Habitrail OVO Vs. CritterTrail

Small pet lovers everywhere face a dilemma when choosing a home for their small, furry friends. There are two major brands of designer rodent cages, Crittertrail and Habitrail, each of which produces a miniature rodent cage for the smallest of small pets such as a mouse, gerbil, or dwarf hamster. I have had the opportunity to try both of these products, and my conclusion is that all hamster cages are not created equal. While each of these miniature rodent homes has its advantages over the other, the Habitrail Mini cage clearly has the overall advantage over the Crittertrail Mini Two.

The first factor to be considered is the quality of the materials and craftsmanship in each of the cages. There is a noticeable difference in the quality of plastic between the Crittertrail brand and the Habitrail brand. While both cages are expandable with any number of rodent accessories such as hamster tubes for tunneling and connecting cages together (in fact, the two brands are compatible with each other in theory), I found the plastic used in the Crittertrail cage to be unacceptably brittle. The major components of the cage, such as the floor and lid, are rather sturdy, but the round ports that are used to connect expansion tubes to the cage are so brittle that I eventually gave up on the hope of attaching any extras to the Crittertrail cage. The Habitrail cage and accessories, by contrast, are much more durable and I did not have this problem when setting up my Habitrail cage.

The next factor to be considered is the ease of cleanup. This is where the Crittertrail cage outshines its Habitrail counterpart. After having owned several different types of rodent home in the past, I have found that the Crittertrail Mini Two has one of the simplest and easiest tear-downs and setups of any rodent home on the market. For some rodent owners, this may be the deciding factor when choosing a cage; although the brittleness of the Crittertrail Mini Two's plastic may outweigh this factor if one plans on using any of the optional cage accessories.

A third point of comparison between the Habitrail Mini and the Crittertrail Mini Two is the color scheme. Presumably one is buying a designer cage rather than a simple wire cage to keep his/her rodents safe because of the cage's appearance as opposed to its mere functionality. The Crittertrail Mini Two again has the advantage over the Habitrail Mini. The color scheme of the Crittertrail Mini Two is a pleasing combination of translucent purple, blue and yellow, while the Habitral Mini has a more awkward combination of lime green, orange, and blue. My hunch is that Habitrail created this bolder color scheme on purpose to distinguish itself from the more elegant scheme of its competitor, but Crittertrail again seems to have the clear advantage over Habitrail regarding appearance alone.

Aside from appearance, though, a critical factor in purchasing an expandable rodent cage is its ease of expansion. I have already covered the topic of brittleness in the Crittertrail plastic, but an even more important factor that leads me to prefer the Habitrail Mini is the unique design of Habitrail's tubes and connecting rings. As mentioned above, both cages are expandable with tubes that can be conjoined together to form makeshift tunnels for your small friends to navigate. Crittertrail uses a type of snap-together system to connect its tubes together, which can be a problem given the brittle nature of the tubes' plastic. By contrast, Habitrail utilizes a system of locking connecting rings, which are much more durable and reliable than the connecting system employed by Crittertrail. On a purely functional level, if one plans on expanding the cage beyond the basic setup, the clear choice would have to be the Habitrail Mini over the Crittertrail Mini Two.

In conclusion, I myself would always prefer the Habitrail Mini over the Crittertrail Mini Two. This is chiefly because of the higher quality construction and materials in the Habitrail Mini, along with Habitrail's ease of expansion. If one's primary concerns are chiefly about appearance and ease of cleaning, however, then the Crittertrail Mini Two may be the better choice of home for your small rodent friend.

Review of CritterTrail Begin N Connect Cage

I got a gift card for Pet Supplies "PLUS" and decided to spend some of the money on an extension cage for Mickey, my dwarf hamster. The average price is $19.98 at the pet store, but online it was many different prices. The actual size is 14-1/2-inch long, 11-inch wide and 11-1/4-inch high.

This is what it looks like out of the box, after I assembled it.

Amazon.com states, "Critter Trail Begin N Connect Habitat is an ideal starter home for your new hamster, gerbil or mouse."  ( I don't agree with this, as the cage is too small, even for a "starter cage".)

The first thing I noticed was that the cage is called, "Begin N Connect", and I hope that a new hamster owner does not get this as a stand-alone cage for their pet. The thing with CritterTrail is that you really have to get at least two large cages to connect to make a decent-sized hammie habitat. Luckily I have two other cages connected to this, the CritterTrail Burrowing Maze and the Two Level Habitat. Both are connected with elaborate tubes and accessories. The cage itself, the one I got, is cube-shaped and small, and I cannot stress how terrible that would be for a hamster to live inside without extensions.

As far as assembly went, the cage was more difficult to put together. I would have preferred a clamp on each side, similar to the other cages by the same company. Instead there were strange plastic things that linked the top and bottom together. 

As you might be able to tell in the picture, the one green plastic thing still popped out, no matter how hard I pushed on it.

Other than that, everything was in pretty good condition. It is safe for a hamster, perhaps not a gerbil or mouse though. The base was shorter than the other cages, which meant an agile mouse could hang on the door latch and pull it, which was secured by a small spring. My one concern is that the roof does not actually clamp onto anything. It lifts on and off and you have to take extra care to place it correctly over the sides or it may not line up correctly (allowing a potential escape). I do not have to worry about hamster escapes with my Mickey, as he does not like to climb cage bars.

The top of the cage had two openings closed by thin plastic that could be punched out. The CritterTrail line has accessories that fit in these holes, such as the Treat Dispenser.

The top of the cage was also a blue glittery color, the sparkles molded into the plastic.

There was a solid plastic wheel included as well. It was very sturdy and did not seem to make a squeaky noise when Mickey ran on it.

The base is purple. As I said before, it is shorter than the other cages, but Mickey, being chubby and a non-climbing type of hamster, didn't seem to notice the difference. 

The cage also came with extra caps, both of which I did not use. These ones are red, the other ones I have are green, yellow, and blue.

I don't mind the extra cleaning, but I am unsure if I can get away with just unclipping the part on the green piece that connects to the base. 

I don't know if the smaller rubber pieces on the green plastic will fall off during the process or not, so it may be wise to just assemble and take it apart every time I clean the cage.(every week)

I did read this customer review, and this is what they said about the assembly issue.

"Cute looking and colorful, appeals to kids but it is a HORRIBLE design. Every week I dread cleaning it because the poorly constucted cage literally falls to pieces as soon as you remove the bottom. Cheap plastic tabs are all that holds the separate peices of the wire cage together and it falls apart even when you are trying to be very careful with it. I would never buy this again even if it was half the price I paid. It is not worth it. Bought another cage for the same price and I LOVE it (it is called Tube Time and is larger and has more features) the wire part iteself is all one peice so it is a breeze to clean in a fraction of the time that ths awful one takes. I would only recommend this cage to someone who wants to be instantly aggravated when trying to assemble it."

I was able to assemble it pretty easily without too much trouble. You just need to put it in the right holes on the base, then slide in the green pieces. With just a little patience it will work out fine. I do agree about the cleaning bit, therefore I will just use a wipe or safe-for-pets spray solutions and a paper towel instead of dumping the entire tray into a trash bag.

I think the cage is a nice add-on that a CritterTrail cage user will appreciate in their setup. Of course, is Mickey happy with it? 

Let's ask him.

Sniff sniff.... What an interesting cage...

I've never seen the wall from this side!

All this searching makes me thirsty!

I think I'm done here.

Or maybe I could give the wheel a try.

Mickey gives it 4 stars, and I give it 4 1/2. I think it's great and gives him more room to roam.

Rats + outdoor playing/living = a good idea?🐁

Whether you're an experienced rat owner or a first-time rat owner, you may wonder... "Could I let my rat go outside to play?" The answer varies with different websites, but the right answer is always clear. Rats playing or living outdoors is not safe!

Harnesses and Pens: Extreme Danger

Everyone's seen them. Rat harnesses look fun, but pose a threat to rats. First of all, if you put on the rat harness the wrong way or it has been designed poorly so it feels uncomfortable, your rat will want to escape the harness's feeling on his body. He's likely to chew or squeeze out, leaving you with no more rat. Predators like birds of prey or feral cats and dogs could scare your rat as well, causing him to panic and get twisted in the harness. So it's closing for the harness idea, but what about other playtime solutions, like a playpen?

A rat owner who knows rats well doesn't have to use their own experience with pet rats to know that all rats are great climbers! Obviously, any open-top playpen would be too easy for an intelligent rat. Closed-top playpens look safe, but even a sturdy one couldn't keep out unwanted predators, dangerous parasites, and worst of all, heat. Besides, for a few minutes the fresh air would seem nice to a rat, but it would quickly get boring and very hot. An ideal way to let your rat get a bit of fresh air is to carry his cage onto a clean, covered deck or patio and sit out with him for no more than 10 minutes. Never take him out of the cage even for a minute, as any predator could spook him. 

Can I keep my rat cage outdoors?

Inexperienced, first-time rat owners may think keeping a rat outdoors is okay. As many people think all rabbits and guinea pigs belong outdoors, rats are put into this concept. Although rabbits and guinea pigs can normally survive outside,(although the boredom they encounter is considered cruelty) rats will become sick and/or the first few days of outdoor living.

Not only will your rat(s) need attention and human contact, he will also get sick from parasites, heat exhaustion, and exposure to wild rodents, which he could transfer diseases from and pass them to other people or domestic animals. A rat outdoors is no fun for the owner because they will only go out to clean the cage and give him food and water, and the owner will not get to experience the benefits of a great pet rat. Any animal relegated to a hutch or outdoor confinement will be bored and act boring towards the owner. Besides, how can you create fun mazes, train your rat to do cool tricks, and relax in front of the TV with your rat if he lives outside? A true rat owner wouldn't keep a rat outside to die, but he or she would want to create a great environment for the rat and help him have the best 3-4 years he lives up to. No form of outdoor living can top the tremendous love a rat can offer when living inside with his family. Rats don't live that long, do its up to you to help him live his life to the fullest. Be sure to keep your pet rat indoors when having him as a pet. There really is no point in getting a rat if he is left outdoors, because all you are doing is keeping him alive if he's left outside. Be a good pet owner and keep all pet rats indoors only. You will be rewarded with a happy rat that can fully experience the best life you can give him.

I mean, what life is without cuddles, kisses, and a happy, healthy pet rat ready to be your best friend? Not any life I know! 

The placement of your rat's cage is very important!

Senior Buns

Daisy: This post is all about senior rabbits, or "buns," a nickname for the word "bunnies." I personally wonder why I have to have something to do with this blog, because I am not, what you may say, old. I am, in fact, nearly 3 years old, which is like, a mature adult in the rabbit world, like, say, 25, or even 30. Okay, not 30, but like, 20. Yeah, 20. When you are anywhere between "weeks" or "days", you are a kid. When you are in "months," it's like a teenager, and in "years", you are an adult. When you reach 7 years you are an old rabbit, like 75 years. A rabbit that lives over 10 years is like a 110 year old person! Wow! I don't know if that is good or bad, but..... Well, I had better stop now. You know how I get carried away!

Signs of an Aging Rabbit

Sleeping More Often

Your rabbit will not want to romp around the house, but instead, you will find him snuggling in a certain place. A good idea is to get a little dog or cat bed and put it in a place where you are very often. You will also notice he does not climb stairs or other things like he used to.

Not using the Litter-Box

Rabbits can get arthritis, so he may not be able to hop into his litter-box like usual. Low opening litter-boxes are good when you cannot be there to lift him into his box.

Not Grooming as Well

Your pet bunny will almost always get arthritis as he gets older. Soon, it will be difficult for him to groom himself like normal and this could lead to a smelly pet. A baby wipe or barely wet washcloth can help this problem.

Care Tips

Excerpts about senior rabbit care from Bunny Bunch S.P.C.R president and founder of the rescue organization, Caroline Charland. The complete article can be found in the Rabbits magazine, which can be purchased online at www.smallanimalchannel.com.

Living Quarters

Keep living quarters safe, comfortable, and clean. Remove any item that could have potential danger to your rabbit. At Bunny Bunch, we cover bricks in fake sheepskin to give our rabbits something to lean against.... Rabbits also enjoy having pillows to rest their heads against too.....We also use washable pee pads for our rabbits via litter boxes because it hurts their feet with or without a metal grate.

Another Rabbit

I strongly recommend that rabbits live with at least one other rabbit.... In old age we see rabbits do amazing things for each other. Some rabbits will clean each other's eyes or groom their fur...... A rabbit that has become blind does much better when living with another rabbit...... They will guide the other one around and let them lean on him.

Lots of Love

Spend time with your rabbit. Senior rabbits are very sweet and they rarely ever want to be left alone. Even the friskiest rabbit here at Bunny Bunch becomes calmer and laid-back once he is older. 

Happy Days for Rabbits

Nowadays, many pet rabbits are spending their life enjoying free-run of a house or a special room. The danger of outdoor living is gone. Today's house rabbits are living to be 12, 13, or even 14 years old. 

People are more aware of rabbit care now. They are taking their pet rabbits to the veterinarian, feeding them safe foods, and making sure they are living in a good environment, not making the horrible decision of living outdoors. At the Bunny Bunch Burrow, the organization I founded, people come to learn about rabbits. Every day a rabbit gets a loving home as a true member of the family. As more and more people own rabbits, people will start to notice them and understand them better. They will realize that rabbits are like a cat or dog, a pet rather than a wild animal. At Bunny Bunch, we care for our rabbits in the best way possible, which contributes to giving our rabbits a longer life span, and hopefully a great home with a caring family.

Go to www.bunnybunch.com to see rabbits you can adopt today and give a loving home forever!

The Ultimate Scrubdown

Note from the author: Critter Corner is asking you to comment and tell us all about what your pet likes to do on Thanksgiving and Christmas or a tradition you do with your family(and pets)--and you could have a chance to tell us a post you'd like to see on this blog. It could be featured in the future! Just comment on any blog, anytime, through November 9th all the way up to December 1st--telling us about your pet's Christmas and/or Thanksgiving, and tell what you'd like the post to be about if you could choose. Have fun!!


Today's post is much like the new poll for this week: all about cleaning out the water and food bowls--and cleaning out your pet's cage. Don't just clean it, scrub it!! Every week you should remove all objects from the cage and place your pet in a safe area while you soap up every surface possible. Using pet-safe spray or special wipes is ideal, but it can also be costly. Vinegar spray and non-scented baby wipes are less expensive and still just as safe, not to mention you almost always will have these in you home. Critter Corner doesn't recommend letting your pet eat or lick up any of these things, no matter how pet-safe they may be.

Does your small pet use a litter box? If so, you may find it easier to clean the cage and you may think this means you don't have to clean the main area. This isn't true!! You must always clean the whole cage--ALWAYS! Just because there isn't any waste in the cage--only the litter box, this doesn't mean you shouldn't clean it. Hidden bacteria could make your pet's cage dirty over time;this could gradually cause your pet to be sick.    Please clean out every inch of the cage--it will be better for you and your pet!

The bottom line: Do this every week! Remember, after you have cleaned the cage, use a towel to dry the wet areas, because you do not your pet to get wet and get pneumonia from the cold.

Keeping a Routine

Rats are highly intelligent and observant creatures, so even a slight change will make a rat confused and worried. If someone, for example, passed away in the household, especially if the rat favored them, the rat could become depressed and even die too. But the things you can change whenever you like should be in an organized way. In the mornings, you should do what you normally do for your rat. Perhaps you give it a crumble of toast or a nibble of dry cereal. In the afternoons, you most likely will go to work or school. Around the evening, right when you come home, spend time with your rat for at least half an hour. Later on, you should spend another half hour of time with him. Be sure to include at least an average of 10 minutes of "ball time"(or when you put your rat in his exercise ball) and training time, if you want to. Rats don't like "whenever", they like it if you are planning on doing it every day. In the wild, rats went in packs, like a colony, and every day they scavenged the same area they always went to. Domestic rats are like this. There's a time to eat, sleep, and play. This is how a rat's normal day usually is.

A Rat's Normal Day


Scurry around
Nibble on food
Climb on cage bars
Take naps
Wake up
Drink water, eat...
Take more naps
Owner comes home
Wait
Owner gives treats
Owner lets me out of cage
He lets me explore room(or even house)
He gets down
He plays with me
I go in rat ball
I get out and go in cage
I eat, sleep, play in cage
Owner feeds and waters me
Training time
Owner does his own thing
The end





Usually all rats are different, so they do things differently, and so do their owners, so try to   "go with the flow" and observe your rat's routine!!

Lock 'er up!

What do you get when you cross an open cage and a mouse? Answer: A furry escape!!  Sometimes it's because we forget, sometimes it's simply because we think we did it but we really haven't, but almost everyone has done it once in their life-time--leaving open the cage by accident is a common mishap in our daily lives. The horror when at work or school. The terror while shopping at the mall. OH NO!!!! I left the cage open again... You worry. When you arrive home, you search the couch before you sit down, hoping the hamster or rat isn't being squished to death by his own owner. You, for some reason, are unable to turn on the TV to watch football. Looking over by the back of the TV, you see him. He must of chewed the cord right over there.  Poor guy. To avoid that happening, quickly close all doors and push towels underneath the doorways. Put treats under beds and near the baseboard of the walls, so the hamster(or rat, gerbil..etc.) will eat the treats(and not starve to death). Every morning, check the areas where the food was most eaten and put a "trap" in that room. A non-harming trap involves a plastic bucket, and a wide ruler leaning against the bucket. 1 or 2 hand towels stuffed in the bottom will be fine. Get some fresh food(like apples or bananas) that smell strongly to a small animal and put them on the towels. If there is no sign of the pet, this means he is outside. Put a live trap( usually sold at some tractor supply stores) out side close to the house and bait it with peanut butter or any other treat you don't give your pet often. If this doesn't work, your pet may be gone for good. To avoid this whole catastrophe in the first place, maybe you should remind yourself to close that cage!! 

Keeping your Bunny away from Boredom!

A rabbit's choice of housing is important. Daisy has a big area to play and groom.

Playtime is a very important thing for your big-eared furry friend. You can't just buy a bunch of toys and pile them into the cage, figuring they'll play with the toys while you are gone. You have to take your bunny out and physically interact with him or her. Rabbits are very social creatures that instinctively know that play is a way to learn how to interact with their environment, to keep their bodies in shape for things that they do everyday. But what if you have a rabbit and you simply do not have enough time to sit down on the floor and play with the bunny every single day? You shouldn't get rid of your bunny, but get another one! Two or three rabbits have a few pros and cons. They will live longer, be happier, and never get lonely during those long hours when your away at work or school. Of course, this doesn't mean you can hide the cage somewhere in a dark shed, or leave the cage in a place where cannot observe and pet your bunny(s) from time to time as you walk from room to room. The location of your bunnies' play space should be where the rabbit likes to be. Does Flopsy enjoy a high-traffic area where you are a lot, or does she prefer a quieter, low-traffic area, such as a living room or bedroom? Another thing to ponder is: Where will the bunny play? A place where the toys are, surely. A poll on a rabbit website stated that rabbits like homemade toys the best, but even more than that, they love their humans. If your bunny loved you that much, and trust me, he does, wouldn't you want him to be in a place where he wouldn't be neglected? Rabbits love attention from anyone, and many say their rabbits love to be where house visitors come in. Without a proper "play area," bunnies can get bored, and even aggressive.


ENOUGH PLAY! 

Given the fact that rabbits are unable to vocalize their thoughts, feelings, and emotions to us,  rabbit owners must know their bunnies well enough to realize when enough is enough in regards to playtime. Overexertion is the last thing we want our bunnies to experience. Keep a close eye on your pet's body language and vocalizations during play to keep it fun!!!!

1 Times up! Though laying down is
usually a sign of contentment, if you've been playing with your rabbit for awhile, and he proceeds to lie down, it may be a sign your pet is hot and tired and wants to rest.
Supply fresh water and keep the cage in reach just in case the bunny needs to hop in, in order to relax.

2 Boxed in    Rabbits see their litter-box as their personal space, and 50% of the time, they're sitting on it. If your bunny hops into his litter-box during playtime, it means they're done playing for the time being.

3 Grunt, Grunt   Have you ever heard a grunting sound come from your rabbit's throat? This is another way rabbits vocalize towards people or other rabbits when they're trying to tell them that they want them to stop. If your bunny does thing, leave him alone, as he may be a little tired of you shoving toys in his face(in his point of view).

4 Catch ya' later    Sometimes your rabbit will not do any of the above; he'll simply hop away and leave you in the dust. At times like these, playtime is over. Attempting to chase him and continue the game may lead to angering your rabbit. Allow your pet to do what he wants, as there is really no such thing as telling him what to do; rabbits are extremely stubborn, so if you do own a rabbit, it may be the other way around.

Daisy enjoys a toy I bought her

Rabbits love toys they can tear up--especially if there's treats inside!