Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate Review
By Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Enough space for 1 chin
- Can be moved around
Cons
- Metal grid flooring
- Plastic shelves and ramps
- Small doors
This review is part of our best chinchilla cages 2020 review series.
The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate was designed just for chinchillas, with features like perches, ramps and ample space. This cage is large enough for your chinchilla to live happily and comfortably providing your chin with several surfaces to explore, climb and jump from. The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate is very similar in design to the Dreamhome Heavy Duty Chinchilla Cage but comes in several different color options. It is a great medium-sized budget friendly chinchilla enclosure.
Made for Chinchilla ( 7 / 10 )
The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate measures 26”x17”x38”, which is just enough space for your chinchilla to be able to freely roam, explore, climb and jump. The cage comes with two plastic shelves and two plastic ramps which create the three-tiered design.
The powder-coated steel cage is non-toxic and protects against rust and corrosion. This cage comes with four locking caster wheels for easy moving and clean-up.
Like other cages comparable in size, such as the Dreamhome, the Deluxe Critter Nation, the Chinchilla Mansion or any of the Prevue Hendryx models, this cage comes with a plastic removable pan that collects litter and waste and can be emptied and cleaned quickly.
Unlike most other enclosures, this cage comes with a plastic scatter guard to help contain the mess that litter, bedding and chinchilla waste can create outside of the cage.
Design
- The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate has three levels which are each considered a tier. The cage itself is one single cage, but counting the bottom flooring and two shelves your chinchilla will have three different areas to hang out in. If you are looking for a cage that can be easily separated into two parts, this is not the one for you.
- The cage comes with two plastic shelves and two plastic ramps. For more traction and to prevent chewing, it is recommended that the plastic parts are replaced with wooden shelves and ramps, or covered with fleece.
- The plastic pan sits below a metal grid which is not usually recommended as proper flooring for chinchillas. Instead, you can remove the metal grid so your chin can walk directly on the pan. However, the pan is made of plastic and can be a chew hazard if your chinchilla is an avid chewer.
- The vertical metal bars are spaced 0.8” apart and should be close enough to prevent adult chinchillas from escaping through the bars. If you have baby chins, you may want to find a temporary cage for them with smaller spacing until they can no longer fit through nearly 1” bars.
- This enclosure has two medium sized doors on the front side of the cage. These doors open downwards for unobstructed access to the inside of the cage and so your chinchilla can easily enter and exit. The doors are on the smaller side and you may have to check the sizes of the chinchillas cage accessories you have, or plan on purchasing, to ensure they will fit.
Safety
- Metal grids are never recommended for the flooring of your chinchilla’s cage. Your chin’s small and sensitive feet can become stuck between the bars causing injuries or breaks. Walking on the metal grid can also cause bumblefoot, calluses which can eventually develop into infected sores. To prevent injuries, you can remove the metal grid and have your chin walk on the bedding or you can cover the grate with a number of chinchilla-safe materials like wood, plexiglass or fleece, however you would not be able to use the plastic pan below it.
- If you have a chinchilla that chews everything in sight, you can replace the plastic shelves and ramps for wooden or metal parts for safer chewing, or to deter chewing completely.
- The attached caster wheels lock for your chinchilla’s safety. This is especially important to protect the cage from curious pets, small children and accidents.
Accommodation
- In terms of chinchilla cage size, This one is just large enough to comfortably fit one chinchilla. If you have more than one chin, you may want to invest in a larger design otherwise your chinchillas may feel cramped or may not have enough space to climb and jump from the bars and platforms.
- The two front doors are easy to open and close but provide a strong enough lock that your chinchilla cannot tamper with it.
Ease of cleaning ( 6 / 10 )
The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate comes with a plastic pan that easily slides in and out of the bottom of the enclosure like a drawer.
This removable pan can hold litter and droppings and provide your chinchilla with a safer surface to walk on. Unlike most other brands, this cage comes with a scatter guard to help contain the litter and droppings from falling out onto the floor.
Cleaning the Cage
- To clean this cage, it is recommended to stick to a mild soap or a pet-safe cleaner, like Arm & Hammer or Nature’s Miracle, to prevent any damage to the powder-coated steel or plastic parts, or any harm to your chinchilla.
- By removing the plastic connectors from the cage, you can remove the plastic pieces of the scatter guard for washing with a mild soap and water or a pet-safe cleaner.
- The two front doors are not big enough, though shelves and ramps can still be easily removed for occasional cleaning.
Bedding
- The removable plastic pan should be removed, emptied and washed with mild soap and water or a pet-safe cleaner at least once a week.
- Like the Dreamhome Heavy Duty Chinchilla Cage, the highlight of this enclosure is the plastic scatter guard that comes with the purchase of the cage. This scatter guard encompasses all four bottom corners of the cage containing much of the litter and waste that always find its way to the floor.
- If your chinchilla loves to chew, keep an eye on the plastic scatter guard and, if needed, replace the plastic parts for a DIY wooden scatter guard that will be safer for your chin.
Versatility ( 5 / 10 )
The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate is not as customizable as other cages available but comes with the basic accessories that you need to give your chinchilla a place to feel safe and comfortable, and also enjoy!
The platforms and connecting ramps can be adjusted to a height that best fits your chin’s needs. You can also completely remove the ramps so your chin can jump freely from all three tiers. This also gives you more room to attach other fixtures and accessories.
Adaptability and Accessories
- Homey Pet Store carries this same cage in one-tier and two-tier options, which are not recommended for chinchillas due to their small sizes. There are no add-on units for this cage so, if you plan on increasing your chinchilla family in the near future, you may want a cage that is taller and can better accommodate several chins.
- Although Homey Pet Store only carriers cages and enclosures this cage has enough space to fit some of your chinchilla’s favorite furnishings and toys. The front doors are just large enough to fit most basic accessories, and you can find a large selection of cubes, huts, hammocks, tunnels, exercise wheels and dust baths online and in pet stores.
Value for money ( 7 / 10 )
The Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate is a good medium size enclosure for one chinchilla. It provides enough space for your chinchilla to jump from perch to perch and run up and down the ramps, all while fitting your chin’s favorite toys and enrichment accessories.
This cage comes in three beautiful colors, brown, light blue and light pink, it has four caster wheels for easy transporting and comes with a scatter guard perfect for containing messes and maintaining the area around the cage clean. For under $100, this cage is as good of a deal as you can get with all of the above features.
Although this cage is on the smaller side, compared to “luxury” cages like the Chinchilla Mansion and the Deluxe Critter Nation, you can still raise a perfectly happy chinchilla in this enclosure. The removeable pan and double front doors make clean up a breeze, and you won’t have to empty the litter pan as often!
This Homey Pet Three-Tier Chinchilla Crate is very simple to assemble and most pieces are held together by plastic connectors. This cage can be easily assembled by one person and does not require additional tools.
