Past Experience
I bought a larger (3 sections) cage exactly like this. It held 2 Degus with a lot of space for them to run up and down. I have bought this one for 3 Dumbo rats. It wasn't super easy to assemble however, it wasn't impossible. I found that it took a while for me to clean it out however, I think that the large size of this made it difficult and the smaller cage (featured) is easier. the base clips on and off by 4 metal hinged clips. The door swings inwards and I think that the design could be improved if it swung outwards instead. The separator will also need covering with plywood or similiar to prevent foot problems. In my old larger cage I used plastic from a roll for laminate flooring although one of the pieces soon got chewed up.
This cage is good value for money and although it isn't the most appealing, it is spacious and this smaller size is easy to maintain
Disappointing and dangerous
I bought one of these from Amazon just over a year ago, for two young rats. It was more difficult to build than the three tier one I bought a year or so before that. There had been a distinct decline in the quality of the metal work, and sliding the rods in the links to construct the cage itself caused two nasty but small cuts to me. the builder, which I should have taken more heed of.
Keeping the cage clean seems easy, but there is a build up of dirt on the wire of the cage. The paint seems to attract dirt which dries on it and is very hard to dislodge with wipes, or wet cloths with cleaning agent. After 6 months it needed to be deconstructed and soacked in a bath for a thorough deep cleansing.
The catches on the lid and lower entrance are over-strong for the strength of the wire construction and cause distortion on both "lids". The top lid in particular has warped and the rats have found the gaps getting bigger. Everyone knows how a rat likes a challenge...
metal cage
A large cage of all-metal construction, easily assembled by a linking rod at each corner, the cage then sitting inside the metal base-tray.The hinged top lifts, and is secured by two strong springs and ring clips.(you can see this on the picture) There is also a door to the lower front, similarly secured. This door is a flap, hinged at the top and opening inwards: it would be awkward to try and catch the animal this way and difficult to access food bowl etc. An outward opening door, hinged at the bottom would be better. The cage could be accessed from the top, but the animal would be able to jump out easily. The spring clips could be difficult to use.
The internal shelves are of wire mesh, which is very uncomfortable for small paws, and would need covering with wood shelves or flax mats. This cage did not suit my requirements for a pet-home that I would have indoors to house my family's pet rodents. It had more the appearance of a prison.
Click to Editorial Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment