I also thought that putting the rat colony in a simulate capsule would help for first test run.
1: The capsule could have multiple lay outs and we could do a could of trys in space to see if the geometry, food and clean up effected the number of rats and reproduction.
2: If a rat colony with a rotational gravity in space was to suffer from stress then a mixing of drugs like chamomile or marijuana might be good to stop in fighting. We would be medicating a society and not an individual. Some rats may take more drugs than others. Some may take so much drugs that they die but it is an acceptable loss for in space. So I am suggesting the supply is limited so as to de-stress the rodents and give them the most possibility to succeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUCKKnDnJG8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z760XNy4VM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLlIdEWco4M
and for fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSMEG8QdVo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cISmv0IGoQQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjhyXam1Je0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8BjKQkym8w
I would like to call the capsule NYMH-ble number 01.