people with dog crates..plastic base or metal??

I am thinking of getting a 48'' dog crate shortly. Have been looking online at several. I have found on e on offer which is a dogit dog crate in a chocolate brown colour.
It will be in my living room so it needs to look semi reasonable (hence why i like the chocolate brown one!)
so questions are....

plastic base or metal?
How does the base come out of the crate? does it slide out?
any recommendations? any to avoid?
easy to put a shelf in?

any pics greatly appreciated

Hello, I have a dog crate as a base for my pair with a shelf in it although there are more free range so use it as a base. I got mine from ebay where there is a lot of choice and cheaper than a pet shop.

The door position is probably a matter of preference as to your situation. The door in mine is in the middle and the end. I keep the middle door hooked open for convenience.

The base of my crate is metal and you can only get it out by taking the end off the crate. The base is heavy, so I would not want to be doing so anyway. I have lined mine with an off cut of lino and they use the litter trays. I also have a padded dog bed in there which I wipe over weekly. As the door is large, I found it easier to keep clean than a cage although a bit more hay is thrown out of the sides compared to the cage I had.

Putting a shelf up isnt quite easy, the thread about it is:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=52032

I have enclosed a couple of pictures. Hope it helps and best of luck

Thank you! that looks fab! i think Stew would struggle with the ramp, so might have to somehow put a step in instead but it's something to think about. Glad you said about how the base comes out, i think the door would be better in the middle in that case so i can get in (not literally :lol to clean it. They use a large litter tray and sleep in that too :roll: they are pretty much free range too but they do love to snooze a lot and like their own base..
We have a Nic set up at the moment but they keep chewing the cable ties, we have tried other various methods but they always find a way to chew! plus the base has warped slightly now and needs replacing so playing with ideas and the dog crate seems the best one!
Thanks for the help, i appreciate it!

Just to add, i think it depends on the crate as to how the bottom tray comes out. I have 2 dog crates in the shed, one of the bases comes out at the narrow end, the other slides out of the longest side of the crate When i had my buns in a dog crate, i found it easier just to lean in and clean it like that, rather than take the tray out as i was using vetbed which didnt fit through the gap

Bet it looks lush in chocolate brown

Hope this helps xxx

Becky86 said:

Just to add, i think it depends on the crate as to how the bottom tray comes out. I have 2 dog crates in the shed, one of the bases comes out at the narrow end, the other slides out of the longest side of the crate When i had my buns in a dog crate, i found it easier just to lean in and clean it like that, rather than take the tray out as i was using vetbed which didnt fit through the gap

Bet it looks lush in chocolate brown

Hope this helps xxx

Click to expand...

It does, i love it! what do you think is best a plastic base or a metal one?
Thanks for the advice :wave:
what do you line your base with??