You may have heard these two products mentioned. What exactly is the difference?
First, a little background.
The Ferret Nation is made by Midwest and is the original cage. They created it with ferret owners in mind, which means the bar openings are 1 inch.
This is too big for use with other animals, such as rats (juvenile rats can fit through).
So Midwest came out with another product called the Critter Nation to be more appropriate for smaller animals.
It is basically exactly the same design as the Ferret Nation with these exceptions:
Smaller Openings
The Ferret Nation has 1-inch bar spacings. The Critter Nation has 1/2 inch which is better for smaller animals.
Horizontal Bars
The Ferret Nation has veritcal bars, which are fine for ferrets. The Critter Nation has horizontal bars which are better for animals that climb up the sides.
No Tools Required
The Ferret Nation requires tools for assembly. The Critter Nation boasts ‘no tools required.’ This means that the pieces kind of snap together, including the shelves.
Is this better or worse? Well, it makes assembly easier. But there are a couple of disadvantages to this new design.
One rat owner pointed out that this feature means the cage comes apart easier too.
In her house, when she tries to wheel it to the bathroom for a good cleaning, she has to lift it over a step. When she does, it comes apart.
Some people like to create double-wide cages with the FN by assembling two cages, but leaving off the last side of each, and then pushing the cages together.
Since the FN is bolted together, this set-up is still very stable. But since the CN just snaps together, leaving off the fourth side would create a cage that is structurally compromised; your pets could escape if it comes apart.
In my opinion, moving away from the bolts is a bad design.
Cost
The Critter Nation is slightly more expensive. This makes sense since the smaller bar spacing means more metal is used in its manufacturing.
Weight
Also since the Critter Nation has more bars per square foot, it is a heavier cage.
Dimensions
The sizes of the two cages are just slightly different.
Ferret Nation 1 Level: 36"L x 25"W x 38 1/2"H
Ferret Nation 2 Levels: 36"L x 25"W x 62 1/2"H
Critter Nation 1 Level: 36"L x 24"W x 39"H
Critter Nation 2 Levels: 36"L x 24"W x 63"H
Add-On Unit
At the time of this writing, only the Ferret Nation has an add-on unit available. This means that if you have a two-level cage, you can make it a three-level. But Midwest is developing an add-on for the Critter Nation as well, which should be available soon.
I know some people do have issues with young rats and smaller females fitting through the FN
