There have been a number of comments about the Midwest cages and the
inability to keep them clean.  Here's what we've done.
 
The cage is fastened to the rolling base with small clamps, bolts and nuts.
Remove these.  The cage is now able to be lifted from the base at ease.
We've never had a case where the ferret occupants have lifted off the cage
and escaped... That doesn't mean some macho guy won't do it, though, but it
would take a big ferret (or several in unison) to do it.
 
Our two ferts are paper trained.  We spread newspapers across the base,
allowing about three or four inches to extend over the base edge.  Then,
usually with two people, but not too difficult with one, place the cage
back on the base.  The overhung paper sort of folds upward and the base
groove is now protected completely.  For some reason our little guys almost
always (they make misjudgments once in a while) poop an inch or so from the
cage so none of the droppings touch it.  Also, they use just one end of the
cage.  (We have a cat cube in the corner of the other end and the water
bowl under the ramp to the first ledge.) Each morning while the guys are
romping the house, eating, scarfing their treats, or whatever, we lift off
the cage, roll up the newspapers, and line the base anew.  Clean, simple,
fast.  And it takes about two minutes.
 
For those ferts that like to poop on the cage, (and sometimes ours do) you
can put in another layer of newspapers with the cage in place but allow it
to curl upward inside the cage.  This protects the cage well.
 
With the cage removable, it is now easy to wash the base should it be
necessary.  Oh, another thing... We felt that a fall from the upper shelf
to the floor would be dangerous so my wife made a king-size hammock that is
suspended about half way up the cage.  It's served its purpose a number of
times!  We put a blanket in it and it becomes a sleeping spot for them as
well as they cover themselves completely.  There's also a smaller hammock
at about the level of the upper shelf, sort of the fert's penthouse.  The
first shelf has a pair of cut off jeans fastened to the cage.  These are
stuffed with a blanket.  The jeans also serve to cushion the ferret's slide
down the ramp from the upper shelf!
 
So, that's how we handle the Midwest cage cleaning problem.  Hope it works
for you.
 
Al Wiebe
[Posted in FML issue 2551]