Best cage for multi chins

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karnage75

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I am debating between the critter nation 2-story and the ferret nation 3 story as we are adopting 4 chins to the family. they are all male and less then 9mos, which would be the best? I am a full-time stay at home dad due to auto acc so I am home at all times to monitor, but would just rather be safe then realize I bought the wrong cage and have to spend another $250 to get a second cage. Thanks in advance.
 
I think you'll find that most people will recommend the Ferret Nation hands down. It isn't a lot different from the critter nation in looks, but is more sturdy and people have made comparison's as to how it is put together.
 
I would go with the ferret nation, but the ferret 142 plus add on would be 50 or so more dollars more, but well worth the money.
 
I just recently visited someone with chins who has the two-story Critter Nation... it is pretty much identical to my Ferret Nation except for the bars. The Critter Nation has horizontal bars whereas the Ferret Nation has mostly vertical bars with just a few horizontal bars, extremely limiting the heights at which you can attach shelves, tubes, etc. It would be nice if I had a Critter Nation instead because then I could attach things anywhere I wanted to! That's just my personal preference though.

ETA: I just realized you were comparing the 3-story FN and the 2-story CN. The 3-story FN would give your chins much more space to explore without taking up any more floor space. With four chins, that would probably be better. I am short though so I think it would be hard for me to reach the 3rd story... or well, I could reach but it is above eye level and I couldn't see what I was doing unless I had a step stool. lol
 
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I have both FN and CN cages. If you have boys only, and don't plan to breed, the FN would actually be a better investment.
I have found though that the CN cage, while it boasts of being easy to put together, also tends to come apart rather easy. Zipties for stability are what I've had to resort to and somehow, I don't think that was the maker's original intent.
 
If you go for the 3 level Ferret Nation then just double check the temps toward the top level of the cage. The cage will be quite high and the way heat rises the top of a room is warmer than the bottom. I figured this out pretty quickly as I have a 6 foot tall cage and the room it is in has vents on the ceiling for heat/air. We have to keep all but one vent closed in the winter so that the chinnies are not getting too warm.
 
awesome thanks for the help everyone. I managed to find the 3 story FN for not much more then the 2 story CN and plan on using the granite or marble cooling tiles as well. I am worried bout 4 although they all come from same breeder just as far as them getting along. Also what do u reccomend for a wheel I saw what looked like custom 1/8 rools attcahed to the side and was wondering I am trying to stay away from plastic tough...suggestions?
 
If they end up not getting along, the GREAT thing about the FNs, is you can divide them up nicely :)
 
Most people recommend either the Chinspin or the flying saucer. I believe the flying saucer is a bit more noisy out of the two, but both are excellent for chins.
 
If four chins are caged together, a FN 142 is more than enough space for them. Two stories gives them plenty of room. You can get the add-on for 3 stories, but they don't need that much room. :)
 
I had the Quality Cage mansion and it was def. a pain in the butt in a number of ways. With 4, though, I'd go the bigger the better. 2 in a large cage had plenty of space to themselves if they wanted it, but usually they chose to cuddle up together somewhere. That said, I had one guy who wouldn't use a vertical wheel, and one that took a while to learn to use the flying saucer, but it worked for both of them once he learned that he could run better on it than the other. If you can fit them and afford them, I'd do one of each. With 4 boys, doubling up on things like hides, water bottles, and exercise equipment isn't a bad idea.
 
ok heres another question.... i've noticed in pictures of the FN cages that it appears that the ramps/shelves have been removed and wood shelving put it in. Is that personal preference or safety reasons? Also, is there a website any of you could reccomend set up placements etc... I do better with a hands on how-to then pics as a reference guide.
Thanks again Everyone!
getting so excited one month or less to go!
 
I agree with everyone on the Ferret Nation, I adore mine and just ordered a FN 141 for my new boy! Since I just did this yesterday, I wanted to pass on the site I found, it has a GREAT price on the cages, and shipping wasn't bad at all! I paid $126 shipped for the 141.

You may still want to shop around, but for kicks, I looked how much a 142 was with the addition, plus shipping to IL, and it came to $292.82 with shipping.

Here's a link if you're interested!
http://www.cagesdirect.com/ferret-nation-habitat-625h-p-1019.html
 
Typically people take out the ramps because little chinnie feet can get caught in them and do major damage. Wooden ledges provide places to jump, perch, and chew, which your chins will do in spades. Plus, chins don't need the ramps because they are such agile jumpers.

I have the two-story FN with the add on, and all I can tell you is to be careful while cleaning or moving it. If you have small children, keep a VERY close eye on them if you're moving it. They don't tip over easily, but if you have carpeting it takes a little more muscle to move them and you want to make sure you're putting the muscle in the right place!

As far as wheels, I have one chin who did not understand how to run on a chinspin, but runs like a pro on the flying saucer. I have both (depending on the chin), and I have actually found the chinspin to be louder (it might just be mine, though). Sometimes you just have to see what the chins like; you might have two who will only run on a spin, and you might have two who will only run on a saucer. Either way, with four chins, I would get two wheels. It will help to prevent squabbles over who gets to play with the spinny toy! :)
 
I'm short - and had the FN -3 story with 4 boys. I had a step stool that I used to reach the top level - but I loved my cage.
 
I have owned both cages... And the biggest problem with the Critter Nation cage is that only 1 door opens up. This is a huge problem when cleaning the cage, which makes up half of your chin owner time. At least it always feels that way...
The shelves that come with the Ferret nation, become noisy springboards for angry chins who want to play while you are sleeping.... This was our primary reason for removing them.
 
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