Cage Suggestions?

[TorachiKatashi]

Any suggestions for a half-decent cage to fit 3-5 adult girls that won't cost $500+ with shipping? I'm having a really hard time finding anything suitable online. Everything is either plastic junk that will be chewed through in no time, or is obscenely expensive, no middle-ground between those two options at all, and it doesn't seem that any of the local stores carry anything big enough for even one rat (and again all plastic junk.)

Also wondering about bedding. What is the go-to choice for bedding now? Years ago I had a Critter Nation (back when they were sold locally; too expensive now to ship) with fleece liners, so I don't know much about actual bedding.

 

[SQ]

PetValu pet store sells the single critter nation cage ……. if you attach 2 of them side by side, you will have a wonderful cage - very easy to do. You could also stack them but it would be a lot of work - creating a hole, ordering a top level pan & ladder. You could contact them to find out the cost. http://petvalu.com/small-pets/cages...critter-nation-single-unit-with-stand-midwest

Flowertown in Ontario sells double CNs for $375 but they do not have free shipping. You could contact them and ask for a quote re total price including tax and shipping. (They also sell food, and other supplies for ratties - I order from them approx. every 3 months), They also sell FNs, etc and large rabbit cages etc but they have plastic bases https://www.chinchilla.ca/detail.php?ProductID=MW162

PetSmart was selling a less expensive knockoff of the critter nation cage but stopped at the end of 2018/early 2019. PetSmart has come out with a different cage for rats - another knockoff - but the cage is poorly designed and the floor space is too small - rats need a cage with a base at least 30 in by 18 in because horizontal space is essential.
You can look around and see if anyone has a used CN or FN for sale, but it is likely similar to NB in that good used cages are rare finds.

Amazon.ca sells critter nation cages and has free shipping which I assume includes Newfoundland, but the double critter nation cage does sell for over $500 ….. Ferret Nation cages are a bit less expensive and if you bought one they would be ok if you covered the outside with hardware cloth. I have heard that using hardware cloth is a pain.
You may be able to find another supplier that has free shipping.

You could purchase large rabbit cages (like 60 inches long), add home made levels, cover the outside with hardware cloth, and attach them together. It will be a pain to clean etc but would work (see Reference Thread https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/)

If you know anyone in NB that might be driving to Newfoundland you could order a double CN from the USA or a martins powder coated R695 with flip top lid (martinscages.com, wire floors need to be covered), have it mailed to an address such as a store in Calais Maine USA and have someone drive it over the border and drive it to you - if you order from martins cages I would strongly suggest you also get the large powder coated playpen - a wise and amazing item. Driving items across the border is important because brokerage fees can be in the 100s of dollars

Good luck

 

[SQ]

The bedding situation has not changed. Although some are now using fleece liners containing a uhaul blanket to absorb urine.

There are deeper metal pans that can be purchased for use in CN and FN cages so they will hold bedding ….. Flowertown sells them …….. Some people in the USA buy deep plastic pans that will fit into CNs from a hardware store but they are not available in Canada

 

[TorachiKatashi]

PetValu pet store sells the single critter nation cage ……. if you attach 2 of them side by side, you will have a wonderful cage - very easy to do. You could also stack them but it would be a lot of work - creating a hole, ordering a top level pan & ladder. You could contact them to find out the cost. http://petvalu.com/small-pets/cages...critter-nation-single-unit-with-stand-midwest

Flowertown in Ontario sells double CNs for $375 but they do not have free shipping. You could contact them and ask for a quote re total price including tax and shipping. (They also sell food, and other supplies for ratties - I order from them approx. every 3 months), They also sell FNs, etc and large rabbit cages etc but they have plastic bases https://www.chinchilla.ca/detail.php?ProductID=MW162

PetSmart was selling a less expensive knockoff of the critter nation cage but stopped at the end of 2018/early 2019. PetSmart has come out with a different cage for rats - another knockoff - but the cage is poorly designed and the floor space is too small - rats need a cage with a base at least 30 in by 18 in because horizontal space is essential.
You can look around and see if anyone has a used CN or FN for sale, but it is likely similar to NB in that good used cages are rare finds.

Amazon.ca sells critter nation cages and has free shipping which I assume includes Newfoundland, but the double critter nation cage does sell for over $500 ….. Ferret Nation cages are a bit less expensive and if you bought one they would be ok if you covered the outside with hardware cloth. I have heard that using hardware cloth is a pain.
You may be able to find another supplier that has free shipping.

You could purchase large rabbit cages (like 60 inches long), add home made levels, cover the outside with hardware cloth, and attach them together. It will be a pain to clean etc but would work (see Reference Thread https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/)

If you know anyone in NB that might be driving to Newfoundland you could order a double CN from the USA or a martins powder coated R695 with flip top lid (martinscages.com, wire floors need to be covered), have it mailed to an address such as a store in Calais Maine and have someone drive it over the border and drive it to you - if you order from martins cages I would strongly suggest you also get the large powder coated playpen - a wise and amazing item. Driving items across the border is important because brokerage fees can be in the 100s of dollars

Good luck

I actually saw one of those CN knock offs at my local PetSmart. Do you think it's any good for what it is? I'm concerned as the little girls I'm looking at taking in have a history of chewing out of plastic cages.

 

[ViciousCurse]

I got my DCN off of Craigslist. Since I can't see locations right now (I'm on my phone), I don't know if you'd have to use Craigslist or Kijiji. Facebook Marketplace may be another great place to look.

I got a used DCN for $150 off of Craigslist. Totally worth it! I watched the site for a few months, found an ad, and then jumped on it. Now I see a bajillion of them.

 

[SQ]

The critter nation look like this (except the small levels/balconies pans now have a lip around the edge like the bottom pan) - metal cages, with plastic pans … the knock offs look the same

the one section

the 2 section


If the cage at petsmart does not look like this (without the small name plate on 2 doors) it is not a critter nation knock off
but is something different

 

[SQ]

I watched the site for a few months, found an ad, and then jumped on it. Now I see a bajillion of them.

You are fortunate re where you live ....... second hand CNs are rare in the Maritime provinces of Canada and second hand cages are usually priced at $200 to $300

 

[ViciousCurse]

Was just sharing my experience and hoping to give a little help Odd that secondhand cages are being sold for as much, if not more, that the original prices (if we're talking USD and not the Canadian dollar). On Amazon, I'd have to pay $250 USD for a brand new cage, but $150 USD for a used cage off of Craigslist.

 

[SQ]

Was just sharing my experience and hoping to give a little help Odd that secondhand cages are being sold for as much, if not more, that the original prices (if we're talking USD and not the Canadian dollar). On Amazon, I'd have to pay $250 USD for a brand new cage, but $150 USD for a used cage off of Craigslist.

Np The poster and I are both in Canada, thus I am speaking of prices in our country in our Canadian currency …… new CNs are very expensive in Canada and second hand CNs for sale are rare on the east coast of Canada …… there is a second hand double CN currently for sale where I live for $300 (which at the current rate of exchange would be $224.55 US). It is easier and less expensive to find used CNs in other parts of Canada