Should i get a FN now or later??

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

So i have 11 rats. My boys were just neutered 2 weeks ago ( they are 6-8 month old) and two out of three get along and i am still working on Romeo. At one time they did all live together so i know they can go together.

 I have 8 girls, one who is blind and lives alone, 5 females ( adult) and 2 babies.

If anything i would like to get the males and females in one cage and than have a smaller younger group so when my older rats pass over the Rainbow bridge i still will have this younger group.

I was planning on getting a FN because you can split it into 2 and still have a ton of space. I have 6 cages set up right now all over my room and would like to just get everyone into one big cage. Maybe get the ex tation so that there are 3 level.s

I have

 All living things ( red) 30X18X30 ( 4 rats)
 my first home exotic cage 30 X 20X30 ( 4 rats)
My first home Ferret 2x2 cage which can hold 6-8 rats
The 2 other sizes of All living cages ( Shadow's cage/ new/ ISO)
A rabbit cage that i turned into a rat cage
A 10 gallon tank ( ISO/ sick)
A 20 long tank and... ( mom and babies)
My first home for rats ( ISO/sick)

I want to get a FN and i know i will have to mortify it but the question is should i just go ahead and sell my cages and get the FN or should i wait?

 I don;t have a big room and having all the cages around me gets kinda annoying and it would just be nice to have one BIG cage.

This wouldn't be something i would rush, Maybe it would just be a good idea to get some room.. Plan ahead and get the FN first and but have people already line up to take the UN used cages.. I would keep a few but do i really need 8-9 cages? Should i wait or should i just go ahead and get a FN?

I just wanted to see what everyone was thinking. I asked my boyfriend and he said he didn't know. So i wanted to ask people who have FN to see what they thought.

Thanks

Kaytie
 

[Sun of Samsa]

I had my males and females separated into two R695s. Cleaning day meant at least two hours between rat-wrangling, hauling thirty pounds of cage through doors that are only just wide enough to fit through, drop the cage in the tub that's too small for it, avoid black scratches on the tub floor from the wire, scrub, sit, rinse, dry, assemble, repeat. Males were usually easier to wrangle, but had a much messier cage so the time balanced out.

With the FN, depending on how deep a cleaning I'm doing, I don't even need to take the rats out of the cage. Remove liner, wipe down shelf (H202 or water, depending on the mess), replace liner, scritch, close doors, repeat. This takes five minutes tops for the top and bottom. Taking out the pans and washing in the tub takes about twenty minutes for both levels.

Condensing the two Martin's into one cage is the best thing I've done. I don't know how it would be with three levels, I'd need an 8' ladder to reach the top!

I think you should just go ahead and do it. You won't regret it, I hope!

[gromit]

I have not had rats for long, and the only cage I have used is the FN.  I agree that cleaning is incredibly easy.  I even have the hardware wire on mine and still find it easy to clean.  Although it is huge, it would probably take up less space than all the cages you have now.

[Dearpie]

Why not wait for the Rat Nation, since you're in no hurry?  There won't be any modifications involved.

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

Why not wait for the Rat Nation, since you're in no hurry?  There won't be any modifications involved.

 The problem is i can't wait much longer.  I have the money for it,  After being sick for 3 months its left me with breathing problem and it takes me 3 to 4 hours to clean everything. I have no room for me, it would be so much more easier to just  to have one Big cage. I rushed into getting the 2 last cages and i should have done more research. I have been looking at a FN for a while now i would like to get it this April. Everyone says they love it and with having no idea about what the Rat nation will look like and how much it will cost. I think i should take the chance. It would save bedding and time on how much it cost to clean 8 -13 cages once a week. But i did ask if was a good idea for a reason. To not rush too far into it.

[lilspaz68]

I have 2 FN's now and they are much easier to clean/care for.  Bars can be wiped easily, etc, etc.  The only issue I have is lab block dust and urine combo on the panels...   But stay on top of it and you are fine.  My 2 FN's take me about an hour to do both, if I don't let the munchkins out to run on the floor and they decide to "help" me 

The Horde still says Thanks! to all those lovely Goosmoosers for their FN!!!   

Go for it, but get in a big supply of liners/fleece prior to getting it. 

[gromit]

I would go for the FN now.  I think there will always be a demand for them, so if the Rat Nation is better, the FN could be sold.  You might lose a bit of money, but probably not much.  I don't regret getting a Ferret Nation, but I will sell it if the Rat Nation is a lot better.  Or donate it to a rescue.  I don't know how much of a discount you get at Petsmart, but remember to look on ferrets.com for a good price.

[Dearpie]

This wouldn't be something i would rush, Maybe it would just be a good idea to get some room.. Plan ahead and get the FN first and but have people already line up to take the UN used cages.. I would keep a few but do i really need 8-9 cages? Should i wait or should i just go ahead and get a FN?

This is why I thought you could wait.  You said you could ... 

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

Im sorry,  I was willing to wait but the more i look at how much money i could save the more i wanted it. I really would like to get it soon but i wanted to make sure it was a good idea

[baileyjane]

I don't think you would at all regret buying an FN now; it is amazingly easy to maintain!  I bought several cages before getting mine; now I can't imagine having any other cage.

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

I am happy to say i got the FN yesterday at a petsmart near my grandpa's hospital.. Hes been really sick all week and i needed something to help me feel better and do something to try and get my mind off it.  I made it all by myself and i am a 5' girl so i think thats pretty good. the first part with thear wire was hard doing it alone but i got is and its very solid I put the girls on the top and the boys on the bottom but i do have a question. HOw is the ramp suppost to block off the opening? I have it tied up for now because i wasn't sure.

I went and took all my other cages( well the cage not being used) and there are a lot.. i think i will either sell them her or in the lawn sale my mom is having this summer.

THANKS EVERYONE

Kaytie

[baileyjane]

Feel underneath the top level, near the front, where the end of the ramp folds up.  There is an "S" hook there that hooks on the bottom rung of the ladder, holding it very securely.  Sorry about your grandpa. 

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

Feel underneath the top level, near the front, where the end of the ramp folds up.  There is an "S" hook there that hooks on the bottom rung of the ladder, holding it very securely.  Sorry about your grandpa. 

Thanks.. he has been good and bad.. not out of the woods yet. He was doing so well and today he was really bad again..

[Dearpie]

From what I recall, there was a thread where boys and girls were 'separated' like yours and there ended up being a way the rats ended up mingling.   It sounds like a pregnancy waiting to happen, unless all of your boys or girls are altered.

[ChicagoLovinKippy5]

From what I recall, there was a thread where boys and girls were 'separated' like yours and there ended up being a way the rats ended up mingling.   It sounds like a pregnancy waiting to happen, unless all of your boys or girls are altered.

My boys are neutered and i waited a month, my mom and I are going to cover the opening she didn't like them seeing each other either. For the most part my girls hiss a little and the boys could really care less and lay in there houses sleeping. They look up and put there heads back down and go back to sleep.
 I am planning on covering it for sure i just wanted to know how to keep it up first.

[baileyjane]

A more secure way to separate them is to put the solid pan on top (with the ramp fastened as well) so it covers the hole.  Then you could use something underneath the cut-out pan on the bottom if you wanted.