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Cage Double Double Critter Nation into one big cage ???

4AnimalsGoVegan

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Hello everyone!

I have an elderly mini Rex rabbit and a little guinea pig. I want each of them to have more room. I saw a photo of pair of double critter nation cages that were placed side-by-side on this site of exactly what I want to do Here is the photo

DFN_006.JPG
Here is the url to that post. (broken link removed)
It's very old and the user hasn't been posting so. I thought I would start a new post and ask that way.

Also another from photobucket
bird-cage-room023.jpg

These are ferret nation cages. I prefer the critter nation, simply because if anything happens to my bunny. I'd like to have a rat. But, it isn't mandatory. I have never seen any of these cages in person. I am not sure how they modify so that you can remove the divider between the double cages so that the animals can walk across the full width of the side-by-side cages. I want to have my bunny on the bottom and my piggy on top. Does anyone know how that works?
My only issue is with the bunny and bedding. He hates it, I put aspen in his cage now. He pushes it out of the way and just sits on the solid plastic bottom. Poops and pees in one corner so that is good. My question is do these cages have the option for a removable tray to clean them? What is under the top portion of the double? Is it just a mat or a tray as well? My piggy doesn't care one way or the other what bedding she has. Puppy pads, fleece, aspen she isn't picky.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Are their any photos of double double critter nation cages that are fully open all the way across? Instructions. videos?

I am greatly appreciative of any information you can provide me. So happy I found this site!

I will have to order these online and would hate to get them and find out that it's not possible to put to double critter nation cages together as one.
 

pinky

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Instead of ordering two new cages, build a C&C double decker. It'll be a lot cheaper and you can have a tray so the poop doesn't fly out. This is mine. You can make it larger if you want more space. You can usually get grids pretty cheap at goodwill or on craigslist. How old is your rabbit? The age span of a rabbit is 9 years. If your rabbit dies, you could always get a critter nation cage later.

https://s738.photobucket.com/user/kavykeeper/media/20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg.html (<div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-url="https://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx28/kavykeeper/th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" title="" width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> </div>)
 

HollyLeaf

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Instead of ordering two new cages, build a C&C double decker. It'll be a lot cheaper and you can have a tray so the poop doesn't fly out. This is mine. You can make it larger if you want more space. You can usually get grids pretty cheap at goodwill or on craigslist. How old is your rabbit? The age span of a rabbit is 9 years. If your rabbit dies, you could always get a critter nation cage later.

https://s738.photobucket.com/user/kavykeeper/media/20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg.html (<div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-url="https://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx28/kavykeeper/th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" title="" width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> </div>)


It looks big enough for two pigs to me, (because you should have at least two for good health :D) but like Pinky said, a C&C is better and more fun as you can build it the way you want, and it costs a lot less (unless you buy the cages cheap somewhere like craigslist). I don't know about the critter nation for rabbits though. When my family kept rabbits, we had a combo of grid cubes serving as a house and loft area connected to a large puppy pen. It was very spacious. The only rabbits I've seen kept in those critter nations were at the humane society, and they didn't look too big or comfortable. But I've also never seen two critter nations put together like you're showing. I guess whichever is easier for you, but I would prefer the C&C.

9 years for a rabbit? One of our rabbits lived to be 13 or 14! Just the one though. All the others passed earlier than 9 due to unexpected causes. :(
 

stray hares

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Rabbit life span often depends on size, too. The smaller buns (like a mini rex!) often far outlive giant breeds.
 

HollyLeaf

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Rabbit life span often depends on size, too. The smaller buns (like a mini rex!) often far outlive giant breeds.
That's why. Cinnamon was a mini Rex, while her buddy was a regular sized Rex. But poor Nibsey died due to an unknown cause of paralysis in her hind legs. She was probably 6 or 7, maybe older. I was young at the time, so I barely remember. Then my Dutch Checkers got severe head tilt at such a young age and we had to out her down... And Tabatha had a heart attack at an also very young age when the neighbors stupid Rottweiler got loose and found her in the outside hutch...

Okay I'll stop being depressing now, haha.
 

Paula

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Nation cages are modular. To put two together like these folks have done, you simply leave off the end doors of each full cage that will form the middle and secure them with a zip tie or metal tie. You can see that's the way the person did it in the photo I'm attaching.

The long shelves are two half shelves put together. There are little slots that they fit into on the side of the cage. In the first photo you posted, there are two side by side on each level. In the second, the four trays are just spaced differently throughout the cage.

The trays are removable and the doors swing fully open for easy cleaning.

These cages are FAR superior than a C&C for a rat or chinchilla or anything other than a guinea pig or rabbit so would be a good investment if you're eventually thinking of going that route.
 

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6916431318_ee46e9bdcf_c.jpg

TK9NY

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One critter nation is roughly 2x3 foot, so a double long would be 2x6 foot - that's 12 square feet, so technically more than enough room for a pair of pigs ....if not a little bit narrow.

As for how to make a double long, you just don't attach the final sides when assembling the cage. Then you hook the two assembled cages together with metal plumbing ties (they look like giant metal zip ties and you use a screwdriver to tighten them.) Boom, double long CN cages. You can do it with a pair of single units or a pair of double units. I've also seen a few people try doing THREE across. Yikes.

The CN cage comes with pans that are like dog crate pans. Light but sturdy plastic, easy to take out to clean, but very shallow - you can't use traditional bedding with them. The top pan also has a cut out for the ramp in the far back corner (the ramp itself locks up to the second level to keep the top and bottom half separate.) You would have to order a regular pan to replace that one on the top half of both sides, or make a pan out of coroplast, otherwise feet can slip through the bars in that corner.

If you go to goosemoose pet forums, the rat section has some threads on these kind of cages. I can't find them atm or i would link it.

I, personally, did not care for the CN when i had the single unit for my rats. It was heavy, didn't move easily on carpet, and it was a PITA to clean. My rats didn't use fleece (they chewed it) so i had to buy a bass pan and paint it so i could use bedding (which was expensive.) Yes daily wipe downs where simple, but urine got into the corners of the cage where the sides met and i had to take the whole thing apart just to get to it (otherwise it would smell like pee.) You can't hose these things down, either, or water will get into the hollow frame. A double double unit like that will NOT be something you can move. At all.

I've also heard horror stories about shipping these things. They are very heavy, shipping them comes with risk. Pans arrive cracked or broken, sections arrive bent, etc etc. My single unit arrived just fine, but many double units do not. Sure the company will replace broken or damaged parts, but it's just more hassle to consider.
 

Paula

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I've ordered 11 of these cages over the years and never had an issue with one arriving bent or broken.

Buying them used can be problematic for these reasons for sure though.
 

4AnimalsGoVegan

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That's why. Cinnamon was a mini Rex, while her buddy was a regular sized Rex. But poor Nibsey died due to an unknown cause of paralysis in her hind legs. She was probably 6 or 7, maybe older. I was young at the time, so I barely remember. Then my Dutch Checkers got severe head tilt at such a young age and we had to out her down... And Tabatha had a heart attack at an also very young age when the neighbors stupid Rottweiler got loose and found her in the outside hutch...

Okay I'll stop being depressing now, haha.

OMG that is awful. I am so sorry to hear about that. Our mini rex was dumped out by a neighbor when they moved. He was about 6 weeks old. Just tiny and waiting to become prey to all the osprey, owls, eagles, hawks and other birds that fly around here. My husband said, "Hey, there is a white thing out in our yard. Looks like a rabbit.". I was like what???? White??? Went out there he was. Sitting out in the open. We had to catch in in a cast net that was left in the house we purchased by the previous owners. We had no cage or anything and was about to change out our bathtub with a large whirlpool bath. So that became his home for a few days till we got a cage. He is now 10 years old. Looks fantastic, ever had any health issues (knock on wood). Just as sweet as can be. Our vet said, he could live another 5 to 7 years. He said the mini rex is known for living as long as a small dog. I was so happy about that. I just want to give him the best of the best. Cost is not an issue, when it comes to my babies. Even though they are far from babies :)

Sending you a big hug [MENTION=36827]HollyLeaf[/MENTION] PS I am not a rottie lover. I was attacked by one... so I can imagine how a heart attack could come on. I almost had one when I was attacked.
 

4AnimalsGoVegan

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One critter nation is roughly 2x3 foot, so a double long would be 2x6 foot - that's 12 square feet, so technically more than enough room for a pair of pigs ....if not a little bit narrow.

As for how to make a double long, you just don't attach the final sides when assembling the cage. Then you hook the two assembled cages together with metal plumbing ties (they look like giant metal zip ties and you use a screwdriver to tighten them.) Boom, double long CN cages. You can do it with a pair of single units or a pair of double units. I've also seen a few people try doing THREE across. Yikes.

The CN cage comes with pans that are like dog crate pans. Light but sturdy plastic, easy to take out to clean, but very shallow - you can't use traditional bedding with them. The top pan also has a cut out for the ramp in the far back corner (the ramp itself locks up to the second level to keep the top and bottom half separate.) You would have to order a regular pan to replace that one on the top half of both sides, or make a pan out of coroplast, otherwise feet can slip through the bars in that corner.

If you go to goosemoose pet forums, the rat section has some threads on these kind of cages. I can't find them atm or i would link it.

I, personally, did not care for the CN when i had the single unit for my rats. It was heavy, didn't move easily on carpet, and it was a PITA to clean. My rats didn't use fleece (they chewed it) so i had to buy a bass pan and paint it so i could use bedding (which was expensive.) Yes daily wipe downs where simple, but urine got into the corners of the cage where the sides met and i had to take the whole thing apart just to get to it (otherwise it would smell like pee.) You can't hose these things down, either, or water will get into the hollow frame. A double double unit like that will NOT be something you can move. At all.

I've also heard horror stories about shipping these things. They are very heavy, shipping them comes with risk. Pans arrive cracked or broken, sections arrive bent, etc etc. My single unit arrived just fine, but many double units do not. Sure the company will replace broken or damaged parts, but it's just more hassle to consider.

That is exactly what I needed to know. I really appreciate your feedback. Very helpful. I was already thinking about the cloroplast for making a pan to keep hay and what not from easily getting dumped onto the floors. Like the photos I attached.


In regards to the weight. We have tile and hardwood floors. Which is why I want the ones with casters, so they can be pushed around and even taken outdoors on our screened in lanai to get fresh air. But do understand they are quite heavy.
u
 

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CN2TOP.jpg 20130503_222935.jpg

4AnimalsGoVegan

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Nation cages are modular. To put two together like these folks have done, you simply leave off the end doors of each full cage that will form the middle and secure them with a zip tie or metal tie. You can see that's the way the person did it in the photo I'm attaching.

The long shelves are two half shelves put together. There are little slots that they fit into on the side of the cage. In the first photo you posted, there are two side by side on each level. In the second, the four trays are just spaced differently throughout the cage.

The trays are removable and the doors swing fully open for easy cleaning.

These cages are FAR superior than a C&C for a rat or chinchilla or anything other than a guinea pig or rabbit so would be a good investment if you're eventually thinking of going that route.


Thank you so much. Those people went way out to make sure their babies were happy! hahah SO me! These are going to make my life a lot easier when it comes to cleaning and giving them the room they need. Thank you again for the details on how the panels work. That was my main concern. :)
 

4AnimalsGoVegan

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Instead of ordering two new cages, build a C&C double decker. It'll be a lot cheaper and you can have a tray so the poop doesn't fly out. This is mine. You can make it larger if you want more space. You can usually get grids pretty cheap at goodwill or on craigslist. How old is your rabbit? The age span of a rabbit is 9 years. If your rabbit dies, you could always get a critter nation cage later.

https://s738.photobucket.com/user/kavykeeper/media/20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg.html (<div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg&amp;hash=031a803668d23bef61efd3580df8a0ff" data-url="https://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx28/kavykeeper/th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="th_20150212_142315_zpswzig32br.jpg" title="" width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> </div>)

We had looked at the C&C cause it looks so cool, but it wont work for what we need. You cannot move them easily or at all while in use. Plus we have dogs. That could get ugly. The cages would be in a big Florida room open to the rest of the house. We plan on rolling them out onto our screened in lanai during the day unless it's raining due to dampness, for fresh air. Our bunny is 10 years old and our vet says we could expect another 5-7 years. He said mini rex's live about as long as a small dog some even longer. Especially, if you care for them well. We feed only organic fruits, veggies, and grains (oxbow organic). Nothing unless it's organic. Same for our piggy. They even drink Evian or Fiji water. I buy it by the cases. They are both so spoiled it's pathetic. lol I do it because I want them to live as long as possible. The commercial food available today is full of GMO's, preservatives, colors and pesticides.... We are an organic household so there is never a risk of them getting something that isn't. But that is my secret for long life. :eek: Thank you for your suggestion!
 

pinky

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We had looked at the C&C cause it looks so cool, but it wont work for what we need. You cannot move them easily or at all while in use. Plus we have dogs. That could get ugly. The cages would be in a big Florida room open to the rest of the house. We plan on rolling them out onto our screened in lanai during the day unless it's raining due to dampness, for fresh air. Our bunny is 10 years old and our vet says we could expect another 5-7 years. He said mini rex's live about as long as a small dog some even longer. Especially, if you care for them well. We feed only organic fruits, veggies, and grains (oxbow organic). Nothing unless it's organic. Same for our piggy. They even drink Evian or Fiji water. I buy it by the cases. They are both so spoiled it's pathetic. lol I do it because I want them to live as long as possible. The commercial food available today is full of GMO's, preservatives, colors and pesticides.... We are an organic household so there is never a risk of them getting something that isn't. But that is my secret for long life. :eek: Thank you for your suggestion!

Don't give them Evian or Fiji water. Both of those are mineral water and can lead to the formation of stones. Offer water that's purified through reverse osmosis with no added minerals.
 

bpatters

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Ditto [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION]. Also, there's some anecdotal evidence that Oxbow pellets can cause excess urinary calcium in some pigs. If you notice dried white spots, especially gritty ones, I'd suggest changing to KMS Hayloft pellets, which have a different source of calcium. Oxbow will be dropping the limestone in their pellets, but we don't know when.

Also be aware that guinea pigs can't handle temperatures above the middle eighties, less if they've got a lot of hair. They're prone to heat stroke. You'll need to keep them in an air conditioned place during the summer.
 

4AnimalsGoVegan

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Don't give them Evian or Fiji water. Both of those are mineral water and can lead to the formation of stones. Offer water that's purified through reverse osmosis with no added minerals.

As for the water, OMG :eek:hmy: I had no idea! Here is the crazy part. I have a reverse osmosis system that runs throughout my house and separate one outside for the palms! I am going right now to remove the water from their cages, clean them out and replace with the ro water. THANK YOU for telling me. [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION] OMG I am freaking out. They did both just have a checkup, but going to contact my vet on Monday to let him know about the water. Kicking myself... kick... kick... kick!
 

pinky

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As for the water, OMG :eek:hmy: I had no idea! Here is the crazy part. I have a reverse osmosis system that runs throughout my house and separate one outside for the palms! I am going right now to remove the water from their cages, clean them out and replace with the ro water. THANK YOU for telling me. [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION] OMG I am freaking out. They did both just have a checkup, but going to contact my vet on Monday to let him know about the water. Kicking myself... kick... kick... kick!

Years ago, the guinea pigs I owned were given tap water from our private well. I had no idea it could lead to stones. People (vets included) often overlook their water source when deciding on what's best for them so anytime I read comments about water, I share my thoughts on it. I wouldn't get worked up about it, though.
 
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