# Okay, which?



## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

I need some advice, my rat-owning friends.

I've asked about this cage before, and was told it's just big enough to hold girl rats. Okay, that's fine. Minimum space, but within my budget. 

But there's also another cage that I can't find the picture for, it has 3 full levels (wire floors on top two levels I can cover up later), and is about two feet long, one foot wide, not sure how deep (2,2.5ft? I don't know...). It's $120, but bigger, and has a metal base.

If I get the bigger cage, I know there are many advantages. It would take -ehem- QUITE awhile for the hopefully-mine girls to chew their way out of a metal base ( :roll: ), more space = more better-er, it would be harder to knock around with the added weight, plus alot more. But if I get a rat, I would have to pay for all the initial costs, most likely including the first bag of food and litter, the water bottle, the hammock, toys, AND the two rats. I have slightly over a hundred dollars as of now (whee!), if you count every penny I've pack-rattedly saved at random points in the day. $102, to be more exact. Which is extreamly awesome since I tend to waste money the second I make it.

If I get the smaller cage, I would only need to earn about 30-40 or so more before I can get the rats (or the Great Pointed Archers or Long tailed hamsters or whatever I'm going to call them to get my rat-horrified-scarred-as-a-child-from-rodents-old-neighbor to not think they're rats XD). If I get the big cage, I'll prolly need to ear somewhere around another hundred. Not sure if my parents will break down and help me with the initial costs, and I'm not sure I can wait that long 8O 

So, my friends, lend me thy advice!

(ps-My parents are shocked at the fact that I'd have to buy TWO rats, so I couldn't even bother with getting a third unless one of them dies earlier than expected  )


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

Ah, sidenote: The second cage reminds me of a martin's cage...


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## Mana (Apr 22, 2007)

I don't know if I voiced my opinion on the first cage, but I think it's too small, especially at that price.

Since you said the second one reminds you of a Martin's cage, I assume you've looked at them ^_^ Why not get one of those? A powder coated R-680 is I think $85 before shipping (I don't know how much they charge for shipping though) - it has bigger dimensions than the first cage, but not the full floors of the second (although still bigger dimensions) and it's kind of an in-between price so you won't have to save up quite as much, but still have a good cage.

Or, if you could get one off ebay, maybe consider one of these

Have you checked craigslist? ^_^

Edit: Even with shipping, the ebay cage is bigger but cheaper than the first cage you linked to. And it's big enough for two girls. I'd personally go with that one (I almost did, too, back when I only had two girls)


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

Oooh, it's bigger fo' sho ^^ But the base pan thing looks, like, 1/2 thick, I might have to try and do some clipping and figure out how to replace it with a litterbox bottom or summat.

I've been checking craiglist ^w^ They usually don't have one in my area big enough ;__; And by the time mum says yes (daddy's already fine with it if mum says it's okay, and mum says -as of now- that I'd have to get rid of one of the cats to get the rats GASPNEVER! but I can prolly change her mind... prolly...), it might not be available anymore -sniffle- They're so cheap on there, too.

Cha, me lookey at the Martin cages, but mum and I both perfer buying from a store whenever possible, since we really can't stand waiting for the whole 'shipping' process o_o; so that'll be moreofva second choice. And I personally like the one at the Petsmart (but isn't on the site) more ;P



edit: So definately a no for the smaller one... Otay!


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

well if you don't have the rats yet and you have to convince your mother first anyway why don't you buy the cage from martins or craiglist that you like and work on your mom while its being shipped? that way you have a kick arse cage already by the time your mom says yes. it will also show her that you are quite serious about getting rats. you may not use the cage right away but the best thing about them is that they don't spoil and can wait for their tenents as long as it takes to get them.


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

T.T She'll yell at me for 'waisting my money' and 'doing things behind her back'. >> I've considered it, cha, but I don't _want_ to know how she'd respond ;

I might end up doing just that, though, if we do get rid of Z the Dwarf Hamser ^w^

ps-It may take a couple weeks before I can talk her into it... She says she doesn't want the house becoming a 'zoo' o-o HOW IS TWO CATS, A HAMHAM AND 2 RATS A ZOO, MUMMY?! ;__;


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## lostbutnotforgot (Apr 19, 2007)

I think I know exactly what the second cage is and to be honest, it's not worth your time or money. The doors are too small, and for that price you might as well get a FN or a similar quality cage. I have the first cage you mentioned, and with modification it's a decent cage, but you'll have to make sure your girls get a lot of time out of the cage as it would be a little on the small size for 2 in my opinion. 

No, you don't have a zoo. I have 8 animals in just my room at night (4 during the day that live in here permanently)! Not to mention the dozen or so others around the house. lol.


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## Squeak (Sep 4, 2007)

I have that exact cage except black, Mana. It's worked well.


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## glindella (Sep 9, 2007)

zimmyzam said:


> But there's also another cage that I can't find the picture for, it has 3 full levels (wire floors on top two levels I can cover up later), and is about two feet long, one foot wide, not sure how deep (2,2.5ft? I don't know...). It's $120, but bigger, and has a metal base.


I think I know what cage your talking about. White wire with a red base, 1/2 middle shelf and full top shelf? I have that cage and I used it for my boys until I got the FN and the new boys. 

some advice on the cage if you do get it:
-cover the shelves with plastic needlepoint canvas, its cheap and easy to replace, I used to put paper towels under the canvas to soak up the pee and chance them daily, its a pain in the butt to use fabric
-be warned that the doors are small and badly placed.


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## Mana (Apr 22, 2007)

Squeak said:


> I have that exact cage except black, Mana. It's worked well.


I might still get that one at some point to use for quarantine  (It would be a vast improvement over the Coast Cage I have now) I think I'd get it in black, too.. and then decorate it in purple <3


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

Okay, thanks.

I looked at it again today-you're right, the doors are in funky places ; But it's nice and big which is yay since I can't always spend more than an hour with them each day ;__;

THANK YOU PEOPLES!

Oh, and random fact: If I find the petsmart that has the girl critters is not too bad of a place to get a rat, I might as well check over there soon ^w^ If not, Petco, since I rather like the one near us 

The ebay one Mana suggested is startinig to look better XP But I'd still have to work out getting it a different bottom...


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

Oh noes! Z the hamster got eated D:

Well, hurt, bad enough to leave blood on my bedroom floor this morning when I wasn't looking (literally. I never had to see him.). We assume Jackjack the hypercat got ahold of him after a cage-escape.


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## jellybeanqueen (Sep 6, 2007)

zimmyzam said:


> Oh noes! Z the hamster got eated D:
> 
> Well, hurt, bad enough to leave blood on my bedroom floor this morning when I wasn't looking (literally. I never had to see him.). We assume Jackjack the hypercat got ahold of him after a cage-escape.


aw, i hope he recovers...!
i think you made another post about Z getting hurt/escaping or something before this? he seems very accident prone. ;_;
and besides Z's accident...i hope you get your ratties!
i convinced my mother, you can convince yours, i bet.
here is a sample convo between my mother and i:

me: mummyyyy ratties are so cute and cuddly and friendly!
my mother: they are scary. D:<
me: i'll pay for everything!
my mother: hmm..but they bite!
me: no they don't! hamsters bite WAY more!

..and so on. xD

but now that i have my pretty girls ( one week anniversary tomorrow!) my mother thinks they're cute and she's amazed at how responsible i am with them. ;]


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

XD Not fair!

My mum knows they're not horrid, dirty little creatures, but "we have two cats, and one that will most likey eat a rat without a second." That's increadibly true-Jackjack already killed poow wittle Z, and had almost gotten away with it the first time he tried it. So instead of having him for 4 days, we only had him for 9 ;__;

Hamster's aren't very loving 

Yeah, before Z's cage got knocked down and broken by Jackjack the cat, and we had to take Z from Jackjack's mouth. This time, I believe Z escaped, and Jackjack got to him in my room...


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## jellybeanqueen (Sep 6, 2007)

zimmyzam said:


> XD Not fair!
> 
> My mum knows they're not horrid, dirty little creatures, but "we have two cats, and one that will most likey eat a rat without a second." That's increadibly true-Jackjack already killed poow wittle Z, and had almost gotten away with it the first time he tried it. So instead of having him for 4 days, we only had him for 9 ;__;
> 
> ...


aw, poor Z. i'm sure he enjoyed his time with you while you had him. ;__;
yeah, i had hamsters before and all they did was nap & eat! xD
i read a lot of posts, and it seems like many people have both cats and rats together without problems, so it probably won't end up like it did with Z.
i hope you get your ratties soon! =D


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## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

zimmyzam said:


> But there's also another cage that I can't find the picture for, it has 3 full levels (wire floors on top two levels I can cover up later), and is about two feet long, one foot wide, not sure how deep (2,2.5ft? I don't know...). It's $120, but bigger, and has a metal base.
> 
> I


That sounds exactly like the All Living Things cage I started out with.

It's NOT worth it and I got a FN for the same price on EBay and it can hold 6 rats(141 model).


Don't waste your money like that.


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## zimmyzam (Sep 9, 2007)

XD Okay, I know now.

I do think i found something, though. A My First Home cage, for 'exotics'. 1/2inch bar spacing, 30x18x30, comes with hammock and something else I believe, and it just looks perfect. PLUS it's only $100, which is better than some of the prices I've seen for rat cages that I like.

Oh, I have, like, $120 ish now, and with birthday money coming soon...

And for those who feel like reading, I got me a rat magazine thing, VERY informative, and the pictures made my voice go dry after all those "AWWW!!"'s! Mum thought the rat we looked at was ADORABLE (a light grey hooded girl, only 2-3 months, too shy to pick up). She as really soft, I might add, but was too stressed so I left her alone.


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