RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Thu Nov 20, 2003 9:05 pm

Anyone else got a Terenziani cage? I've seen one but want to know of pros and cons... Is it anygood?

Thu Nov 20, 2003 9:15 pm

I have one, a Moore (the tall 3 storey one) and am happy with it in general. You have to watch out though, fakes are often sold at the same price as the genuine ones - so make sure you don't get ripped off! The fakes have coloured bases (eg dark green or dark red) and no name label, where the genuine ones are always light grey with a name label.

I have several of the fakes, they are cheaper but slightly poorer quality so rust faster, however I am happy with them and they seem to last OK as long as you keep them pretty clean (I wash, disinfect and dry mine weekly).

The rats seem to love them, non-chewable, they're flexible for adding hammocks, extra shelves or whatever, and it's possible to join more than one together using wire or cable ties to make a bigger cage - I have made a couple of Moore sized cages using a Canova on top of a Michelangelo.

The only real downside is that they are quite heavy when it comes to cleaning out. Maybe not a problem if you only have one cage, but by my fifth I feel a bit worn out! Oh, and the litter tray is quite shallow so mess can be spread quite easily! I'm about to get my first Ferplast Jenny, which are popular with a lot of people, so will soon be able to compare with that and is a similar sized "large" cage for several rats.

My favourite cage so far is a 5ft long indoor rabbit cage. A nice deep base so litter isn't kicked out, plus a wire cage top for climbing. I keep 5 rats in it, and they seem happy with it too.

Fri Nov 21, 2003 12:28 am

I have to michelangelo, it has a white base and I'm pretty sure it's not a fake. I wish it had a plastic base thought, it would be easier to keep clean, I don't have a problem with litter going everywhere as they have a litter pan in the corner and the rest of the base it just fabric for them to burrow in. The only things I don't like are the springs for locks and the inward opening door.

Fri Nov 21, 2003 12:51 pm

You could take the door off and remount it to open facing outwards. Someone I rat sat for had done this, and it worked really well. I actually like the springs to close the doors, in fact I want to buy some for some of my other cages, but I'm not sure where to get them from. I suppose it all depends on what you want from your cage!

Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:51 pm

I have a Terenziani with a dark green base and white mesh, with a Terenziani label on the base. So I think they do come in other colours.

I don't mind the inward opening door - I prop it up with a kitchen roll tube during playtime, and the spring clips are very secure. But I agree with Debs that they can be heavy and awkward to lug around to clean etc.

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P, Charlie and Snoopy

Fri Nov 21, 2003 2:01 pm

The inwrd door is a pain, Thelma is really scared of it. maybe I will try to turn it round. By the way...

	Quote:
	I don't mind the inward opening door - I prop it up with a kitchen roll tube during playtime

The spring bit clips on so you don't need to prop it up.

Fri Nov 21, 2003 3:01 pm

Yep, I know - but I always manage to hurt my fingers trying to clip it up Rolling Eyes

so I find it easier just to prop it open!

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P, Charlie and Snoopy

Fri Nov 21, 2003 5:16 pm

I've never seen a geunine one in any colour other than light grey, so you learn something every day wink

Sun Nov 23, 2003 4:33 pm

I've only ever had Terenziani cages, I think they're great. I've also got the doors turned around so they open outwards. I don't like the small shelf and ladder at the top though, so always remove them, I also don't like the ramps, so use bubblewave tubes instead, which work well and don't seem to take up as much space as the ramps did.

I have a prob with litter going everywhere, but that's only because the only litter is in the litter trays, and my girls insist on squabbling in there, so the litter (and other contents) go flying Rolling Eyes