Cage Question with poll

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Should I keep them the way they are or change it?

  • Keep them in the 2 cages

  • Move them all to the DCN

  • Buy an add-on to make it a TCN

  • Save up to buy another DCN

Results are only viewable after voting.
M

MiniFrog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
709
Location
bridgewater, nova scotia
So as some of you may or may not know, I have 12 rats, 6 adults in the RUUD, and 6 babies in the DCN. The thing is, I love the looks of the RUUD, lots of floors for them to go on, but I hate the wire bottom, but since the adults are not litter trained for urine, it works good with no liners (the urine then just falls to the bottom where I have litter kind of thing) but I hate cleaning it, it is so difficult to clean! My DCN however is super easy to clean (I have no liners yet but hope to some day) but does not have as many floors as the RUDD. My DCN is only a couple months old where my RUUD is a couple years old. I would love to have 2 DCNs but in all honesty I could never afford that right now. So my question is this, I would love to move them all into the DCN, but worry that it would be too over crowded, and that fighting might happen (with Stewie and his power humping, and Alice and her "I am alpha hear me roar" attitude etc) so is it worth it to make it easier on me, or should I just leave it the way it is?

The RUUD:
IMG_1744.jpg


The DCN:
IMG_2990.jpg
 
It is true that they would probably resent the loss of space, unless they had lots of out time. A DCN is best for ten or fewer rats.

Any chance you could sell the RUUD once you have the balance of the money saved for another DCN? Another possible solution would be to buy a couple of extra shelves for the DCN, to give them more levels.
 
I had 6 rats in a single CN once. They were a really closely bonded group of girls. I don't think it would have worked had they not been so bonded, they all loved each other so much and there were never ever any arguments. I currently have a group of 4 in a single CN and there are issues sometimes over who gets to sit where. If they were closely bonded I would but if not, it might be better to keep them separate. You could always try it out and see how that goes?

Is there a way to make the rudd smaller so that it is easier to clean? I don't know the dimensions though, so this may also not be possible.
 
I *could* sell the RUUD, but hubby doesn't think anyone would want to buy it for a significant amount because it is showing it's age a bit. Plus I would have no where to put the rats if not in the DCN while I waited for my new one. I do not have anything right now to make extra shelves etc with, and only own 2 hammocks plus a face cloth one. I do hope to get more in the near future, but as of right now that is what I got. I have no idea if they would get along, since I have not really tried it yet, I know Honey would since I have had to use her to get Raven out from under the DCN and she has met the boys before when I was trying to show the size difference, but it is the others that I worry about.....
 
I think it depends on your group, the way you set the cage up, and how much out time they get. I have 15 in a double fn. Mine are out all night and until I go to work in the afternoon so the cage size isnt so much of an issue here. the double can fit 10, 12 really isnt a huge different if it was 18 or somethng then it would be squished. if they all get along and are really bonded together, they can live in a double cn. My big group dont sleep alone anyway, they usually sleep in two piles they prefer to be in a rat pile.

You could sell the rudd and then purchase and add on and make it a triple, going up is much easier than any other way.
 
You could always make extra hammocks from Dollar Store towels folded over. That's a trick I learned from SQ. Cardboard boxes make extra hiding/sleeping spots.

If you did sell the RUUD, you could do an intro meanwhile so that the group would get along together. They could probably live together for a short time period while the other cage arrived and got set up.

Love hopefloats' idea of buying just one extra CN section!! That would be perfect and affordable if you sold the RUUD.
 
the add on is something i never thought of, thanks for that! i might look into that idea since i know the add ons are cheaper, but i would have to take it off the base, wouldn't i?
 
Mine are still on the base. I have high ceilings. I prefer to not have their cages directly on the floor during winter. I use a step stool and a chair to clean it but it really isnt a huge deal having an extra level. It is the rats favorite place to mingle though LOL
 
I was just wondering because i didnt really see how having a 3rd level to the DCN would help. If you have 6 in each cage, a group of 6 would still be restricted to the single portion of the CN... and thats what you were worried about, right?

If you intro them all together, then I can see how having the 3rd level would work.
 
You could also make solid levels for the RUDD in the meantime. I'm not sure what would work best but coroplast and lino tiles (they're available at Dollarama now) may work. That was you would just have to wipe the pee and not scrub the wire levels.

I agree with Jo, I would prefer to have them in one cage even if they are a little more cramped. Keep in mind you will be able to let them all out for longer periods and that will help.
 
ok, so i have both cages open, lets see how it goes haha, of course i forgot my camera and cannot go get it without risking letting a rat out of the room......minnie and mitzi just crawled into the DCN followed by alice
 
and the problem is that they do not get as much out time as i would like, since i work 12 hour shifts usually nights (7pm-7am) so i am pretty beat after work and before work i am busy getting ready :?
 

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