Not to bash a particular brand, but facts are facts, so I'll tell you what
I've dealt with.
 
The Super Pet (and other similar brands, but especially the Super Pet)
cages with the plastic bottoms and Funnels (plastic tubes) are one of the
reasons that people decide ferrets are "too much trouble to keep clean"
and surrender them to shelters.  Yes, they're pretty.  But they're not
real functional.
 
The doors are too small for a respectable sized litter box, and it's a
hassle to get a small box up to the door and out for cleaning without
dumping it or hanging it on shelves or tubes.  The tallest Super Pet cage
with the long upright expanse of slick plastic tubing is ridiculous....
Most ferrets will climb (or attempt to climb) it once.  Ferrets are fairly
bright, they catch on quickly.... They certainly aren't going to bust their
nose more than once coming down.  The plastic shelves are too narrow, the
"safety" ramp is too slick.... Ferrets are NOT large hamsters.
 
The only saving grace of the cage is that it's detachable from the plastic
bottom, so that you can string whatever is clinging to the lower wires out
onto the floor to be cleaned after you've finished cleaning the plastic
bottom.
 
We have several of these cages (surrendered with ferrets).  We take the
tubing off & lay it on the floor where it's fun and useable.  The shelves
generally come out or are placed side by side to form a larger floor.
They are the LAST cages to be used for housing ferrets at our shelter.  You
may have one and absolutely love it, but I'm sufficiently lazy to prefer
function over form.
 
When you're buying a cage, keep maintenance in mind.  24"x24" by whatever
height also looks great.... But that's a loooonng way to reach to the back
of the cage through a door to clean.  (I install a second door on the
opposite side to solve this problem.) The nicest size for roomy quarters
is 36"x18".  For space saving, the two-floor 36"x14" (actually sizes are
approximate) is great.  Above all, pay attention to the size and location
of the door.  It should be large enough for the size of litter box you need
to use and located so that you can get the box out without disassembling
the cage.  You should be able to reach all corners of the cage without
dislocating your shoulder.  If the cage is to sit on the floor, the bottom
floor of the cage is going to be the toughest one to reach into corners.
 
Whether the drop tray is plastic or metal doesn't make much difference to
me, personally.  The metal trays are more inclined to rust.
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
[Posted in FML issue 3163]