Need help with Housing Options!

[KillerKoala]

I'm looking to spoil my chin, who is going to be two soon, and I want to get her a bigger cage. I'm between the ferret nation and the chinchilla mansion from quality cages.

So the ferret nation:
From looking at the pictures in the Ferret Nation Club thread, it seems that in order to revamp a cage I'll need to get the metal Bass pans and wood shelves... anything else I need to make it chin safe? I also noticed the fleece covering the pans, and I'm a little confused by that because I've always used CareFresh. How do you clean it if you line the bottom with fleece? I never knew that could be done before. Can someone explain the fleece lining to me please?

Second thing is cost. Revamping a ferret nation will cost more then getting the chinchilla mansion, and it seems that the chinchilla mansion is better quality. I'm not sure how to weight this cost/quality issue and was hoping for an opinion on that.

 

[EternallyCynical]

HMMM. The other thing to do with FNs and CNs is leave out the ramps.

Fleece is GREAT bedding!!! UNLESS you have a fleece chewer. If they eat it, take it away. Fleece liners can be made pillowcase-style to wrap around the pans, or they can be sewn closed and sit on top. The liners I use are two layers of polar fleece with a layer of towel in the middle and sit on top. They aren't hard to sew, but for FNs and CNs, people here custom make them too so you can buy them from others! To keep them clean, all you have to do is sweep off debris every so often and swap them out once a week or so, depending on how messy your chin is. I usually sweep my guy's cage with a cheap dollar store mini-broom and dustpan every couple of days and then change the fleece every week or two. Just shake out the fleece and pop it in the washing machine with some vinegar or some scent-free detergent and you're good!!

I have a CN but from what I understand FNs are pretty sturdy. I love my CN because it has the storage space underneath, and the doors are HUGE! Seriously I appreciate the doors the most, it gives me SO much more access. One of my biggest bet peeves about most store bought small animal cages (aside from them often being made of plastic and WAY too small for the animal they're advertised for) is that the doors are TINY and it makes cleaning/interacting with the animal difficult. In the FN and CN the doors open RIGHT up, you can get in WHEREVER you need to and its a massive help when cleaning (or when trying to catch an unhappy chin for a vet appointment)! I might be wrong but if the Chinchilla Mansion is the cage I'm thinking of, the doors are not so big, so there's a bit of a trade-off there.

 

[KillerKoala]

Ahhh thank you! Care Fresh is so expensive, getting rid of it would be awesome. But yeah, the thing that is selling me with the FN/CN is the doors, the mansion has a small opening, and I have type with the cage I have now and it is annoying.

So can the CN double unit become two singles that aren't stacked? That would be nice for transportation purposes to pet sitters. And I would set mine up so there isn't a floor separating the two sections - I want just one big tall cage for my chin, which is what the chinchilla mansion is. I'm also assuming that the holder where the plastic shelf would sit in is something that is detachable, so there isn't some random metal holder sitting where the plastic pan would be...? Just trying to get a clear picture of this cage before I invest in it.

 

[EternallyCynical]

Yes, the holder for the plastic shelves are detachable and adjustable in height. If you like the big shelf there you can get metal pans that fit the wire shelf inserts too.

If you were to set up a CN double unit without the middle floor, turning it into two singles would be a job and a half because you'd have to practically take the whole thing apart and rebuild it... MAJOR hassle. It won't turn into two fully separate non-stacked single units - like, you could have two chins in it as two cages because the wire ramp going from one level to the next can be locked up to make 2 separate spaces (also helpful for cleaning because you can herd the chin up or downstairs and clean without them getting in the way) and you can obviously get a second pan w/o a cutout to put in the top level. But the top and bottom levels share a wall - the floor of the top and ceiling of the bottom are the same, and have a cutout so its not really practical to take the top off and use it as a separate cage. You could take the top off and just use the bottom though I suppose, in theory, if you wanted to? If you were careful about locking the ramp up?

I feel you on the Carefresh price. My guinea pig's cage needs pretty much a whole bag so slapping down $30 every couple of weeks to do a full change is majorly pricey.....

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

You do not HAVE to use the metal bass pans. If you use fleece liners than you can get the pillow case style liners for the plastic pans that comes with the cage.

The sides of the plastic pan just aren't as high as the metal pan so pee, hay, etc tend to fall out of the cage easier.

 

[KillerKoala]

Thanks guys! I think I'm gonna go for the ferret nation. I was looking through the FN club thread for inspiration and I see I have so many options! But now I'm debating leaving the middle section in. My main concern is my chilla falling, but I think if the shelves are set up right that shouldn't be a gigantic concern.

I don't know what a chinchilla would prefer! Mine will have the cage to herself. Do chillas want a big tall cage to jump all around or a sectioned off cage for a tighter/secure feel?

 

[EternallyCynical]

I don't think it matters too too much in the long run. I have the middle divider in my CN and my boy's perfectly happy in it. If you leave the whole thing open its less floor to clean I guess, but you have to be more careful about shelves and safety hammocks to avoid falling....