Critter Nation Shelf Upgrade

[Prime654]

Got the following email this afternoon:

Good afternoon!

I’m writing on behalf of the New Product Development Team at MidWest Homes for Pets. We appreciate the time and feedback you have provided us in the past regarding our small animal products. Based on your suggestions we have developed a Shelf Upgrade Kit that is now available for existing Critter Nation and Ferret Nation owners.

The Shelf Upgrade Kit includes two newly designed less-mess shelves and three reversible, "happy-feet" ramp covers. The cost of the kit is $29.99 plus shipping and handling. To purchase the upgrade kit you can contact our customer service department at 1-800-428-8560 or [email protected]. The kit will ship directly from our warehouse.

Attached you will find a PDF flyer that provides images and more details. Please feel free to forward this to other Nation cage owners and friends in your critter community whom you think would like to have this information. If you are a part of an online community that you think would value this information, please let me know if you would like me to send this to the webmaster or appropriate contact person.

We continue to work on developing new products and accessories for our Nation cages and have many other items on the horizon. We always welcome your feedback and you can contact us should you have any questions or comments.

Thank you for continuing to help us as we bring new and improved products to market that pet parents are seeking.

Sincerely,

Tara King

Cant upload the pdf but heres a snapshot from it:

I called in to get more information, the shelf itself INCLUDES the metal frame, as in its one big piece apparently. So im thinking of getting them as additional levels along with 2 ladders. They're listed at $29.99US.

Kit includes 2 shelves and 3 ramp covers.

 

[lizmo1221]

Oh cool! I just ordered my CN from FTC and they said I was getting these happy feet ramp covers. I had never heard of them before, but they look great! I wonder if I will get the less mess shelves too, that would be awesome.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[xxchelle]

Whoops, I forgot to mention this. I was at FTC a couple weeks ago and we were discussing these changes. I meant to post about it but it slipped my mind.

 

[Cigar]

If anyone around London, Ontario buys the upgrade and wants to sell an old shelf+ramp I'd definitely be interested. I don't need the no-mess edges but I'd love to add another level for variety.

 

[Prime654]

Whoops, I forgot to mention this. I was at FTC a couple weeks ago and we were discussing these changes. I meant to post about it but it slipped my mind.

Do you know if FTC will be selling the upgrades? Im assuming it would cheaper to buying directly it from them.

 

[xxchelle]

The new CNs automatically come with those shelves, I'm not sure if FTC has the upgrades, though.

 

[jorats]

I should write to FTC and see if they can bring some in. I'd buy 6 of those.

 

[lizmo1221]

Chelle, so the CN i bought comes with both the upgrades? He mentioned the ramp covers but not the shelves.

 

[xxchelle]

I *think* so. Don't hate me if it doesn't, but that's sort of what I understood it to be...

 

[lizmo1221]

*fingers crossed*

 

[Scythe]

If anyone around London, Ontario buys the upgrade and wants to sell an old shelf+ramp I'd definitely be interested. I don't need the no-mess edges but I'd love to add another level for variety.

Seconding this.

Also, I think they have this for the FN now, too? I don't know if someone posted about that or if its included in this letter or what. But at work, the last FN we got in... It has the ramp covers, and I THINK... I remember seeing.. that it had the new no-mess shelf that they upgraded the CN with. But just at a passing glance, I didnt really look close...

 

[MomRat]

There goes my market for selling ramp covers along with shelf/tray covers. Thanks Midwest. :wink2: Time to redesign my stock...

 

[Maple]

I like the new shelf idea. No more squeezing the fingers when you put it back together. :thumbup:

 

[xxchelle]

CCH will definitely buy old shelves off of anyone in the area who upgrades to these shelves! I'd love to have extra shelves in my cages for the especially active RTR rescue girls.

 

[MomRat]

I like the new shelf idea. No more squeezing the fingers when you put it back together. :thumbup:

I've never been able to get the plastic out of my shelves, so we just leave them all together and wash them as is. =/

 

[Cigar]

I like the new shelf idea. No more squeezing the fingers when you put it back together. :thumbup:

I've never been able to get the plastic out of my shelves, so we just leave them all together and wash them as is. =/

Holy cow, they must fit pretty snug.

 

[Rissa]

Does anyone have these upgrades yet who would care to take some detailed pictures, maybe even post a review?

 

[jorats]

I'd be interested in seeing it too. Anyone know yet if Flower Town sells them without the cage?

 

[lizmo1221]

Oh, ya. I meant to post this ages ago, when I got my CN, almost two months ago!

Basically the shelf pan is just like the bottom pan. It sits on top of the shelf and is sooo easy to wrap fleece around and set in place. No more struggling with fitting it into those slots! I guess if you have determined fleece pullers, this makes it easier to pull it up, but it works very well for me.

Because the shelf pan is different, so is the mount for the ramps. The ramps themselves are the same, but there are now two hooky thingys to hold them onto the shelves.

No more fitting into the "slots", and you can mount them anywhere along the shelf, not just in the three predetermined spots. The new hooks also make it possible to attach the ramp the the cage itself, like in this setup:

There is also a change to the shelf itself. Not sure how recent this is, but the underside of my shelf is different than any that I've seen before. There are loopy things (to hang stuff) on the bars going front to back AND side to side, so there are many more places to hook hammocks and things, and a lot easier to find the perfect place to hang it.

I also got the happy feet ramp covers (three of them for all three ramps). They are nice I guess for older ratties or ones with HED. I don't have much functional use for them, other than decorative. They are teal on one side and purple on the other.

Overall, I am very happy with all the upgrades. Although I haven't owned a CN before, I have experience cleaning the old shelf style at CCH, and I much rather dealing with mine! LOL!

 

[Rissa]

Does the top part of the shelf ever slide off the wire supporting it? Is it pretty stable? I wonder if I can order just the ramp clips, I always struggle with getting my ramps onto the shelf and I would like to be able to mount them sideways on the cage bars.