Hi, there!
 
Thought I'd throw my two cents in about the housing!  The Superpet design
is a good one I think - and would be better if they added more shelves in
the unit.  I've had to rearrange mine so that the older ferrets can get
around better.  The shelf grooves are actually really really wonderful.
And I don't find them hard to clean.  Here's the reasoning - I recently
adopted 3 kits (yes - we were crazy!  but now we're crazy happy).  Kits
aren't exactly up on their hygeine so they are using the toilet in the
most random of places (even the food bowl a few times).  The grooves
keep the urine on the shelf so it's not spilling over onto water
bowls/beds/ferrets below.  So in that sense the grooves make it far
easier to clean!  And the shelves pop out relatively easily so you can
do a much more thorough cleaning every now and then.  The base is good
because the plastic is smooth (a lot of other cages around here have
patterns in the plastic that are small, but tear up paper towels).
 
Other hints include not putting the base on the wheels - leave it on the
floor and bend the 2 bar hooks that connect the door so that you can take
the door off.  That way, the cage is accessible for your ferrets when
they are out.  You'll find that sometimes they even pop back in to use
the litter boxes!  I put two large corner boxes in the bottom (they cover
all the corners) and the food up on a top shelf.  Make sure that the
ferret can't fall very far (the original plans they give you seem a bit
dangerous for me - especially if you've got gravity-grasping-challenged
kits).  Lots of hammocks helps.
 
Also, before you get a ferret, make sure you have a vet in the area that
has ferret experience.  And an emergency after hours vet.  You will
definitely need that.  I also recommend geting pet insurance.  I'm not
sure what's available in ROI but the UK has Exotic Direct.  We got back
almost all the money we spent on our Isabelle - #800.  So if any health
problems come up (and they will) you will be more concerned with your
baby than with the money.  Definitely worth it!
 
Point is, I've had several cages, but the SuperPet one is the best.  The
grooves will help you so much.  For shelves that are hard to reach, put
hammocks there instead (like at the top).  And have a ramp at the bottom,
instead of how they have that tube.  None of my ferrets like using the
tube.  So they are less likely to go downstairs to use the litter box.
Like I said before, don't use their plans!  Rearrange it all to make
movement easy and safe.
 
Good luck!
elizabeth
[Posted in FML issue 4760]