Critter Nation 161 vs 162

The 161 is the single unit — one level, 36 x 24 x 25.625in — and the 162 is the double, two levels at 36 x 24 x 63in including the stand. Both give 864 square inches (6 square feet) of usable floor per level and both have half-inch bar spacing. Buy the 162 unless you are housing one ferret and are certain you will not add another, because buying the single and upgrading later costs more than buying the double outright.

MidWest's model numbering causes real confusion, and it is worth being precise: the 161 and 162 are the same cage in one and two levels, and both are Critter Nations with the half-inch spacing we recommend for ferrets. The Ferret Nation models — 182 and its 183 add-on unit — are the one-inch-spaced range, which is the comparison covered in Ferret Nation vs Critter Nation.

The table

Why the double is usually right

Ferrets use vertical space genuinely. This is the thing that makes the answer different from a hamster cage, where an upper level is somewhere to sit. Ferrets climb, sleep in hammocks at height, and move between levels constantly. A second level adds real environment rather than padding a floor-area figure.

Two ferrets need two levels. Six square feet on one level is enough floor and nowhere near enough structure for a pair that will spend their waking hours in it. Two levels let animals be apart without being in separate cages, which matters during introductions and when one is unwell.

Upgrading costs more than buying once. The 161 plus the add-on unit later comes to more than the 162 bought outright, in every price comparison we have seen. If there is any chance you will want two levels, buy two levels.

When the single is the right buy

• One ferret, and you are certain. Six square feet with half-inch bars and full-width doors is genuinely adequate for a single animal getting its two to three hours out of the cage daily.
• A second cage for separation. A 161 alongside an existing 162 solves introductions, illness and a broken bond, and is cheaper than a second double.
• A room that cannot take 63 inches of height. The 161's 25.625in is a shelf-height cage; the 162 is nearly five and a half feet on its stand.
• A hospital or quarantine cage. One level is easier to monitor, and a sick ferret should not be climbing.

What both share

Everything that matters, which is why this is a question about how many ferrets rather than about which cage. Half-inch bar spacing, six square feet per level, deep removable pans, full-width doors, and a shelf. The safety specification and the space specification are identical.

Both clear the VCA suggested minimum comfortably, and the more consequential VCA figure applies equally to both: at least two to three hours a day out of the cage, with more being better. A single unit with generous out-of-cage time is a better setup than a double unit without it.

The assessments

Our pick · Ferrets of any age, and kits especially

MidWest Critter Nation Double Unit (162)

The half-inch bar spacing is the whole argument: it is the same cage as the Ferret Nation with a gap a ferret kit cannot get its head through.

✓ Clears our threshold6 sq ft per level and 1/2 in bars

Dimensions

36 x 24 x 63 in including the rolling stand

Continuous floor

36 x 24 = 864 sq in (6 sq ft) per level, two levels

Bar spacing

1/2 in horizontal

Material

Powder-coated steel with deep removable plastic pans

Levels and ramps

Two levels with a locking swing-up ramp and full-width doors

What it gets right

• +1/2 in bar spacing holds a kit that 1 in spacing does not
• +6 sq ft of usable floor per level, comfortably over our per-level bar
• +Full-width doors mean you can reach every corner, which matters weekly
• +Deep pans contain litter rather than spreading it

What it gets wrong

• −Horizontal half-inch bars give less climbing purchase than wider spacing
• −Heavy and awkward to assemble alone
• −The stand's casters roll on hard floors more than you want them to

Who should buy something else

Not necessary if your ferrets are adults and you have measured their head width against 1 in. The Ferret Nation costs less and climbs better; the half-inch is insurance you may not need.

Specifications read from MidWest product listing and retailer specifications on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.

Illustrative

Our assessment9.5/10

• Bar spacing safety10
• Usable floor per level9
• Cleaning access10
• Build quality9
• Escape resistance10

Check price on Amazon→

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Number 2 · A single ferret, or a first half of a double

MidWest Critter Nation Single Unit (161)

The same 6 sq ft floor and the same half-inch bars in one level, which is the right buy only if you are certain you will add the second unit.

✓ Clears our threshold6 sq ft on one level, 1/2 in bars

Dimensions

36 x 24 x 25.625 in for the cage section

Continuous floor

36 x 24 = 864 sq in (6 sq ft), one level

Bar spacing

1/2 in horizontal

Material

Powder-coated steel with a deep removable plastic pan

Levels and ramps

One level, with a shelf; a second unit stacks on top later

What it gets right

• +Identical 1/2 in bar spacing safety
• +6 sq ft of usable floor
• +Cheaper entry point, and the 162 upper unit fits it later

What it gets wrong

• −One level gives a ferret much less vertical variety than two
• −Buying the single then upgrading costs more than buying the double outright

Who should buy something else

Wrong for two or more ferrets. One level of 6 sq ft is enough floor and nowhere near enough structure for a pair that will spend their waking hours in it.

Specifications read from MidWest product listing on 27 September 2026. Floor-area arithmetic is ours and is shown above so you can redo it.

Illustrative

Our assessment8.3/10

• Bar spacing safety10
• Usable floor per level9
• Cleaning access10
• Build quality9
• Vertical space4

Check price on Amazon→

We do not print prices. #ad Disclosure

If you are comparing the Critter Nation against the other genuine contender rather than against itself, that is Critter Nation vs Savic Royal Suite — where the Savic's ability to split into two independent cages makes the single-versus-double question moot.