Yup, they are rats lol.

I don't find that the cage is any more smelly. I keep it very clean though -- I just love having a cage that is so easy to clean. I open the door, vaccuum up any poop, bedding, or leftover food, I spray, wipe, and it's done!

There is a hole in each shelf, so they can go up and down. However, they are silly, and don't use the holes very often to go up (they use them going down though). They would rather climb up the wire and squeeze themself in between the wire and the shelf. My last rats just used the holes though. They pretty much ignore the climbing things I hang under the holes and jump.