MidWest Critter Nation Deluxe Small Animal Cage

Got this for my new ratties and WOAH the boys LOVE IT! They have come out of their shells so much more by having this! The cage came well packed and had easy to follow instructions. Although with some understanding of the configuration it would honestly have been just as easy without pamphlet! Would have been handy to have letter labels on the pieces but really wasn't a big deal. Some pieces were tricky to fit together, definitely a two person job! Make sure you are aware of the size of this cage as it is HUGE and offers so much playtime space for ratties! I hope to get the upstairs extension so my girls can have a cage upgrade too! Definitely reccomend this cage! Best one out there for sure! Got this for my new ratties and WOAH the boys LOVE IT! They have come out of their shells so much more by having this! The cage came well packed and had easy to follow instructions. Although with some understanding of the configuration it would honestly have been just as easy without pamphlet! Would have been handy to have letter labels on the pieces but really wasn't a big deal. Some pieces were tricky to fit together, definitely a two person job! Make sure you are aware of the size of this cage as it is HUGE and offers so much playtime space for ratties! I hope to get the upstairs extension so my girls can have a cage upgrade too! Definitely reccomend this cage! Best one out there for sure! LOVE IT!!! … more

The heavy duty cardboard box it was packaged in came delivered with lots of dings and it looked like it may have been dropped on one of the corners. From reading the reviews, I was worried that the contents may have been damaged from transportation. Everything was fine though, some of the pieces weren't exactly straight, slightly warped, but the pans were intact. The box is heavy. On the outside of the box it states no tools necessary but the instructions inside say a rubber mallet is recommended, as well as at least 2 people assembling. I am a strong 5' 3" woman and put it together myself in under an hour. Key points for success: 1. Power drill can speed up the process, but don't over tighten The heavy duty cardboard box it was packaged in came delivered with lots of dings and it looked like it may have been dropped on one of the corners. From reading the reviews, I was worried that the contents may have been damaged from transportation. Everything was fine though, some of the pieces weren't exactly straight, slightly warped, but the pans were intact. The box is heavy. On the outside of the box it states no tools necessary but the instructions inside say a rubber mallet is recommended, as well as at least 2 people assembling. I am a strong 5' 3" woman and put it together myself in under an hour. Key points for success: 1. Power drill can speed up the process, but don't over tighten in the beginning of the assembling 2. Read the instructions, and then read them again. The parts aren't labeled so take the time to look at the pictures and read the descriptions, especially where it says which way the parts should be facing (very important so you don't have to take it apart and make them face the correct way). 3. A rubber mallet is a MUST. Some parts will inevitably be warped from the weight of the contents and during transportation. One of the legs that inserts into a slot had been bent about 45 degrees and would've been very difficult to straighten out without a mallet. It also helps to get everything together snuggly without using your hand to bang it together (ouch!) Thanks for reading and hope this helps! … more

I would give it 5 stars but I had several issues with assembly. There's no stickers on the parts to show which is which. On paper it just shows pictures with letters. So you have to guess which goes where. A bar was bent and other parts were bent and hard to put in. I had to use plyers to bend back one part and really bang it in. -_- there's also an s hook and I have zero idea what it's for! The tray shifts a bit as well. Other then that it's great for female rats and babies. Plenty of space for them to run around.

I got this cage to replace my chinchilla’s old cage (it was originally for my rats and then for him). This cage is AMAZING! I assembled it by myself (not the best idea but you gotta do what you gotta do). It wasn’t any harder to assemble than your run of the mill IKEA furniture (and at least these directions had written instructions AND pictures). My only recommendation is to have a hammer handy for the really stubborn pieces. The doors make it easy to put in any size accessory and from what the instructions say you can use the ramp to section off the top of the cage from the bottom which will be so convenient when it’s cleaning time! My chinchilla was a little overwhelmed at first but in no I got this cage to replace my chinchilla’s old cage (it was originally for my rats and then for him). This cage is AMAZING! I assembled it by myself (not the best idea but you gotta do what you gotta do). It wasn’t any harder to assemble than your run of the mill IKEA furniture (and at least these directions had written instructions AND pictures). My only recommendation is to have a hammer handy for the really stubborn pieces. The doors make it easy to put in any size accessory and from what the instructions say you can use the ramp to section off the top of the cage from the bottom which will be so convenient when it’s cleaning time! My chinchilla was a little overwhelmed at first but in no time he was bouncing around like a king in his new castle. I’m very happy with this purchase I just wish I had bought it years ago! … more

I bought a double story Critter Nation for our rats. I am SO pleased with this product. It was easy to assemble (then again, I’m pretty OCD and labeled all the panels and pieces before I began. So it was easy), is super sturdy, and has so much room for them to play. Storage boxes fit really well underneath for treats, bowls, forage supplies, etc. There are all sorts of neat hooks for clipping hammocks, toys, ropes, and all. The levels and ramps are all customizable and it makes the cage feel so much bigger! I am so glad I bought this cage and will be buying a second for my males when they’re back in stock!

I decided to upgrade my 3 rats cage. We got them when they were babies, and now they are full grown. I got this cage with the extra cage on top, and they love it. It gives them lots of room to run around and play, and they have room to themselves as well. It is seriously solid! Super heavy duty, and my escape artist girls haven't broken out once! I would definitely buy it again, but doubt I'll ever need to replace it.

I am very happy with my cage so far! The shipping was faster then i was expecting! I ordered the night of 5/21 and received it the morning of 5/23. The assembly was super simple. So far my 2 rats seem to be enjoying it! I highly recommend! I might even get a 2nd story soon, but do you have any recommendations on a bedding or a liner for the shelves?

Shipping took awhile but well worth it! I put it together myself in a couple hours. The directions could be better as far as labeling the actual parts.. it was kinda confusing because there are some very similar parts. Also I wish there was some kind of a wall or something so bedding doesn't get everywhere. I do love the storage on the bottom and it's a very sturdy cage! Overall I would recommend this!

I have 4 rats and this cage is a great size and moves easily but my rats do manage to pee and poop outside the cage, i wish it had some sort of catcher so it would catch their poops. Also the pans are plastic and the poop seems to like get caked into them because they arent completely smooth. It comes apart easily but I wish it was a bit easier to clean and was a bit less messy.

I absolutely love my DCN but I wish I had grabbed a rubber mallet. Some pieces got bent during shipping but didn’t stop me! I bought this for my newest breeding pair of sugar gliders. I’m waiting to see how they love it when they get up. I now have plenty room for when their cage set comes in!