[LT_2022]

I'd put the ramp back in so the rats can climb up to the shelf without needing to climb the bars and potentially fall off.

Do you just have an old fleece blanket on the bottom? Apparently fleece isn't great for odor control and absorbing urine. Fleece liners with a absorbent layer sandwiched in between is a bit better at absorbing urine. And many rats just chew the fleece up so it doesn't last too long. Some people put a cement tub or something similar in the bottom of the CN, either completely replacing the bottom wire grate with the tub or just setting the tub on top of the wire grate. The tub is filled with bedding. A smaller container can be put on the shelf. Target has a 28 quart container that fits but other similar sized containers work and you can repurpose what you may have at home.

Lots of instructions for DIY toys and rat accessories on Pintrest and other web sites Shadow the Rat has videos on both DIY toys and reviews of store bought toys.

Don't tell the kids but you can add another single CN to the top of your current cage to make it a huge double CN. Or add two cages to make a rat heaven triple CN 😅

 

[LT_2022]

Ohh... You can buy extra CN ramps but a DIY one works too Even just a few staggered shelves / perches attached to the cage bars will work as a gradual way to and from the shelf to the cage bottom.

The babies might not smell too much now but as they get older the ammonia smell from the urine will get stronger. You'd likely have to wash the fleece every other day or so. And all rats eventually figure out that they can chew through fleece and make themselves cozy underneath. Just something to consider.