I got to his house to re-home his ferret and pick up the cage the cage was missing two wheels, the other two wheels were broken, it had not been cleaned in weeks, and it was very rusty. I've spent the last few weeks sand blowing it, repainting it, and buying new screws for it. The screws were so rusted on mine that it took my friends and I forever to get them out. Lol.


I haven't paid them yet, and I wont until I make sure it's all good. I already know it's dirty as heck, that I can handle cleaning wise. In the photos it doesn't look rusty, but if it's broken or rusty in any way I'll tell them it wasn't as advertised and refuse to buy it. I'm not forced to buy it.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

Alright, I got the cage! 

There is slight rust, but it's manageable from what I saw and the worst of it scrapped right off. So it was just runny wet rust from the rusty screws. 
Basically it looks like I need to (besides wash it greatly), replace the screws, get the rust off, paint over the rust (anyone know safe paint/anti-rust to do this? It looked like the affected areas aren't where it would hurt the rats but just to be safe). 

Bars are bent, but most I fixed right then and there so not bad. There is a glob of glue on one of the sides to attach it to the bar, I'm going to have to scrape that off and fix it. I don't think I'll need to put anything there to keep it in place, but anyone have suggestions for that? 

I was planning on cleaning it today and assessing more of what needs to be fixed (though again, it looks manageable. I wouldn't have bought it if it looked like it wasn't an easy fix) but on the way to see my dad while I was in the area (so he could look at my car, ironically) the front left wheel of my car just FLEW off while I was exiting the highway. So after the whole towing ordeal and stuff, my dad took my girlfriend and I back to Milwaukee. Right now the cage is at my gf's place. When I have a car again and can go clean the cage I'll probably make another post asking for suggestions to fix the little that needs to be fixed. 

Overall I still think I got a good deal. I just hope fixing my car isn't to costly, otherwise I might have to wait on the rats for awhile..... (unless I get money help from my grandma or uncle).


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

There's a post somewhere in rat homes where someone fixed up their cage. I assume you can't sand blast or power wash, so scrape or sand away rust and I believe rustoleoum or some such product is kid safe and has been used. 


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

nanashi7 said:


> There's a post somewhere in rat homes where someone fixed up their cage. I assume you can't sand blast or power wash, so scrape or sand away rust and I believe rustoleoum or some such product is kid safe and has been used.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks! I found the post you were referencing and that is indeed what they are using. 

This should be quite easy to fix, and much easier than what she is doing. So I feel like it was worth it. It's a nice cage. I like how it's blue, the wheels still work (though two fall off easily). Can't wait to get some ratties in it  Though not sure my roommates would like such a huge cage in this small apartment, so might have to wait and use my friends smaller one.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I used rustoleum to repaint my cage. Just let it air dry outside for 2 weeks after you paint it and it's good to go.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

Phantom said:


> I used rustoleum to repaint my cage. Just let it air dry outside for 2 weeks after you paint it and it's good to go.


Does it have to be outside? The weather is getting bad here so it rains a lot and has already even snowed. By the time I get my car back and can do this it'll be even worse. 

I could maybe put it on my girlfriends roommates mom's porch, but rain will still effect it and such.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I would paint it in a very well ventilated area because of the fumes from the paint. Outside is just easier because the mess can be cleaned up and the air takes most of the paint smell with it. If you don't like a heavy paint smell sitting around in your house then try to ventilate the area.


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

Phantom said:


> I would paint it in a very well ventilated area because of the fumes from the paint. Outside is just easier because the mess can be cleaned up and the air takes most of the paint smell with it. If you don't like a heavy paint smell sitting around in your house then try to ventilate the area.


Would painting it outside and then (weather permitting, I'm sure my girlfriend would keep an eye on it for me) bring them inside when it looks bad outside work? As long as the first few days it's kept outside? Or maybe garage.... but she said to keep it in the basement.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

Keeping it in the garage I think would work great! As long as it's in an area where it can dry properly it should be okay. I would not put it in the basement because it might not dry as fast, unless your basement has some sort of air flow. (I'm from Florida so I don't know how basements work. >.<)


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## hiddenjumprope (Nov 13, 2013)

Phantom said:


> Keeping it in the garage I think would work great! As long as it's in an area where it can dry properly it should be okay. I would not put it in the basement because it might not dry as fast, unless your basement has some sort of air flow. (I'm from Florida so I don't know how basements work. >.<)


Basement wouldn't work as about 4 people live there and there is not really any airflow. I'll ask, not sure if my girlfriends roommates mom will let me put it in the garage. It's already super packed. But If I explain what's up when I paint it and see. Plus it'll still be apart so it wont take up as much space. 

Thanks for all your tips, it's helped a lot  Can't wait to work on this.


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