Cage Woes

[skybaby87]

Alright so it's now obvious as active as my girls are they need a bigger cage. Nothing immediately pending, they're doing fine for now. But I've spent the last three days scouring the internet for a larger cage and I am at a COMPLETE loss. Everything that's the appropriate size, has those wire levels. And if it's not the wire, the bar spacing is appropriate only for a larger pet, like a hamster or rattie. I found ONE cage that might work but I don't think the exercise wheels (two, they were constantly bickering over the one) I bought will fit because it doesn't look like the second level is adjustable. I emailed CS but I figured no reason not to post here.

Anyone have ANY websites/magazines, anything especially for mice or rodents in general where I could find info on a good cage? It's bad enough bits of wire and plastic can cost well over $60 but when you can't even find anything appropriate... Just ridiculous.
I'm about at my wits end...

[Sushi-Sempai]

Have you considered just investing in an aquarium. Big open space where you can put in the levels and tubes and such yourself. you can fit in as many wheels as you need that way I dunno depends on your girls and the cost of an aquarium is a little over a dollar a gallon if not more last I checked. We have two mice right now and it looks like one is gonna have babies so we might invest in an aquarium to keep the girls in. The lids can be just wire mesh and you can cut a whole to run a tube through and just set a smaller cage on top. Just some ideas but that is what I would do. However, if you find anything better I would be happy to see what you find!

[wickedlyspiced]

I ended up having to buy a cage with wire flooring as it was the only one I could find suitable for my rats. I then bought a pack of 6 self adhesive lino floor tiles for £3.50 which I think is around $7 and covered the wire floor myself. All it took was about 30 mins and scissors! So that's an option for you if you can't find one that is already suitable! If you take a look at the thread 'Patty & Selma - a few new pics' you can sort of see the cage floor with the lino down. I haven't put it on the ramps in my cage, but you obviously could if you wanted to.

[mulder]

try freecycle.com

[skybaby87]

Thanks everyone! Heard back from the seller of the one cage I thought might be appropriate. Surprise, surprise. Wire level. And this is a "mouse" cage. Erm, really? Wish people didn't tag things like that and actually understood they can really hurt themselves on that stuff...

Sushi-- I thought using aquariums was bad for mice? I brought that up in another forum I nearly got my head chopped off lol I got the lecture on how sensitive their respiratory system is etc, which I already knew, that's why I'm using that recycled paper bedding. It's not a bad idea to me, I just don't want to do anything that might make them ill.

Wicked-- Good idea! I'd have thought the adhesive would show some and make little toes get stuck. And that they'd chew the crap out of it lol

Mulder-- Something must be up with their server or something, couldn't get it to work. I'll try again later.

[pinkie1205]

I feel like a dummy and wrote out this entire in depth post on rat cages comparing sizes and costs...

With mice IMO the easiest thing to do is to get a large tank (I use a 20 gallon) Use a cage topper which IMO are annoying and hard to clean, plus they rattle like crazy..or make your own cage out of a large bin or something like that.

If you can handle the length i would opt for a 20 gallon tank. They can be a hassle to clean but they're worth it and you should be able to have enough space for 2 wheels if that's what you want.

You could try the superpet cages but they are cheap and break easily.

There are also coast cages but I heard they're a pain because there is only one door on the top.

[skybaby87]

lol Thanks Pinkie. If I don't find something soon I think I'll be forced to take that route. They're alright for now but I'm sure they're going to start disliking it soon lol It's just barely too small for them, and they're hidey places, AND the wheels...

And they need two wheels they start bickering awfully when two want to be on at the same time. Last night I had to break up a little scuffle because I had taken one out to clean. I know I'm an awful mother, I didn't want them running in their own crap lol Silly girls.

[Sushi-Sempai]

Yeah Aquariums are not good if they are sealed off completely but if there is proper ventilation they are ok and actually recommended for nursing mothers cus the babies can't get out; or so I understand it.

[skybaby87]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sushi-Sempai Yeah Aquariums are not good if they are sealed off completely but if there is proper ventilation they are ok and actually recommended for nursing mothers cus the babies can't get out; or so I understand it.

That's what confused me. It's recommended for mommy so babies don't accidentally escape, but if you have a mesh lid on an aquarium you're killing your mice? Somehow that just doesn't make sense to me, I mean aren't the babies more prone to illness? Like babies of oh every other species in the world lol

I think I MIGHT have found a cage, I need to measure the bar spacing on the one I have now, I think it's the same. If it's much bigger I'll have to pass, I don't want them slipping out. I have a dog, so that'd be bad. Really really bad. Even if my bedroom is the basement, I know Cinder, she won't be content with the nice hidey places in the storage rooms lol I have to be so super careful to keep the cage shut up tight. Especially with her, she's so bold.

[skybaby87]

Oh wow shock shock shock... The cage I thought would work is really intended for larger pets.

I'm sorry but what the frig man. How can there be NO cages that are properly built for more than one or two mice? How is it possible that not ONE single company makes a cage decent for tiny little feet and noses and bars that aren't spaced big enough they can slip through?

To say the least, I am COMPLETELY stunned that they market these things as mice cages and they all have some mortal defect.

I refuse to give up! There has to be someone out there, even a single person doing it out of their garage, that has a better idea of what mice need.

[mulder]

what about martin's cages? google it, they have wicked stuff

[pinkie1205]

If you can find a cage on martins that you like they can modify it to have 1/2 inch bar spacing.

[laydeerodentzz]

I agree. Like Natalie said, Martin cages are good try them

[skybaby87]

Well I bought a cage off ebay super cheap. (Didn't read this before I did it lol) I'm going to have to modify the second level, it's wire, and I don't want to risk any injuries on it, but it's big enough I can take that level out until I've modified it the way I want. And the bar spacing is very small, no way for little heads to get stuck.

I'll post pictures soon as I'm done with it! :o)

[mulder]

for wire floors you can easily modify by taking an empty cereal box and cutting pieces to fit the floor, then put a food bowl or something to weigh it down. it is their feet you're worried about?