New Chinchilla Owner, need help with an appropriate cage!

[Gemma]

I have to seperate my chinchillas, and my budget can't be too high. I was told cat cages are very good for them by a chinchilla owner at PETCO, and I just wanted to check with you guys here. I plan to get a much larger cage in the future I just do not have the room until I move out which will be a year or two.

Here are my current options for med cages (these are medium for me, be honest if they would be horribly small!)

This would be great for me!
1. http://www.petco.com/product/113066/WARE-Indoor-3-Level-Hutch-Small-Animal-Cage.aspx?CoreCat=LN_SmallAnimalSupplies_Chinchilla_CagesHabitats#description-tab

This is getting bigger,
2. http://www.petco.com/product/113066/WARE-Indoor-3-Level-Hutch-Small-Animal-Cage.aspx?CoreCat=LN_SmallAnimalSupplies_Chinchilla_CagesHabitats#description-tab

I really love the first one, only because I see myself able to roll in into the bathroom for playtime. Let me know if it would be a mistake, I would really appreciate it! Suggestions off the PETCO/PETSMART websites are also welcomed!

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

Those cages have a lot of plastic. I would not get them, personally.

I recommend Quality Cage Company: http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=129_142_153&sort=20a&page=3

They have a variety of cages and price ranges. Page 3 has decent prices compared with those cage links you posted.
They also sell ledges and cage stands and other products.

If you can't afford Quality cage, then I recommend ferret nation cages. But you need to take out the plastic and replace it with wood ledges and, if you like, fleece tubes and hammocks.

But if you do get one of those cages, you could easily replace the plastic with wood.
Good luck.

 

[greychins]

I actually have one of those cages (not the exact ones you linked to, but the same make/design, just a different size) and it's a fine cage. We replaced the shelves with wood, and it works out good. The one pictured looks like it has a grid - ours doesn't (we got it with a rescue, so it may have at one time, ours is also missing the wheels lol) - the only problem I really have with the cage is that the pan (at least on ours) is super-shallow, so almost no shavings stay in there.... but otherwise it's fine.

I do like my QC's though. If I didn't have to ship them in, I'd have a houseful of em.

 

[Gemma]

I didn't notice I put in the same links, here is the other one I ment (the bigger cage)
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753352

Also, I do like the QCs, checking them out now. I just wish I didn't have to ship them either.

I was nervous that it was abit shallow because I do have a deep pan now, and .. half the shavings get out, I can only imagine how much a mess the shallow tray would be.

 

[greychins]

Yeah, we had shavings everywhere.

This pic was taken a few mins after vacuuming -

That was a pic from the apartment, and there it mattered if my carpet got stained and stuff... but now the chins are all in the basement, and it's not quite so important about having a deep pan... for us. But it still drives me nuts. Like the cage, dislike the pan. It's not a spare cage that we use very often... we use the less-messy, easier-to-clean, etc ones before the ones that create more of a mess.

 

[Godofgods]

You can try a single level Ferret Nation cage. Single Level Cage

If your unfrimilar with their kind you can check em out Here

The plus side to that modle in your case, is one day when your able to expand, you can use that cage to do it. Their designed to be multi levels. So you can have one lvl, two lvls, three lvls, 27 lvls if you have a high roof and ladder...

Only real immidite issue with them, is youll need to get a perch to replace that ladder in the cage. But those are only a few dollars.

The upside to these, that iv seen over other cages, is they have more horizontal room for a pet to be able to move around. They have a desent width and length which help. Since most pets can run straight up and down ya know'

 

[Godofgods]

150 for that WARE one you listed i think is insaign. Thats quite small imo, and drasticly over priced

 

[Godofgods]

If This is still available and your able to get, that would be great for ya lol

It says three levels, tho pic only shows two levels, but eather way, for 125 thats a good deal. Wish i had the money for it.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i'm using the 'Precision Kitty Condo' for my Rhino, and it works wonderfully! i did however, toss the plastic base and build a wooden one that will have a tile floor soon (just need to find someone with a tile cutter i can borrow!). Rhino's cage is 3x2x4 feet tall. i love it! and two BIG doors (one up, one down) make it really easy to get in there for cleaning/shelf re-arranging, etc. i found it on my local online classifieds for 50 bucks. did spend almost that much again building the base/making shelves, but the total cost was definitely worth it.

here's the cage i'm using, but as mentioned, with a modified wood bottom:
http://www.precisionpet.com/detail.aspx?id=8

 

[Gemma]

I really like the size of the ferret nation cage, however those legs are so long, I wish it'd be lower to the ground so my chinchilla can go out on her own...she is soo skittish, and would jump from that.
Someone told me they won't jump if they feel like they can't make it, but mine.. she goes for it no matter how high!

Also, I was wondering if this is an okay solution to the messes, I'm a bird owner aswel and these are reall handy: http://www.naturechest.com/holiday-cage-skirts.html
I know chinches chew everything.. thoughts?

 

[Godofgods]

I really like the size of the ferret nation cage, however those legs are so long, I wish it'd be lower to the ground so my chinchilla can go out on her own...she is soo skittish, and would jump from that.
Someone told me they won't jump if they feel like they can't make it, but mine.. she goes for it no matter how high!

Yea i can understnad that. Mine generaly hesatate a bit before jumping form that height. Tho if giving free space and time, probably will. Where as my female, shell make that jump like its nothing. And if u leave the door open shell hop right back in lol.

However, those legs are easily removable. And you can set it up so the bottem of the cage is right on the ground. That way alls you have to do is open the door.

Another option if your able to tho; I keep my cages legs on. Since the cage was right next to play zone, and eventuly moved into play zone, i can open the door and kneel down, and let them use my legs as a ramp to exit. It took a while, but it can help the ****** become a little move used to you, and used to the contact with you. (expecaly since my chins hate being picked up)

 

[Sandi]

I really like the size of the ferret nation cage, however those legs are so long, I wish it'd be lower to the ground so my chinchilla can go out on her own...she is soo skittish, and would jump from that.
Someone told me they won't jump if they feel like they can't make it, but mine.. she goes for it no matter how high!

Also, I was wondering if this is an okay solution to the messes, I'm a bird owner aswel and these are reall handy: http://www.naturechest.com/holiday-cage-skirts.html
I know chinches chew everything.. thoughts?

You don't have to set up the FN with the bottom legs and shelf. And I would not recommend that bird skirt unless you can have them make it for you in fleece. The reason fleece is recommended is because it does not have the loose threads that other fabrics do.

 

[Gemma]

Well the Ferret nation Cage FN141 sounds more appealing to me now knowing the legs come off. (I'm such a nut!) I read multiple reveiws and the one thing that had me concerned...was the shallow pan. Reveiwers noted that everything gets out of the cage.

I am opting to do fleece covers, liners, etc the works .. however I can't find someone that makes this stuff!? I guess if I did fleece, I wouldn't have to worry about anything but poop everywhere...

 

[Sandi]

You don't have to get these if you are covering the plastic shallow pan that the FN comes with but this is the link where a lot of people get their deep metal pans for the FN cages -

http://www.bassequipment.com/Cages/Ferret+Pans/default.aspx

Also, if you check the classifieds here, you can find various members that make fleece items and other things - http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

 

[Gemma]

Thank you for all your help! My boyfriend actually volunteered to make a cover around the cage of plastic.. however out of "chewing" distance, and i'll look into the deeper plans, my main problem is that my chinch likes to sit on the ledge and poop outside the cage.