Cage Types: Please give me your input!

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Ok, I think I narrowed it down. I think I am stuck between 1 R690, and 1 R695 (one for each sex, thinking the R690 for my 2 males, and the R695 for my 3 females), or the R699 devided into 2, which would be $7 cheaper, or should I just save an extra little bit for a FN? The other two options would be roughly $200, and a FN, the cheapest I found on Amazon.com is $211.....(unless that is no longer available, then it is around $289 or something). Also, does Martins charge for shipping, and do they ship to Canada?

Keep in mind too, that I plan to have lots more rats someday, so I am leaning more so to the R699, than the other two, unless I can put the other two together myself.....

*ponders*
 
To be honest with you, the r690 is way to small for rats. The depth is not there so the rats have no room for anything. I had it for two babies and once they reached 6 months, I quickly got rid of it.

The thing with the FN, if you have petite females, they will go through the bars and you'll have to modify it somehow.
 
So you think that I should go with the R699, and divide it in half (until I can save up for a second one)? Instead of the FN? Will the R699 be big enough for my 5 rats, if I divide it? (remember I have 2 males and 3 females)
 
In my opinion I would get the R695 and the R680 separately...

You can still stack them but it would be so much easier to clean by throwing in the tub, and the boys and girls would each have their own litter pan.... if you separate the RUUD the ones in the top half don't have a litter tray.

I'm sure you will still like the R699 but that is just what I would do if I didn't have any plans to get one sex altered and have them all living together.
 
I never thought of the litter tray thing, but I am hoping to save up for a second one, so it won't be all that long, hopefully, maybe a couple months, before I can save up for each one, but I want to make sure I am choosing the right cage for them, since it is a big investment. Does everyone agree that the R699 is better than the FN? lol. Espically since in a few years, I hope to breed them, I would not want the little ones to get out. Or is there a different cage that Martins makes that is better, in the same price range? Since you guys said that they can modify the cages to fit rats, or am I getting too complicated and annoying now? :giggle:

Does anyone have a R699 with pictures of their rats in it? So I can get a better idea of its size? Or is the one where it was stacked the same thing?

Also, no one answered my questions about shipping :(

 
If you phone martins you can tell them what you want and ask them to email you the total price, including shipping. The online calculator will tell you what the shipping is as well.

Just make sure whatever you get is powder coated.
And if you get a martins, make sure it has extra large doors, and I would recommend the pull out tray ... and discuss the number of balconies, otherwise they may leave out 1 or two to make it safer with those large doors.

Like jorats, I had a R690. This cage is too small for adult rats.
We have used it for rescue moms with litters but it soon becomes much too small.
 
I was just thinking about something, there was a mention about bigger doos for a wheel, but could I not just put the wheel in through the bottom, like my hamster cages? Or is it not the same idea as, lets say, a habitrail, where the plastic bottom just pops off? Also, whats the difference between a pull out tray, or regular trays, except the obvious?
 
The only reason, I had all my cages modified with pull out tray is because with the drop in tray, all the poops got caught in between the pan and the panels. It was a pain to clean.

For the wheel, you could pass it under but if you are going with the 699, that's a very tall cage to lift to pass under for a wheel. but I believe the 699 comes with one big door and one small door.
 
Thanks jo for a quick reply! Don't you ever sleep? lol!

So then the cage is like a habitrail where it clicks to the bottom? And I am having a hard time picturing the pull out tray, heh, but I e-mailed them for more info. Sorry, I know I'm being a dummy, but like I said $200 is alot to spend on something I won't be happy with :roll:

I started to litter train my rats, but soon gave up because I could not keep the litter box upright, but they are trained not to go outside their cage now :lol:
 
jorats said:
The only reason, I had all my cages modified with pull out tray is because with the drop in tray, all the poops got caught in between the pan and the panels. It was a pain to clean.
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Click to expand...

haha. Pull off top of cage, dump out litter pan. :) I liked the drop in because that way there is absolutely no way the ratlets can chew on the pan.
 
If you have a drop in pan, then the cage can be lifted off the pan. With pull out trays, there is a wire bottom to the cage that the slide in tray slides in on top of. Thus nothing can be put into the cage by removing the bottom.

Usually people who do not get extra large doors get a flip top lid so that large items, such as wheels can be put into the top section of the cage.

I have found that having large doors not only makes it much easier to put lage items into the cage, but it makes cleaning much, much easier.
 
I'm not sure if they are pan chewers or not, but why risk it eh? lol, but like I said, I think I will go with the drop in, since then I can put litter in it etc, plus I am used to that kind with my hamster cages.

Thanks guys for all your help! I have decided: 2 RUUD 699's, (eventually), with powder coated bars, and drop in pan. Now I just need to think about the doors, if they are fine as is, I will leave those alone, and then I just need to go shopping for wonderrats accessories, lol!

Oh and whos up for coming to my place and helping me move some furniture around in my 2-room house? lmao!!
 
Both the drop in martins pan and the slide in pan will hold litter. But you might want to ask about specific pan depth.

You can phone martins cages and ask them questions too before you decide.

Looking forward to seeing pics of whatever cage you decide to purchase.
 
I bought a coast cage. I didn't go with the Martins Cage because it was a little more then I could afford at this time. I also didn't go with the ferrat nation as my girls are small. We took out the wheel in the cage because they never used it and there are stories about rats dying due to them. I haven't covered the wire flooring yet. But I will especially after the story of Bumblefoot!!

Full Cage
TheNewCageSmall.jpg


We had a litter pan, but because of the wheel, we moved the bottom ramp beside the second ramp to make it easier for the girls to walk and that didn't leave room for the litter pan, so we attached that to the top of the cage and it's now their bed. But now we took out the wheel I am considering moving the bottom ramp again and putting a litter pan in.

Litter pan they made a bed.
LitterBoxturnedintoabedSmall.jpg


I love this cage personally. I am very happy with it. But really I would say it's only good for 3 rats.

Oh yeah my girls apparently DO NOT like that cotton like bedding. It always ends up at the bottom of the cage like an insult. :lol:
 

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