# Rat Cage - Liberta Explorer vs Savic Royal Double?



## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Is there a difference in these cages that people know?

The Royal Double is literally double the price. I'm wondering if it has a metal bottom or is plastic? I've heard a few people say bad things about the plastic bottom in the Liberta Explorer but also heard some really good reviews.

I really want a large cage of this style that has full opening doors, but a cage that is going to get chewed through the base isn't much use to me either

I can't find any information on the royal double that explains why it's double the price and it looks like an identical design

Explorer @ £120










Or 

Royal Double at £220










Or is there something better?


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

The savic is much much higher quality from what I've seen. I've had the explorer and I much preferred the Ferret Nation (although the bar spacing on that is too wide for does). I wouldn't buy another explorer, the trays came cracked, the doors rattled, my girls ate the trays...whereas my Ferret Nation wasn't chewed at all.

The Savic is very much like the Ferret Nation, the spring lock doors are fab, the whole cage is more solid and less rattly and isn't cheapy looking like the Explorer.

If I had the money, and the choice, I'd get the Ferret Nation or the Savic. If I had only £125 to spend, I'd get a second hand aviary over an Explorer.

ETA: that's a great price for the Savic, when it came out it was nearly £100 more than that!


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Yeah I have the money for the Savic if necessary, I don't mind spending it if it really is worth the extra, I just don't really see the point in paying double if it's the same. But if there really is a quality difference then it's worth it especially if it's a durability issue because I don't want to spend that on a cage that doesn't last very long. All my jenny cages have holes in the bottom and I spent £90 each on them at one stage and got through 3 or 4 so I'd rather pay higher for something that will last.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Absolutely. I know Horatio has savics, perhaps she'll see this and be able to help you choose.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Savic, savic, savic! I've been and seen both of these cages and I know people who have both and the Savics are much better. They pretty much cover all of the Explorer issues (base is deep, don't get chewed much, doors aren't loose or rattle-y etc), so I would go for the Savic every time.


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

I haven't used either of the above cages so couldn't really comment on them.

I use the double version of the one this girl is trying to sell at the moment as my main adult female cage. http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/domestic-exotics-classifieds/393934-cage-sale-south-wales.html I payed less for mine though. I find it works really well as is totally chew proof and your pretty much only limited to your budget and imagination when it comes to furnishing it (space isn't an issue). Only problem is a couple of out of reach spots if you have short arms, not a problem for me as I have a slightly longer reach than the o/h.


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

i love my explorer...i dont think it looks cheap at all...my rats love it they have bunches of room , they chewed the shelves a bit on the corners but certainly not enough to make the cage unusable...i also use storage boxes for their chopped card so they have somewhere for their substrate


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

I've had Explorers and a Ferret Nation and also seen Savics in the flesh and there's no comparison, the FN and Savic are ten times better quality. I would never buy a new Explorer again after I got two cages sent by Pet World Direct that were undrilled and damaged, communication was poor too (I ended up fixing the cages as they were so slow to respond). A few people have had the same problems, but you get what you pay for. If you want an Explorer I would always get a 2nd hand one as that way you know it's drilled at least! The doors rattle and the trays are pants too. Good size for the money, but the amount you'd spend sorting it out with better trays cancels out the savings.


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

i guess its a love it or hate it cage lol im firmly in the love it camp but can see why some people have problems.


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## cpiggott22 (Apr 1, 2009)

ami_j said:


> i guess its a love it or hate it cage lol im firmly in the love it camp but can see why some people have problems.


I'm also in the love it camp! The trays aren't an issue for me as I use a thin layer of substrate and then add a deep digging box, plus my girls don't bother chewing them. Loads of space, great price, wheels about, fully opening doors, storage space beneath it...the pros massively outeight the cons for me. I imagine that the savic is better quality and I like the idea of splashguards but for me money was an issue so I'm really pleased with my explorer


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

cpiggott22 said:


> I'm also in the love it camp! The trays aren't an issue for me as I use a thin layer of substrate and then add a deep digging box, plus my girls don't bother chewing them. Loads of space, great price, wheels about, fully opening doors, storage space beneath it...the pros massively outeight the cons for me. I imagine that the savic is better quality and I like the idea of splashguards but for me money was an issue so I'm really pleased with my explorer


aye money was an issue for me too lol ...i figured it couldnt be any worse than the jenny i had before :lol2:


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I think the main reason I hated mine was because I'd already had the Ferret Nation and was expecting the same quality. The Explorer is a cheapy cage, if it was as high quality as the Savic or Ferret Nation it would be vastly underpriced. You get what you pay for in other words.

If the explorer lovers had had a Ferret Nation or Savic before they got their explorer, no doubt they'd agree that it wasn't as good quality.:2thumb:


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## cpiggott22 (Apr 1, 2009)

LisaLQ said:


> I think the main reason I hated mine was because I'd already had the Ferret Nation and was expecting the same quality. The Explorer is a cheapy cage, if it was as high quality as the Savic or Ferret Nation it would be vastly underpriced. You get what you pay for in other words.
> 
> If the explorer lovers had had a Ferret Nation or Savic before they got their explorer, no doubt they'd agree that it wasn't as good quality.:2thumb:


lol, I definitely agree! I've never seen a savic in the flesh but I've heard that it is much better quality...not sure that I'd want to spend double on it though! It just seems an awful lot of money for a fancy explorer. I guess it all depends on whether you think the extra £120-£130 is worth it for doors that don't rattle (which mine don't anyway lol), blue horizontal bars and splashguards. I'd love to try one but I really couldn't justify that unless I managed to find one second hand.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Me neither, I couldn't afford one, so I got second hand Brios (one medium, one maxi), and for me they are much better and cost half of what the Explorer did, so even cheaper!


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

I was set on getting the Explorer very soon, but now im not sure...
I like the look of this one Midwest Model 162 Critter Nation: the latest and best in smaller pet habitats!.

I thought you could get metal replacement trays for explorers?


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## rockkeeper (Apr 5, 2007)

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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

You can - but they cost nearly as much as the cage (my quote was around £80 + postage if I remember correctly).


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## Horatio (Jul 16, 2009)

Yep, LisaLQ is right. Sort of. We have TWO SRS cages and I wouldn't use anything different now. They're fantastic, loads of space, well made, and have way more horizontal bars than the Explorer. Our first one we got on the [email protected] website with a 10% discount, plus free delivery. Our 2nd one was 2nd hand, and putting it together was much easier once it had already been out together and taken apart once.


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