I'm moving from my old glass rat tank to a barred one so they'll be able to climb levels ans breathe a lot better. From experience, what's your best and reasonably priced brand?
A variety of cages work. I worked at an exotic animal vet that saw rats for two years and have 5 myself. Here are the most important things to consider:
1. They have enough room to move around. There are many handy calculators online. Here is one: http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml Personally, I think you should double the amount of room to be absolutely sure. In my experience, rats (like people) have different sized personal space bubbles.
2. Rats are highly inquisitive and intelligent creatures and need maximum stimulation. You need a cage you can switch around a lot. For this reason, I like cages with moveable and changeable parts or lots of room in which to change it up. I change my rat cage around every week or so in setup completely. This keeps them active and not lazy which prevents them from gaining weight. This does not have to be expensive. You can use cardboard boxes leftover from food, shoes, etc. to make little houses for them to climb in. You can use rope and old dishtowels to make your own hammocks. I make tunnels and toys out of cardboard toilet paper and paper towel tubes. You can use zip ties and a hole punch to suspend cereal boxes from the ceiling to make comfy sleeping cubbies. Yes, we are humans and want everything to look cute but they are rats - they do not care if it is fun to play with.
3. Air circulation. So glad you are making the switch to a barred cage. Aquariums cause havoc to sensitive rattie respiratory tracts.
4. Bar spacing. It needs to be small enough so rats cannot squeeze through but large enough to be able to hang all of your accessories.
I use a variety of handmade and purchased hammocks to spruce it up. I combine random stuff to spruce up the cage and have infinite ways to change it up. Keep in mind that you can use many other stuff marketed and sold for other animals for rats.
Speaking of eating, what do your rats eat? I make mine forage for dinner by hiding it in old cardboard boxes stuffed with newspapers or wrap dinner in newspapers and stuff it in the middle of toilet paper rolls and hide them around the cage. They keep mentally active finding these and chewing to get to the food. :)
Oh the cardboard boxes are awesome! But be sure to switch them out when they get too dirty. But my rats loved them. Though they always chewed their own hole to get in and out of while never using the one I made. XD
A variety of cages work. I worked at an exotic animal vet that saw rats for two years and have 5 myself. Here are the most important things to consider:
1. They have enough room to move around. There are many handy calculators online. Here is one: http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml Personally, I think you should double the amount of room to be absolutely sure. In my experience, rats (like people) have different sized personal space bubbles.
2. Rats are highly inquisitive and intelligent creatures and need maximum stimulation. You need a cage you can switch around a lot. For this reason, I like cages with moveable and changeable parts or lots of room in which to change it up. I change my rat cage around every week or so in setup completely. This keeps them active and not lazy which prevents them from gaining weight. This does not have to be expensive. You can use cardboard boxes leftover from food, shoes, etc. to make little houses for them to climb in. You can use rope and old dishtowels to make your own hammocks. I make tunnels and toys out of cardboard toilet paper and paper towel tubes. You can use zip ties and a hole punch to suspend cereal boxes from the ceiling to make comfy sleeping cubbies. Yes, we are humans and want everything to look cute but they are rats - they do not care if it is fun to play with.
3. Air circulation. So glad you are making the switch to a barred cage. Aquariums cause havoc to sensitive rattie respiratory tracts.
4. Bar spacing. It needs to be small enough so rats cannot squeeze through but large enough to be able to hang all of your accessories.
I have this cage: http://www.ferretdepot.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/60248.jpg Probably the most top of the line cage is a Critter Nation. you can also hand make your own grotto style cage which is popular: http://www.dapper.com.au/cagebuild.htm Finally, Martin's Cages also has some great ones.
I use a variety of handmade and purchased hammocks to spruce it up. I combine random stuff to spruce up the cage and have infinite ways to change it up. Keep in mind that you can use many other stuff marketed and sold for other animals for rats.
Here are some examples:
My rats love bird rope perches: http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/shop_image/product/56b817636a65d24167984360b00e63ed.jpg
I position them in the cage to lead from hammocks to platforms, etc. I started out with the thicker ones and now most of my rats can sprint around on the smallest kind - they are very agile and nimble creatures.
You will sometimes see birdhouses or nest boxes at stores (make sure they are not painted with bad chemicals): http://www.windycityparrot.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/bird%20house%20-1.jpg Mine love to nest and play in these.
My rats love this timothy hay house: http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/images/TimothyBungalowMx300.jpg They shred it up and make nests and even eat the hay which is perfectly fine for them to eat. :)
Speaking of eating, what do your rats eat? I make mine forage for dinner by hiding it in old cardboard boxes stuffed with newspapers or wrap dinner in newspapers and stuff it in the middle of toilet paper rolls and hide them around the cage. They keep mentally active finding these and chewing to get to the food. :)
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(think cat lady, but rats)
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