Okay, so my family has kept ferrets for years. We are mostly apartment dwellers with a deep love for these fuzzbutts! I recently adopted my own ferret, a seven month old kit, Puck. I knew the essentials, and some fun obscure facts/tips from family members... Now I'm reading that I should have a double level cage for my guy. He has a big cage, with a short platform and hidey hole...
My uncle had many ferrets but two I remember in particular were his last two ferrets, Jack and Coke.. They'd been together since Coke was one and Jack was four months. After Coke's eighth birthday, Jack, during a particularly excited moment fell and broke his spine in his double level... Coke died four months later after a severe depression..
Because of this I'm wry worried about the level cages.. My kit is super clumsy as is, and I do not want to lose him so tragically. My uncle has never recovered from the loss of Jack and Coke, and never bought/adopted another fuzzy.

I am sorry to hear about Jack's accident.  Ferrets are clumsy, and therefore we tend to put lots of hammocks in tall cages to catch them if they fall.  Having multiple levels in a cage though, is good for ferrets in that it gives them exercise and keeps them interested and motivated in their home.

I'm sorry about Jack and Coke.  That's sad and tragic.  
As Snapper said, filling the gaps with hammocks offers a bit of a safety net so the fall isn't so far.  The taller cages are a hazard because of the distance to the floor.  I would have a shelf a max of one floor above the floor below.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

It was a heartbreaking accident, but if a higher cage will make Puck happier I'm all for it. TONS of hammocks then! He's mostly free roam during the day (except when Mommy is working), but I want him happy. So any recommendations on good cage brands or are they all generally a good cage?

Thank you for the condolences, and I will definitely get a better cage then :)

Most people, including us, swear by the Ferret Nation cage.  The only minor complaints we see are about assembling them.  They are very rugged, easy to clean and escape-proof.  You could start with a single unit and add an upper level expansion later.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD