# Bottom Dwellers



## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

So it's the third day of being in the lovely larger cage that contains many levels and hammocks I have slaved away at and lookie there Odin and Bastian havn't set FOOT on the ladder to climb to the next level >_>

Bert doesn't use the ladders either, he just jumps up but sometimes I've seen him use the ladders to come back down. It's quite a impressive distance for a jump so it makes me giggle. Bert seems to like and enjoy the levels XD

But Odin and Bastian are on the bottom and STAYING there. I tried to put them on the next level and Odin let out some scared poops and just laid there like a brick for a long time. Eventually he came down and Bastian followed but I really didn't see HOW they came down. So my theory is my rats don't care for ladders, they shake and make them nervous. Should I add a smaller platform they can go onto to get on the higher platforms and just take out the ladders or what? If Odin and Bastian seem fine on the very bottom should I just not worry? They seem quite happy and content with the space there. I just feel bad with Bert possibly owning most the cage for himself while Odin and Bastian stay on the bottom cause they are scardy rats D:


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> I tried to put them on the next level and Odin let out some scared poops and just laid there like a brick for a long time


 :lol: 
I would just leave them to it, I think its good to have a bit of drama in there lives so they're not bored-they've got to have something to moan about! Lola hasnt really got used to the high cage but I went through just nopw and they're both in Poppys bed on the top floor


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Just after I wrote that, I went to open their cage and say hey and Bastian jumped on the door then on the next level >_> They are out to prove me wrong!!!


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> Just after I wrote that, I went to open their cage and say hey and Bastian jumped on the door then on the next level >_> They are out to prove me wrong!!!


 :lol:


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

I think all the rats are out to prove us wrong... I told my parents "Watch, see, they don't use the ramps, they just pull themselves up". As I say this, Bacardi calmly walks up the ramp. :lol:

I put the food up a level until they'd explored all of them and then put it back where it was easiest for them (and me) to get at.


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

in her larger cage, picasso seemed scared, so i put her on the top level, closed the door, and opened the little door at the bottom. took her a few minutes to figure it out, but all she wanted to do was be snuggled and told that all is well, so she bravely (i.e. clumsily leaped down) made her way to the bottom, where i rudely put her right back at the top, lol. she got faster and faster at getting to the bottom, and thus she figured out how to more gracefully navigate her cage. she has a little half-platform that admittedly she doesn't really use though. meh. i'm sure they'll figure it out.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Lol. I think just posting this was seriously what they needed. The go up and down on their own now. They just live on the bottom mostly but go up on the top for something a little different XD My platform plastic to ladder weld doesn't seem to be as strong as I thought it would be though. It's slanting a bit from strain. I need do design better ladders but these work alright for the time being.


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## reachthestars (Feb 27, 2007)

My foster boy Bruce had the smae problem at first. He was kept in a hamster cage and was so overwhelmed when he got the top half of the FN. He didn't seem to realise there was a top half until about after a week in the cage. I came in one day and he was in the cube on the upper level .

Just give them time, they'll get used to the new cage.


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> They are out to prove me wrong!!!


Usually the way :lol:


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