# look what I got!



## beardedrage (Sep 27, 2015)

scored a DCN and a bunch of hammocks for $75. of course it's missing a couple parts but nothing too serious. I have it all set up and I'm going to put the boys in when I get home from work tonight


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

That's awesome! If your boys like climbing and jumping around you really don't even need the extra shelves. Just strategically placed hammocks and toys for them to climb on. Congratulations. That's an incredible deal there. =)


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## beardedrage (Sep 27, 2015)

thanks! there are TONS more hammocks not in the pictures but I'm keeping two sets and donating the rest. I want to see how the boys get around the cage before taking the ladders out. they don't really climb in the hammock I had in their old cage so I'm not sure how they'll do in the dcn. they're still little so they probably won't know what to do with all that space lmao


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## Verucasdad (Aug 31, 2015)

I made quick shelves out of boards and clipped them on with binder clips. I move them around so that the furries have some fun. They love their hammocks. I have two spider web bowls with dish clothes, both from the $1 store, and they nap in those.


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## artgecko (Nov 26, 2013)

You may be able to get extra shelves from midwest... My rats don't really need the ladders except for going between the levels. If you aren't sure how they will take to it, you might want to give them half the cage at first, then once they are comfortable, open the whole cage up to them. 

My rats have taken to the climbing, etc. quickly, but just provide many hammocks and things so that if they do fall, they have something to land on without dropping the entire height of the cage. 

Good deal on the cage! You might want to keep more than 2 sets of hammocks, some rats chew through them quite fast. I know that my crew does and they also wee on them constantly, so I have to change them out every 3-4 days.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Ferret.com has CN shelves. They run about $25 each including shipping.


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## Thor (Oct 1, 2015)

OMG!!! I can ' t believe how lucky you are!! So jealous!


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## beardedrage (Sep 27, 2015)

I've tried putting treats in the hammocks and the boys go to check them out and sniff them but they don't stay in them for too long. they much prefer napping in the litter area. but thank you!! the people that delivered it to me said none of the trays were with it and there are these two shelves that don't look like they should be in the cage but I know they go in. they're really bumpy? and there's no way for them to get on them.. maybe they're missing trays too? I fixed one up by rigging the tray of their old cage on top of the weird shelf and that seems to work fine since I put some shredded paper in there for litter, but that's where they like to hang out lol. I'll have to get something else for a litter box and put it up there I guess, I don't want them hanging out in it.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

My first DFN had shelves that were a wire framework that flat plastic inserts slid into anchored at the corners. If that is the type they gave you, you could cut plastic inserts to fit out of something like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/PLASTEX-1...3003/202090190 other than the color, it is almost exactly what came with my first shelves.

When I got the DCN the shelves were different. They came with pans that sit on top of the wire framework (which was also different made for the pans to drop into) like these: http://www.ferret.com/item/shelf-for...nation/650387/. You can buy the entire shelf frame and pan from ferret.com. The pan may be available separately from Midwest, I've never had to shop for one.

With both types of shelf, there were loop like bends for attaching hooks for hammocks or toys on the bottoms of the frameworks, if I remember correctly. The cages also usually come with ladders for getting to the shelves and from one level to another (this ladder doubles as a separator for dividing the top level from the bottom). The shelf I see in your cage looks like mine, but from that pic I'm not sure which it is. The older shelf frame was flatter and the newer style had a sort of drop to accommodate the pan rather than the flat insert. I hope all of that makes sense.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Oh, I was going to mention that rats climb so well, they don't really need ladders to get to the shelves.


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## beardedrage (Sep 27, 2015)

I will have to take a photo of the current set up because I've changed it since then. I think I know what you're talking about with the shelves though. I was a bit worried that my smaller boy worm would have trouble climbing the walls because I've never seen him climb them before but I'll take the shelves out and put him on the bottom and see if he makes his way back up on his own


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

I just made the comment about them not needing ladders because you mentioned not having a way for them to get to the shelves. My rats easily climb to shelves with or without ladders. I'm sure you and your ratties will figure this out.


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## beardedrage (Sep 27, 2015)

I didn't mean taking the shelves out, I meant ladders lmao. sorry


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Ok. That's better than what I thought I read.


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