Bar Spacing for Cages

[inkling]

I'm looking to buy a cage here pretty soon, for the chin I'll be getting in mid-late February. He'll be 2 months by then.

I've heard much better things about the FN cages than the CNs, and I really want those doors. However, the CN has 1/2 inch spacing and the FN has 1 inch spacing.

For a 2 month chin, what's most appropriate? I would like to get the FN. Would I need to proof it if I went with it? He's looking pretty big based on the last pics Vyxxin sent me, but I want to be safe as possible.

 

[Chinchilipuss]

This is a tough choice because the Ferret nation is much better quality than Critter nation, as myself I have a Ferret nation. I have heard from Critter nations that the bars like fall off. So I do think the best coice would be the Ferret nation I'm pretty sure they can't fit through the bars though. Ive never had a 2 month chinchilla before but I do have a 9 month old chinchilla that is way to big to fit through the bars so my choice would be the Ferret nation but thats just my opinion.

Also the best place to get it is from ferret.com it has sells all the time, cause I got my Ferret nation for 179.00!


Proud owner of 2 chinchillas Tesser :chin4: and Dodge :chin:!

 

[Cuddlebug]

A 2 month old chinchilla can and will get out of a Ferret Nation cage. You need to cover the cage with hardware cloth to keep him from escaping.

 

[halfstache]

If you decide to go with a FN instead of the CN you can always close off the top section for a month or two while he grows out. This way if you keep him in the bottom half then you would only need to enclose half the cage with hardware cloth. The way I did mine was about $50 per section, but if it was just for a short time you might be able to get away with using small plastic zip ties instead of nuts, bolts and fender washers. The 1/2" x 1/2" wire will likely be around 15-25 dollars for enough to cover the four exterior walls of the lower half of the cage. I'd just be cautious though with using plastic zip ties. Wire ties would be better, shoot you could use paper clips twisted with pliers and that would be cheap and efficient. Either way both cages would ultimately cost you about the same after all the modifications. But if it were me, I'd go with the FN.

 

[inkling]

I'd like to go with the FN, thank you! I'll just be sure to proof it all up before he gets here. Thank you very much, guys.

 

[Stormcrow]

I got my kits when they were still young ones aswell, and I bought hardware cloth and attached it to the cage. It is **** as it messes up your view inside the cage, but it does the trick... You only need to watch a few things
- how will you attach? Zip ties worked for me, since chins never nibble them, but this depends chin by chin. Once they figure out they can bite and chew them trough they will be gone FAST
- attach the wire on the inside of the cage or very very tight around the outside. Reason? You don't want your chins to get caught between the wire and cage bars and choke themselves
- when you use zip ties, be sure to tighten as much as possible and cut off excess strip
- obvious, but don't pick the plastic covered wire.
- don't know if you have pans/fleece/whatever but don't forget to cover the bottom panel! If they can get under whatever covers the bottom they could sneak out that way
- try to clip the wire so that the edges don't have them nasty sharp points on it, obvious why...

EDIT; this is how it looks

 

[chin_gal]

Honestly, instead of all of these modifications, why don't you just get them a temp wire cage for them to grow out and then move them to the ferret nation? Seems like much less of a hassle...

 

[MyzarandGemma]

Stormcrow:
Hello! We are (hopefully) getting two kits in March and need to baby-proof our FN cage! Yours looks amazing! How'd you do it? I mean how'd you cut the wire and everything so that the doors are still functional, etc? If you have step by step pics I would love to see them! I am a first timer so I am really going in blind.

Thank you so much!