Welcome!! Your boys are so cute!! I too recommend the FN 182. There's an awesome deal right now on ferret.com too! I highly suggest ordering it if you can afford it. With shipping the total is under $180, which is a steal since the cage itself retails at over $200.
You're welcome!! I know that I hunted for a good deal before buying my FN, so I just wanted to try and make someone else's hunt a little easier!
I just did a mock check out with shipping to Minnesota and this was my total!! So upset this wasn't around when I got Stanley's cage!!!!
I have only purchased off of Etsy one time, and it was from AnnieO's store that's listed in the classified section. Once I found her Etsy page though, I also found her on Facebook and now just order through her site listed there.
I know that Twilight Chinchillas has made shelves that hit all four walls. For the FNs, they're like giant rectangles, but there isn't a solid piece for the wall with the doors. Twilight also does regular shelves.
Shooper also has a ledge package that you could order. If you have Facebook...
Craigslist is always a good place to look for used Ferret Nations or Critter Nations.
However, sometimes ferret.com will have a sale where a FN will be discounted and then shipping will be super cheap too. Right now they have 15% off with 4.99 shipping up to a certain weight. I had the same...
Just make sure the car doesn't get too hot and you should be fine! If it's plastic you might want to consider putting in some wood too just to avoid him chewing the carrier. Welcome to the forum!
Stanley doesn't really care for loofa. I bought him some natural loofa thinking he would like that more since he doesn't like colored wood, but he hasn't touched it. But the last time I ordered from Ann, I got a bonus piece of colored loofa, so I gave it to him just to see if he would even do...
My little guy is in a FN 182 all by himself. I debated getting just the 181, but like every one says, the bigger the better. He loves it and went crazy when I put him in it from his small starter cage.
Nicely done! Don't hesitate to put ledges on the doors either! I have two ledges, a perch, and his tube on the lower level doors and his ledge with his food dish and two other ledges on the upper level doors. He usually sits on the doors when he wants to be close to me.