Is this cage acceptable?

[LoveBug]

I'm new to this site.
and i have a question about a cage.
There's a lady by me that is selling a Marshall Estate Ferret Home. Is this home okay to get for my chinchilla?

 

[Carleigh]

Yes that cage is plenty big, I'd remove the ladders though and add more shelves and toys.

 

[LoveBug]

okay thank you.
i know about the shelves and ramps. just wanted to make sure the cage was okay before i purchased it.

 

[Airyn]

The one on Petco's website shows wire bottoms for each level, which definitely won't work. If there are pans in the bottom, you'll want to ensure that they're metal and not plastic. If the shelves are wire, you'll need to replace them with wood. If they're plastic, you'll need to either cover them with fleece or replace them entirely. Most people replace them entirely. Those ramps are hazardous and unnecessary, as a chin could break a leg easily on them. The size is good and the wire spacing is fine if you never plan on having kits. Like Carleigh said, you'll need to buy lots of chin-safe toys and wood shelves. If you want ideas, be sure to use the search feature at the top and run a search for the "Ferret Nation Club".

Oh, and we need pics!!!

Good luck!

 

[LoveBug]

it comes with pans i do believe they are plastic though but i plan on replacing them with metal ones that have a guard on them.
i will post pictures as soon as i get her/him.
that won't be til around January but he/she will only be about 10 weeks old when i get him/her.
do i need to think of another cage to get?

 

[Airyn]

If you're evaluating your options, I'd recommend the Ferret Nation 142. I have a Critter Nation as well, but the bar spacing is so narrow I can't get my fingers between them for scritches. All else is the same. Bass Equipment company sells metal pans for the FN and CN cages. They're pricey, but they'll last forever, so it's worth the investment.

It's wonderful that you're researching this much before you get your new little furball! The Chin Supplies for Sale section will help you quite a bit too.

 

[LoveBug]

even though he/she will be 10 weeks old this cage will work?

 

[Cuddlebug]

A kit that young could get out of a ferret nation or critter nation cage. You will need something with smaller wire spacing or you can teporarily wrap it with hardware cloth until the kit is bigger.

 

[LoveBug]

okay thank you

 

[ChinnyMom]

a Critter Nation cage has 1/2 inch bar spacing, so it is safe for a chin that is 10 weeks old. i would invest the money in that cage if you can, they are good quality and will last you a long time. get the double level one, and you'll have room for two chins in there some day (same gender, and only if they get along!).

 

[LoveBug]

okay thank you.
i think we're gonna stick with this cage.
just cause its in great condition, but the lady is moving so she can't take it with.
so we're just gonna get the mesh hardware cloth until she/he is big enough for us to take it off.
and then get metal bass pans with shield guards. take out the ramps and shelves replace them with kiln dried pine shelves.
and then of course add all the accessories, i have a feeling she/he will be very spoiled.
I also have a question about housing. She/he will be in a bedroom (we can not put an air conditioner in it) and i know they have to be cool, i live in new mexico, so what should i do about keeping him/her cool?

 

[LoveBug]

i think we're gonna stick with this cage and just put the mesh hardware cloth on it.
and then get rid of the shelves and ramps. and put in some shelves
with alot of toys and metal base pans with shelf guards on them. He or she will definitely be spoiled.

i also have another question.
he/she will be in a bedroom (nothing else in it, besides her/him's playpen). that can not have an air conditioner in it.
i live in New Mexico and am wondering how to keep her/him cool?
we keep our apartment (with air conditioning on) at about 76. but am wondering what to do/use to keep it cool and what to do about in winter when we need the heat on.
and also are ceiling fans okay for them? we always keep the ceiling fan on in the room to get the air from the vent to go around the room.

 

[ChinnyMom]

76 is too warm for a chin. ideally you want the temperature to be below 70, but up to 72 is ok for them. i always run the a/c whenever i see the temp in my bedroom (actually Rhino's room, i've been evicted! lol) go above 70-72.

you definitely need a/c running lower than 76. why aren't you able to put an a/c unit in the bedroom your chin will be in? the portable units work well for apartments that don't allow you to have window units, and they work with any window size. i'm running a Danby Diplomat portable unit in a 10x10 bedroom and it's working quite well.

in the winter i leave the window cracked open. i don't have the option of closing heat vents in the room due to hot water pipe heating (apartment), but i found with the flanges closed on the heating pipes and the window cracked it was cool enough in there. the window is not near the cage so there are no drafts going into the cage.

 

[LoveBug]

yeah i plan on keeping the room between 68 and 70 but didnt know how to make that possible when we can't have an air conditoner sorry about the wording we can't have a window unit, due to the only window in the room is about two to three yards long.
and i don't know anything about a portable one.
What portable one do you recommend? and also what thermostat do you recommend to have in the room.

 

[ChinnyMom]

many members here use a digital thermometer in their chin rooms that also has a humidity meter in it. humidity is very important to keep track of with chins.

the Danby portable a/c that i have is pretty good. we've had a few days up here where the temps reached 30 celcius, and the a/c was able to keep the room at 71 (my place faces south and has horrid insulation!).

portable air conditioners come with an exhaust hose (or two, depending on the model). the hose gets put in your window. you won't need to remove any window panes or anything, just close the window tightly against the apparatus that keeps the hose in the window. my a/c has an adjustable (vertical height adjustment) 'plate' that has a hole in it that the hose clips in to.

 

[Airyn]

I have central air, but I have a portable in my bedroom as a back-up and used it all last summer. It's a Delonghi that I bought off of Amazon. You can expect to pay anywhere from $250-350 for a decent one and you'll definitely need AC. Chins simply can't survive without it. I try to keep my place at about 68. When we have heat waves and the AC can't keep up, it jumps to 72, but I also have really horrible insulation.

I found Temp/Humidity meters on Amazon as well and bought 3 since they were only $6.

 

[LoveBug]

okay thank you so much to both of you.
just wanting to make sure my little furbaby will have thee best home possible.

also what is the preferred BTU for the air conditioner?

 

[ChinnyMom]

the bigger the BTU, the better. that way your a/c doesn't have to work so hard all the time to keep the room cool, and will last longer without needing repair or replacement. i can't remember the exact BTU of my Danby, but it is either 5000 or 7000.

i found my a/c on my local online classifieds. it was only $100! yay! you may want to check out your local craigslist to see if anyone is selling. just be sure to give it a good cleaning before use, you never know what nasties could be in there.

 

[LoveBug]

oh wow thats smaller than i was thinking, i was thinking it had to be like a 10000 or 12000.

 

[ChinnyMom]

well LoveBug, you got me all curious to know the exact BTU on my Danby, so i went to check! lol. it's 5000 BTU.

the window units will quite often be a higher BTU, from what i've seen. portable units aren't as efficient as window units, but mine works just fine in the 10x10 room that Rhino has taken over, lol.