Do we need to stick to rats' calculator for oldies?

[Rilence]

I am just asking as one day my rats would be old; And won't be able to climb as well.

But sadly, I don't think I will be able to provide that much of length spaces, so do we need to go according to cage sizing recommended by rats calculator (If the rats are very much healthy into their old age)?

Or is it okays to have it smaller than recommended since they are not as bubbly nor as active as youngsters?

 

[Joanne]

Since my girls have gotten older, they definitely don't zoom around as much. I would look at a few things:
-personalities: do they get along really well? If they do, then they don't need as much 'personal' space as if they still squabbled and don't really get along as much.
-are they still really active? Or do they sleep much of the day? The more inactive the group is, the less room they need to run as they just hang out and sleep and snack.
-mobility: All my old rats at some point get Hind End Degeneration and lose mobility. I have outfitted my DCN with lowered ramps so they can pull themselves up if they want. I worry about falls so make sure there is not a big height to fall from.
In your situation, your vertical cage is great when they are young, but when they get older and have a hard time moving around, they would do better with a more horizontal habitat if possible. Otherwise you will need to modify the cage depending on the rats' abilities at the time.

 

[Petunia]

I agree with Joanne, it depends on your rats and how active they are, and how well they get along
My oldies do better in smaller cages with just one very low level, or no levels at all if they are having a lot of trouble getting around.

 

[Rilence]

Thanks you both; Those are exactly what I needed to know in preparation