# Brands limited by Location/Country?



## Vhendi (Feb 16, 2011)

Hard time thinking up a title for this topic... sorry if its obscure.

In doing research on cages/tanks and accessories, I happened to notice that the specific items I liked were all from UK websites. I tried looking up the brand of those items specifically to see if there were other suppliers but could never find an official site - instead, the links always took me to ebay or some other personal-public sales place and all the sellers were UK based.

So, is Perfecto brand tanks - with the shelves - only available in the UK?

Also I also happened to notice that all of the really cool/interesting toys and accessories that I wanted to purchase were also all from UK sites. I have thus come to the belief that the UK must be much more small-animal friendly and/or have a bigger customer base... lol, I have yet to find any equivalent items from any pet store or site I've searched in the US. I certainly know that all the pet stores in my area have the same exact selection, which is very limited... I find myself scouring bird, reptile, and fish stores for better items but even there the selection is terribly dull.

Could someone please correct me if I'm wrong? Because I'd love to get some of those things that I've seen, but paying international shipping (which I think is or can be rather high, right?) for a $7 hanging wood/rope ladder cage accessory seems a bit nuts, lol.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Perfecto are made by Underworld, who are based in Loughborough (not far from me). Since glass tanks and screen lids are so much more common and cheaper in the US, I'd suggest buying one and getting a glass cutter to add your own shelves in with a bit of silicone.


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## Vhendi (Feb 16, 2011)

Ah, thanks!

I think I will definitely do that for my next tank modification. I did the "diy" method with plexiglass thinking it'd be cheaper, and though it was fun, I'm sure it'd have been easier and cost the same to get glass shelves cut. Thanks for the suggestion!


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## zany_toon (Apr 3, 2010)

I believe that a lot of the toys available for small animals in the UK are made by Italians companies (namely Savic and Ferplast.) There are of course small UK companies that are very successful. Having been in contact with them (I've a friend in Michigan who is crazy enough to have me help her arrange the shipping of a savic hamster heaven cage and oodles of toys because they aren't available in the US :lol they advise that they do not sell outside the EU due to shipping costs on the items which will impact upon their profit margins :roll: As for toys, homemade ones can be a lot cheaper and even more inventive than the ones you would get from any mainstream company. Rhasputin has made some fab toys from popsicle/lollipop sticks and I'm making ladders and climbing frames from bamboo sticks! You are only limited by your imagination and as Mousebreeser suggested buy yourself a mice sized tank and add shelves yourselfusing aquarium silicon et voila!! The perfect tank :lol:


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## Vhendi (Feb 16, 2011)

I did see some of those popsicle creations... what do you use to hold them together? Is regular glue okay for mice?


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## zany_toon (Apr 3, 2010)

As long as the glue is non-toxic you can use it for making the toys (child's PVA glue is safe, some glue sticks for hot glue guns are also safe  )


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