Critter Nation Questions

[Ratlovingkippy06]

 I remember when it was in the making.. when it was still being called the rat nation. I looked at the updates on that cage and watch it become the Critter nation.
I bought a Ferret Nation a while before the Critter nation came out. At the time  i had at least 20 rats ( a lot of fostering and rehoming rats in need at that point in time) but my rats were larger.. even my girls were big.
Right now i am "down sizing" in a way. I at that time of my life when i am growing up, working full time for a good company, i have been dating my boyfriend for almost 6 years now and i am looking to move out in the next few years. My boyfriend likes my rats but the amount i had was pretty crazy at times. So i am working to only have maybe 4-6 rats rather than 14-16 rats.
 I have a ferret nation, All LIving Things   ( 3 level old verson) and a rabbit cage for a senior rat.
 
 My girls are in the ALT cages but i would like to have them in a larger cages but they are much smaller than my past girl rats.
I could A) Get a Critter nation
          B) add chicken wire to the outside of the cage.

 I have  4 males rats on the bottome half and would like to keep the girls on top.


 Few Questions about the cage itself:
1) Is it as strong as the Ferret Nation?
2) Can you split it half? I mean can you disconnect the top half if needed to only have the one l half of the cage
3) How does everyone like the cage?

[arumberg]

Few Questions about the cage itself:
1) Is it as strong as the Ferret Nation?
2) Can you split it half? I mean can you disconnect the top half if needed to only have the one l half of the cage
3) How does everyone like the cage?

I feel the FN is much stronger than the CN. My mom has the CN and I have the FN and I find mine to be much better made.

The CN is the same as the FN I believe in that the ladder can be brought up to shut off the bottom from the top.

Like I said, the CN doesn't seem as "well-made" as the FN. The metal seems to be...I'm not sure how to put it....not as thick? Of poorer quality? Just not the same as the FN. The prongs that hold the doors on my moms cage stick and the doors don't seem to be aligned as correctly as they should be. Otherwise, I find it to be the same as the FN except more suitable for smaller rats.

[Schrute]

1) Is it as strong as the Ferret Nation?
2) Can you split it half? I mean can you disconnect the top half if needed to only have the one l half of the cage
3) How does everyone like the cage?

Ultimately, I find the CN to be more cheaply made than the FN. It isn't put together using screws; it just kind of fits in to place, if that makes any sense. It's easier to assemble because of this, but I find it to be less sturdy. It is heavier, though, so I guess maybe that helps make up for the difference. I have both, and now that they are both put together, I don't notice a difference in quality. It was only really apparent during assembly.

You can split it in half, just like you can with the FN. A word to the wise - If you are going to have unaltered mixed colonies in the same cage, even if they are separated, you might want to invest in a set of BASS pans, or at least one for the second level, because rats can and will chew through the plastic pan and mate through the bars. I know it sounds impossible, but it's actually happened to someone who used to come on this board, and who I know through another forum I used to frequent.

I like the cage alright, and it's safer for rats, because of the smaller bar spacing. I would save yourself the frustration of modding the cage and get the CN rather than the FN. Though there is a slight difference in overall quality, it really is a well made, sturdy cage, when it comes down to it.

[Ratlovingkippy06]

 Well i have the FN.

when i mean "split" the cage in half i mean to take off the top half all together. ANd have a single CN rather than the double.
I did that with my FN for a while.. just took off the screws and detach the whole top half and put that aside for a while and than later put it back on to make it a double again.

 My final cage dream for me and my boyfriend would be to have one cage.
I have 5 young females and 4 young males. The boys will be fixed by the time i plan on having them near the girls. They are always on two differnt sides of the room..no matter what. Its about 100-130 per rat but i am planning on doing it within a few months after i decide on the cage, i am saving up for it right now.

 I just don't want to spend the extra 200 on a new cage in less its worth it.
 I want this cage to last me for years just as my other cages.

[DebsRats]

I love my CN but I've never had a FN. If I understand you right, yes you can take the top cage off or not put it on. I didn't put my cage
together. Someone put it together for me.

[craze_176]

If you just need your CN to sit in one spot and wheel it around for cleaning and vaccuming, it's perfectly stable. Cats can just on it and such and it will be fine. If you were to need to take it up and down stairs though, you might have to take the top half off. It's not going to collapse from just sitting around.

The bars are thinner to cut down on cost and weight but they aren't fragile by any means, I had to really twist some areas of mine back in place because I chose to buy a slightly damaged one (for $80 in canada-amazing deal) and the rats aren't going to chew through the bars or anything haha. The powder coating is different but I like it better and I've had no problems with it.

After cleaning out lab block dust/urine from the FN, I am soooo glad the CN comes apart so easily. The FN assembly is a PITA.

Yes, you can close off the levels just like the FN.

[inod3]

I have the FN, not the CN. The screws that hold the cage together rust. Yup,... so I see the "slip together" setup of the CN as a great improvement. I think they're both great cages. My FN is lined with 1/2" vinyl covered hardware cloth. I really hate lining cages with hardware cloth. So I'll probably move to the CN one of these days (when $500 of random expenses don't seem to jump into my budget from nowhere.)

[xxJasperxx]

I love my feisty ferret cage and you it has a door so you can separate the levels....it works great and is very sturdy...Just another option.

[xxJasperxx]

Oh, and I forgot to add, bar spacing is 7/8 inch....I have a female rat in there who is about 8 weeks old and she can't get through the bars just to give you an idea....

[TANSY]

I don't have a FN and have never seen one in person, but I do own a CN.  I have never had any problems with the strength of it.  It doesn't seem weak or fragile in anyway.  It did come with a bar or two bent a little.  But with some pressure it bent back into place and I haven't had any problem like that since.  The CN was VERY easy to assemble.  I did it by myself, at around midnight, while my husband and kids were sleeping.  And I have a double.  There were some spots that didn't fit together right off the bat.  I had to rubber mallet a couple spots to get the pieces in.  But they went in real smooth after that.  And the CN is a BREEZE to clean.  I had such a problem with my boys spraying in my Rat Manor.  I could never get the bars clean.  But with the CN I just use a baby wipe and the pee comes right off!

You are able to take the top of the double off... however, I don't think you could use it as two separate cages or anything.  It wouldn't have the correct parts to use the top portion you took off, as a separate cage.  However, you can buy a double, and make it be a single with no problem.  And if you do want to separate the two sections off, it does have the ladder that hooks up to the floor of the top portion of the cage.  I've heard people say that the hook is flimsy, but in my experience, it took a great deal of force for me to get it locked in place.  And it seems VERY sturdy to me.  I have my boys separated off... I have three in the top and four in the bottom.

I adore my CN and hope to get another one for my girls before long.  We'll see.   Like I said, cleaning is a breeze with it.  and I do believe unless you leave the doors open, it is impossible for them to escape out of.