Kaytee My First Home XLRG Setup: A Small Pet Cage Guide

Start with the cage, not the accessories

The Kaytee Deluxe My First Home XLRG is a starter cage built for guinea pigs, dwarf rabbits, ferrets, and other small animals. Before you add bedding or a bottle, assemble the cage and check that the deep plastic base and white wire top fit together as intended. The catalog states that assembly takes minutes and requires no tools, so you can set up the shell first and then decide where the habitat will live.

Place the cage on a stable surface away from direct drafts. The wire top provides ventilation and easy viewing, but the catalog does not specify bar spacing or exact exterior dimensions. If you are housing a very small species, measure the cage in person at a Zamzows store or confirm the bar spacing before purchase rather than guessing from the product name.

A practical order for setting up the habitat

Use this sequence to avoid lifting a fully loaded cage or trapping bedding under the base.

1. Assemble the cage shell: Fit the wire top to the deep plastic base. The catalog says no tools are needed and assembly takes minutes.
2. Choose the location: Set the assembled cage where it will stay. The wire top supports ventilation, but the catalog does not give a recommended room temperature or distance from heat sources.
3. Add bedding to the deep base: The deep plastic base is designed to prevent bedding from scattering. Add bedding after the cage is in place so you are not carrying a loaded base.
4. Mount the water bottle: Attach a bottle with a spring hanger to the wire home. The Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ uses a heavy-duty spring attachment hanger and is sized for hamsters, gerbils, and pet mice.
5. Check access and cleaning: Open the large front access door to confirm you can reach the interior. The scatter-less base is removable and replaceable for cleaning.

What the Kaytee Deluxe My First Home XLRG gives you

• Kaytee Deluxe My First Home XLRG: The cage assembles in minutes without tools and has a deep plastic base that prevents bedding from scattering. A tool-free shell and a deep base make the first setup simpler and keep bedding inside the cage rather than on your floor.

  

• Kaytee Deluxe My First Home XLRG: The white wire top provides ventilation and easy viewing, and the large front door allows interaction with your pet. Ventilation matters for a closed room, and a large door makes daily feeding and spot-cleaning less awkward.
• Kaytee Deluxe My First Home XLRG: The scatter-less base is easily removable and replaceable for cleaning. You can lift the base out for a full clean instead of trying to scrub around a fixed tub.

Match the water bottle to the animal, not just the cage

The Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ holds 4 ounces and measures 1.75 inches in diameter by 6.75 inches in height. The catalog describes it as perfectly sized for hamsters, gerbils, and pet mice. That does not make it the right bottle for a guinea pig, dwarf rabbit, or ferret in the XLRG cage. The supplied information does not state a recommended bottle capacity for those larger species, so treat the 4 oz bottle as a small-animal option and choose a larger bottle if your pet needs more water between refills.

The bottle’s spring hanger secures it to any small animal wire home, and the clear plastic lets you monitor the water level. A floating duck inside serves as a reminder to refill. The catalog does not provide cleaning instructions or a refill schedule, so follow the bottle’s own packaging and your pet’s drinking habits rather than a fixed timetable.

Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ at a glance

• Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ: The bottle has a 4-ounce capacity and actual dimensions of 1.75 inches in diameter and 6.75 inches in height. These measurements help you judge whether the bottle fits your wire spacing and how often you may need to check the level.

  

• Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ: A heavy-duty spring attachment hanger secures the bottle to any small animal wire home. The spring hanger is the mounting method for the XLRG’s wire top, so you do not need a separate bracket.
• Kaytee Clear View Water Bottle 4 OZ: The drip-resistant sipper tube and clear plastic bottle allow easy monitoring of the water level, and a floating duck reminds you to refill. A visible water level makes daily checks faster, especially in a cage with a solid base that hides spills.

Bedding and bottle choices the catalog does not settle

The supplied records confirm the cage’s deep base and the bottle’s size and mounting style, but they do not specify bedding depth, bedding material, bottle height, or cleaning frequency. Use these as checkpoints rather than instructions:

• Bedding depth: The deep base is designed to contain bedding, but no depth is given. Add enough to cover the floor without blocking the front door or the bottle’s sipper tube.
• Bottle height: The catalog does not state a mounting height. Position the sipper where your pet can reach it comfortably, then watch for drips or difficulty drinking.
• Cleaning routine: The base is removable and replaceable, but the catalog gives no cleaning schedule. Set a routine based on your pet’s habits and the bedding you choose.
• Species fit: The cage is described for guinea pigs, dwarf rabbits, ferrets, and other small animals. The 4 oz bottle is described for hamsters, gerbils, and mice. Do not assume the bottle suits every species the cage lists.

A realistic starter setup for a guinea pig or dwarf rabbit

If you are setting up the XLRG for a guinea pig or dwarf rabbit, start with the cage shell, add bedding to the deep base, and mount a water bottle that suits the animal’s size. The 4 oz Kaytee Clear View bottle is a good fit for a hamster or gerbil habitat, but the catalog does not present it as a guinea pig or rabbit bottle. For those larger pets, use the cage’s wire top to hang an appropriately sized bottle and keep the 4 oz bottle for a smaller cage or a backup.

The XLRG’s large front door makes it easier to reach in for feeding and cleaning, and the removable base means you can lift out bedding without dismantling the wire top. Those two features matter more day to day than the exact color of the base, which the catalog lists as assorted.