MIDWEST Homes For Pets P.O. Box 1031 Muncie, Indiana 47308 800-428-8560 www.midwesthomes4pets.com Assembly Instructions for Model 142 IMPORTANT INFORMATION! 1. If you discover any parts are missing, immediately call our toll-free service helpline at 1-800-428-8560. 2. Please save sales receipt as proof of purchase for warranty purposes. 3. You will need a phillips head screwdriver for assembly. Parts Identification Note: Illustrations not shown to scale A Door Panel (2) - Large rectangular panel with (2) doors and latch knobs. When assembled, the name plate should be in the upper left corner. A B C B Back Panel (2) - Large rectangular panel without doors. C Side Panel (4) - Smaller rectangular panel. When oriented correctly, the middle hole on the side is slightly above the middle horizontal wire. (Details in Assembly Instructions) Top Panel Grid - Large rectangular mesh panel D finished the same as the rest of the cage. D E F E Bottom Panel Grid (2) - Large rectangular mesh panel finished in black e-coat. Second grid is used as shelf. F Middle Panel Grid - Large rectangular mesh panel finished in black e-coat. There is a cut-out opening in corner. Bottom Pan - Plastic tray that fits in the bottom of G the cage. G H Middle Pan - Plastic tray with a cut-out that fits H in the middle of the cage. I Shelf (2) - Wire structure with plastic sheet insert. I J J Ladder (3) - Wire ramp for access from one level to the other. (Note: There is a slight bend in the middle. This is intentional.) 1
K L M N O P Q Connector (8) - Joins the levels and stand together. Stand H Support (2) - Part of the Stand support frame. Stand Sides (4) - Side support pieces for stand. Casters (4) - Two locking, two non-locking. Inserted into sleeves in the base. Bolts (24) - Phillips head bolts to connect parts together. Washers (24) - Used with the bolts. Plastic Caps (4) - Place in the openings in the top of the cage after assembly. Assembly Instructions Locate the two Stand H Supports (L), the four Stand Sides (M) and the Bottom 1 Panel Grid (E). Set the H Supports with the cross bar near the bottom as shown. Attach the Stand Sides with bolts and washers, but do not tighten. Make sure the multiple holes in each part face inward. Slightly separate the Stand Sides and insert the Bottom Panel Grid, fitting the protruding ends into the holes of the H Support and the Side Supports. Be sure that the wires running front to back are on top. When the ends are in the holes, pull the Stand Sides together to secure the fit. Fit the remaining H Support against the remaining 2 side of the Bottom Panel Grid, being sure to fit the protruding ends of the grid into the holes in the H Support. Attach the H Support to the Sides with bolts and washers. Do not fully tighten bolts at this time. Locate 4 Connectors (K). Attach them and the remaining 2 3 Stand Sides between the front and back posts of the stand. Fit a connector in a corner post so the bottom hole of the connector meets with the top hole of the stand. Feed a bolt with a washer through the corresponding holes. Hold a Stand Side in place and screw the tube in place. The orientation of the holes on these 2 Stand Sides are not important, so for cosmetic consideration, you may choose to face the holes down. Repeat on all 4 corners. Do not fully tighten bolts at this time. K L Locking M Non-Locking Note: Although it can be assembled by one person, due to the size, you may find it easier to assemble with 2 able people. Locate the 4 Casters (N-2 swivel, 2 stationary). Insert the post of the 4 caster into the pre-inserted sleeve in the bottom of the H Support. Be sure that the 2 swivel casters are on one long side, and the 2 stationary casters are on the opposite side. To fully secure the casters in the sleeves, push the caster in by hand or push down on the frame of the stand with your hand or foot. (Note: The side with both locking casters will now become the front of the cage.) 2
Locate one of the Back Panels (B) and insert it onto the 5 connectors. The Back Panel should be inserted on the side of the stand that has the two non-locking casters. Be sure the holes along the long tubes face inward. Locate the remaining Bottom Panel Grid and, 6 with the wires running from front to back on the top, insert the protruding ends into the corresponding holes in the Back Panel. Locate the Door Panel (A), and begin to insert it onto the connectors on 7 the front of the stand. Tilt the Bottom Panel Grid up and insert the protruding ends into the corresponding holes of the Door Panel. When they are in place, fully lower the Door Panel in place. Locate the Middle Grid Panel (F) and insert it between the Door and Back 8 Panels. Make sure the wires running front to back are on top, which means the opening will either be in the back-right of the cage (as illustrated), or in the front-left of the cage. Locate 2 Side Panels (C). Place them between the Door 9 and Back Panels, making sure the protruding wires from the Bottom Panel Grid and Middle Panel Grid fit into the corresponding holes in the Side Panels. Be sure the Side Panel is oriented correctly by using the middle hole as a guide. When oriented correctly, the middle hole is slightly above the middle horizontal wire. Locate 4 Connectors, 4 Bolts and 4 10 Washers, and attach the Connector to the cage as in Step 3. Do not full tighten the bolts at this time. Place the remaining Door Panel onto the Connectors on the front of the 11 cage (right above the other Door Panel.) Place the remaining Back Panel onto the connectors on the back of the cage. 12 Locate the Top Grid Panel (D) and insert it between the Door and Back Panels. Make sure the wires running front to back are on top. 3
Locate 2 remaining Side Panels (C). Place them between the Door and Back Panels, 13 making sure the protruding wires from the Top Panel Grid and Middle Panel Grid fit into the corresponding holes in the Side Panels. Be sure the Side Panels are oriented correctly, as in Step 9. 14 Locate 4 Bolts and 4 Washers, and secure the panels together. 15 Tighten all bolts in all locations. 16 Install the 4 Plastic Caps (Q) in the openings on the top of the cage. 17 Fully open the doors by pinching the knobs on the doors together. 18 Insert the Bottom Pan (G) in the bottom unit, and the Middle Pan (H) in the upper unit. Be sure the cut-out is positioned to match up with the opening in the Middle Panel Grid. Note: The Shelves, in conjunction with the Side Panels, can be positioned at 3 different levels on either side of the cage. Although all three levels provide a ferret appropriate angle for the ramp, for these instructions, the middle position will be demonstrated. Locate one Shelf (I) and with the doors open in the top unit, tilt the 19 Shelf down and insert the end of the hook in the middle holes on the right side of the top unit. Lift the Shelf up and let hook fall into place. Before inserting the Shelf in the bottom unit, install the Ramp (J) that will 20 allow your ferret go from one level to the next. Attach the hooks on the end of the ramp to the back wire in the opening of the Middle Panel Grid. This ramp has the ability to be secured in the up 21 position to section off the top level from the bottom level. Before inserting the Shelf in the bottom unit, swing this ramp up and hook it with the attached S hook. (For illustration purposes, this is shown without the pan installed.) 22 Install Shelf in bottom unit as in Step 19. Attach the remaining ladders on the shelves. 23 Slightly tilt the shelf up and slip the hooks of the ladder onto the outermost wire on the shelf. To keep the shelf from moving from side to side, be sure the ladder hooks are placed in the openings as shown. 4
At this point, the Ferret Nation Ferret Cage is completely assembled. There are many feature of this cage. Listed below are explanations of these features. Still Need More Room? MIDWEST offers the Model 143 add-on kit allowing the addition of sections to this cage. Removable Plastic Shelf Inserts The shelves have plastic inserts that can easily removed for easy cleaning. No-Doubt Door Latches The squeeze point latches, explained in Step 17, is easy for humans to operate, but impossible for ferrets! When closing and latching the doors, be sure the spring-loaded rods have been fully inserted into the holes in the door frame. To help make this easier, there is a little plate at the top and the bottom in the middle of the door frame. This will line up the door so the rod will fit right into the holes. Accessory Hangers You ll notice a number of loops on the underside of the shelves. These convenient loops are for attaching toys, hammocks, tubes, etc. Short Falls The Ferret Nation cage is designed to help eliminate injury from falls. With the full level dividers, and wide shelves (each one extends one half of the cage), if your ferret should happen to fall, it won t be very far! Another Full Level Floor? Install 2 shelves directly across from each other, and it will create another full level. Locking Casters The front casters can be locked to prevent any unwanted movement of the cage. Out Of The Way As described in Step 21, the ramp allowing access from the top level to the bottom level can be secured in the up position to separate ferrets, or to keep them out of the way while cleaning and feeding. Removable Doors This Ferret Nation cage allows you the option of totally removing each door. Open the door and lift the door straight up. FN-142 (511) 5