# Meet Nikolai, in his birdcage mansion!



## Tomakze (May 26, 2014)

I got this adorable little guy for free from someone who was moving. His cage was completely empty other than it had bedding in it, and it hadn't been properly cleaned in... as long as it had been around? It had quite the collection of filth. I cleaned it out, and attached the birdcage I modified to the top, to create a super cage! He has 8+ CUFT of room to roam! I also added some toys, a hammock, and a wheel. He never uses the wheel or the hammock though, which figures. He LOVES the birdcage portion though, and spends 90% of his time up there. He sleeps on the top level. Now we need to get him a buddy! I plan to go to PetCo tomorrow and buy the cutest little gray and white rat they have. he is active and social, at least for a pet store rat. I haven't had much luck finding other rats in rescues around here. I will separate the cages then and put the new guy in the birdcage, and Nikolai back in his old one. He will be bummed. Then go through the whole isolate, switch cages, do introductions, etc process to get them used to one another. We plan to name the new guy Tesla. (Nicolai and Tesla... Get it!) Without further adieu, here is the cutey:










It has fleece in the bottom, and a litter pan. I am trying to figure out how to litter box train him, with minimal success so far.










He is SUPER friendly, and well behaved! We love this little guy!!!










He'll stand on it, but never runs.










Sleeping in his favorite spot. He watches us from up here, too. As I type, he is cleaning himself in the same place, lol!

This is what the cage looked like when we brought him home:










So sad! Someone had swapped bedding, but the pan and shelf were CAKED with crud! I literally scrapped it off!


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I love the name  the cage looks good too, for the litter training have you tried a pee rock? I took my two boys who had never seen a litter box in their lives and I put 2 pee rocks in, and I'm not exaggerating they started using it on the first day. Pica (who is calm and sweet) has fully gotten the hang of it, but his brother Pepe (who is more dominant) still poops outside some probably to mark his territory and just be difficult in general. 


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

Just try and see where he is pooping the most. Place the pan and all the poops you find in that corner. My rats never went for it but I tried...I think its because of their age though.


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## Tomakze (May 26, 2014)

He does have a pee rock. You can see it in the pic of the whole cage.  I'll definitely try to put all his poops in it, and move it to the other corner, and see if that helps. Maybe he will be less excited to sleep in it if it is full of poop, lol!


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## Tomakze (May 26, 2014)

OH! I was going to ask... as for getting him a buddy, we plan to do that today. Nikolai is neutered, and I hear that helps the process... should we also neuter the new guy before they meet? Would that make him less likely to be aggressive? Also, since Nikolai has been alone for so long, do you guys think that will hinder him being accepting, or does it matter?

Nikolai was his name when we got him, which I thought was perfect. I am a science geek, and especially with electronics, so I can't help but name the next guy Tesla... it is just too perfect! (Even though it is spelled Nikola Tesla in the inventor's case. lol)


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## LittleSparrow (Apr 14, 2014)

I love his name, he is such a sweet looking boy. 

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## Tomakze (May 26, 2014)

LittleSparrow said:


> I love his name, he is such a sweet looking boy.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks! 

We got him a buddy, and named him Tesla. He is a very cute little grey and white guy. Very timid, and not socialized, but we are making progress. He won't let us hold him yet, but he will come to the door and greet us, and we can pet him (although he isn't sure about being petted yet, lol! He looks at us suspiciously while we pet him.) I'll post pics later!


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