setting up a single CN for older boys

I have two single CN cages, but I keep all four of my rats, 2 almost 2yr old boys and two 8 mos old girls, in the same cage

The boys are starting to show difficulty in getting around, so I want to modify the cage for them but I'm not sure how to do it and still have it be interesting enough for the girls too.

The girls love to run in the wheel but if I put two shelves in the cage, there's no place to put a wheel.

does anyone have photos of their set ups for older rats to give me an idea?
I'm wondering if maybe I should set up both cages and let the girls spend half of their time in that cage while the boys have a cage to themselves or what exactly I should do.

During out time, the boys will only play for about an hour and then they either hide in a pile of fleece to sleep or go back in the cage to sleep.
The girls will still be out running for several hours more if I let them, but I do need to put them back in the cage so I can get some housework done and whatnot- I'm thinking that might be a good time to give them a cage set up more for young ones, with their wheel and ropes to climb etc

I don't like leaving the ropes in the cage with the boys any more because they try to climb on them but look like they're gonna lose their balance on of these times.

The only modification I made for my Bastien with his HED was putting ramp covers. That seemed to really help him. Other than that, he gets around amazingly well. How about just lowering the shelf? Don't make it too easy for them, you want them to work at it and build upper body muscle to be able to carry their back ends around with little effort.

You could get a cut out pan, another ladder and buy another bottom grid piece or have a piece cut out of one of the 4 you have so that you can create a double CN. or set up the cages like a double CN and cut a hole in two side pieces and attach the 2 cages with a tube so the girls can move between the 2 cages.

BUT
If you have the space, remove 1 side from each cage and attach them with cable ties to make one 6 foot long cage.
Then there will be room for the wheel, you can lower 1 or both levels, and hang hammocks across the cage from one of the levels to the other for the girls to play in. If you have the space, it is great because it gives all ratties, including those who can not get up and down ramps, a lot of space. (I roll up a dollar store fleece blanket to fill the extra horizontal floor space created when the two adjoining sides were removed, tucking part of the blanket under a pan to anchor it.)

As mobility decreases my seniors have found the ramp covers useful, low hammocks that can be crawled into under the levels, thick 2nd hand crib blankets (as I don't have CN fleece pan covers) to pad the full level when hed took its toll, boxes to crawl into & chew, dollar store dish pan with sides cut down or off for a litter box. low chew tube cable tied onto the side of the cage for easy access, a low water dish, blocks, block mush, soy infant formula, etc

EDIT: I put a piece of chloroplast, like a dollar store for sale sign, cut to fit, over the floor, under the pans, where the two cages meet because there is a small gap the rats could squeeze through ..... but when covered with chloroplast and then pans, there has never been a problem.

good luck

Seniors are in the top of my double cage ... some could still go up ramps, some couldn't ... you can see the sideless litter pan, they were determined to continue using a litter box even tho they had little use in their back legs

I like the idea of putting two cages together side by side

as it turns out I assembled both cages incorrectly so I need to take them apart anyway, I think I'll try that
I don't know if the zip ties I currently have are going to be strong enough, can you use say, chenille sticks instead? (longer pipe cleaner type sticks)

I am going to have to re arrange their room but there should be enough space to do a side by side CN set up

I would pick up the longer, stronger zip ties at a local hardware or dollar store. You don't want them tied together weakly.
And you CAN have a wheel and two shelves in the CN. The shelf in the top position leaves plenty of room for a silent spinner underneath. When I have some rats with HED I like to put one shelf in the lowest position and one in the highest position, with a ramp for the low shelf and a second ramp from the low shelf to the high shelf.
I think the two cages side by side would be great!

................

hmm they have a wodent wheel- the biggest one

i jsut got a silent spinner but it seems to be defective, when they use it the yellow thing that holds the wheel on the frame comes loose and it falls apart
must find my receipt and see about returning it
unless i can glue that part on.........?
will take a photo

I used to have a wobust wodent wheel like you are describing.
I would cable tie the base and stand to the side of the cage so it would be secure and so pee, etc didn't collect on it.

Petunia said:

hmm they have a wodent wheel- the biggest one

i jsut got a silent spinner but it seems to be defective, when they use it the yellow thing that holds the wheel on the frame comes loose and it falls apart
must find my receipt and see about returning it
unless i can glue that part on.........?
will take a photo

Click to expand...

Don't glue it. Then you can't return it if necessary. Perhaps it is missing a piece. If you take a pic we can compare it to a working one.

If possible, I would return it and get another one.
I have found that when the yellow knobs do not stay on, they keep coming off no matter how much you tighten them.
Perhaps those ones are slightly different because others never seem to come off

oh darn, I hope I can find my receipt for the Silent spinner. I thought I got it from Drs Foster and Smith but it's not on that receipt
gah!

well if worse comes to worse do you think glue would keep it on? like superglue, not elmers

you can also get a screwdriver and try tightening it

As long as the glue doesn't stop it from spinning or from removal, it may be OK, but try everything else first.