Splitting a FN vertically?

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Cheknnudol

Cheknnudol

Chingeneer
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
115
Location
Portland, OR
Having reviewed the FN Club thread in its entirety at least 4 times since last night, I'm now drooling over the idea of having a FN142 of my own. Before I get one, though, I have to know: Have any of you tried splitting it vertically?

My current set up is a large parrot cage split vertically with hardware cloth so each chin has a rather tall space. I really like the set up, and they seem to equally enjoy being up high. I wouldn't want to take that from them by splitting them into a top compartment and a bottom compartment.

Also, I know that the 142 can be a large cage with no center divider, but if you do that third story addition is that open as well? or is the only access to it through a corner hole in the bottom? How do they attach?

Thanks FN Club members :p
 
I can't answer your question about splitting it vertically but I think I read it wouldn't be safe to leave all three levels open. If a chin were to fall from the upper level it could be fatal. I suppose you could position a lot of hammocks in there somehow, but still not sure it would be safe.

I can understand your hesitation in not allowing one chin to be up high. All I can say is I adore my FN and would recommend them to anyone who'll listen! Sometimes I spend just as much time admiring the cage as I do the chins! Weird, I know. :p
 
The reason I ask about the addition remaining open to the FN 142 is it would be a lot more convenient to split it vertically with one long partition rather than two or three individual ones for each of the levels. Of course full length shelves and things would be placed to break up the height, but if I do make the switch and get the addition I wouldn't want to individually secure multiple partitions throughout the whole thing lol. Maybe I'm just lazy...

But does that mean that the addition does in fact open up to the rest of the cage?

I'm having trouble deciding between a FN and the cage I have now, partly due to finances but also due to convenience. My current cage is an aviary with seed guards that catch quite a bit of poo, and it has two small doors on the sides that open up to food dish platforms. I don't have to reach in to do any feeding and it makes installing shelves go a bit more quickly. I wish someone near me had a FN so I could really take a look at one and decide if it's for me!
 
I'm planning on splitting my FN142 in half vertically, I just haven't had the chance to really get down to doing it. Currently it is split top/bottom and like you said, I feel bad for the chin on the bottom, as they don't get as much interaction for walk-bys and such. I actually rotate them now and then ;)
I will probably do something like Brittney did, but maybe with plexiglass or something, so they can see each other. We'll see. And as far as I know, the 143 attaches just like the halves of the 142, so you could add it to the top and leave it open like the bottom two sections.
 
Brittney: I love that! My only worry is with the FN, the whole front is doors so you'd really only be able to secure a divider from the top and the back. Any ideas?

addictedtochins: I'd really like to see it if you could throw some pictures up at some point. How do you get access to the middle section? Or did you divide it length wise? I'm confused...

This is the cage that I have now (before anyone had moved in to it); it's got seed guards which help with flying poo and it's got little doors/cutouts on the sides so I can get to the food dishes. The pans and grate also slide out without opening the door, but the door is narrower than the width of the cage which is problematic since the thing is split down the middle. It's really loud with the wire mesh divider in it because it's not solid when the chins bounce around, but if I was to put in a stiff one I wouldn't be able to fit things into the cages (I have to bend the hardware cloth over to the opposite side to put a dust house in). The living space in it is more or less identical to the FN, but it doesn't have the lower rack so it's about 10" shorter. I'm a short person (only 5') but I still have to bend over to see into the top of the cage, which is kind of a pain.

picture.php

A FN wouldn't have the seed guards or the side bowl access, and I would have to open the cage up to clean. However, I think it would allow me to put a sturdier partition in, I'd be able to see eye to eye with the chinnies, and I'd have the option of opening only one side or the other rather than putting my leg into whatever side of the cage i'm not working on (true story!).

What do you guys think? Should I take the plunge?
 
Cheknnudol said:
Also, I know that the 142 can be a large cage with no center divider, but if you do that third story addition is that open as well? or is the only access to it through a corner hole in the bottom? How do they attach?
Click to expand...

I have my 142 without the divider in and I love it that way. The girls run up and down all the time and really seem to enjoy it. I have a TON of shelves and have never worried about anyone falling. I also have the 143 addition. You could leave the divider out of that one but I would not. With the addition the whole cage is like 8 feet tall and I feel like that would just be too tall to risk without the divider. I also feel like the divider helps to make it sturdier. You attach the 143 just like you attach the other parts of the cage, but you have to remove the roof from your 142 and this becomes the roof of your 143. And they access it through a corner hole in the bottom. Here are some pics of my 143 http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14232
 
I have two FN 3-level 142 with 143s. One cage has 4 boys, the other three boys. They LOVE running up and down the different levels. I have the "corner access" in opposite corners, so they couldn't possibly drop down that far. I use the FN plastic half shelves as well on the middle and top levels -- for some reason, they DON'T chew on them. I put the shelf on the same side as the "access" and put a wooden house on the shelf. Gives them the perfect heighth to go up, and they can't get hurt coming down (this is on the middle level). On the bottom, I have a series of shelves like steps going down to the Aspen, and keep their wheel/flying saucer down there as well. It's absolutely perfect!
 
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