Choosing a Cage

There are hundreds of cages to choose from. Many are advertised as being suitable for rats. There are also the 'rat starter kits', which are totally inappropriate, believe me and PLEASE DO NOT BE FOOLED INTO BUYING ONE. Our recommended size for a pair of rats is at least 3 feet square minimum and without wire flooring or shelving. Unfortunately, some of the more suitable cages have problems, one being they have wire flooring. This is resolved by putting vinyl tiles, cardboard or Perspex. We would highly recommend Perspex. It can be a bit pricey but it will last a life time and it can be easily wiped or washed. You must avoid wooden flooring or wooden boxes, as these will absorb the urine and are impossible to clean. Eventually it could prove harmful to your rat due to the severe respiratory problems they can have, cardboard also soaks up urine so you will have to change it every couple of days. 


There are chinchilla or ferret cages on the market that are suitable for rats. Terenziani make ok ones but they do have wire flooring, which can be easily removed. The problem we found was the cleaning, due to it's size and layout and the wire shelves, it is very fiddly to clean and does need fully de assembling, which is very time consuming. There are other problems, the cages are very flimsy and will go rusty over time, they are fine if you only have a few rats. The prices range from £45 - £105. comes in 3 different sizes.

Super Jolly Cages by Gabber are by far one of the best style and size. They come with ladders, huts and are easy to clean as they are all plastic, including the 3 large shelves. these range from £65 to £100 and are suitable for 2 rats. The only problem we found was that the tray was a flimsy plastic and if you have chewy rats it wouldn't take long for them to break out of it.

 Our second favourite is the deluxe multi floor ferret home, this comes with tubes 9 plastic shelves 2 ladders and a hammock  unfortunately they have large bars and are only suited to the larger rat, they come in 3  different sizes and range from £75 to £270

Large bird cages are ideal - Ferplast do some with trays that slide out of the bottom, which is excellent for cleaning but they can be a bit pricey, and on the ones we have the bars have gone rusty. Prices start from £100 up wards.

Local free adds - Loot does a pet page but second hand large cages are very had to find. Be warned some adverts say large cage for sale, then when you inquire about it, it may be too small for a mouse to live let alone a rat.

Ratosphere only recommend cages. We feel that aquariums are most unsuitable for rats. There is very little ventilation in aquariums and rats have already got problems with respiratory tract infections (Mycoplasma bacteria). This could get worse with the build up of urine. Even if you change the bedding once a day there will still be dangerous amounts of ammonia building up which could play havoc on your rats breathing. Rats love to climb and sit in hanging hammocks, putting them in an aquarium would be depriving them of doing what comes naturally.

Equipping the Cage

You will need litter for the bottom of the cage. We recommend cardboard horse bedding, or Bob Martins recycled paper pellets. It's highly absorbent, its eco friendly and it's safe for rats to chew. Unlike wood shavings, it contains very little dust which doesn't irritate the walls of the 
respiratory tract, it is soft on their feet and they love to bury themselves in it. We also recommend Crafty Cat which is similar to Bob Martin which is also very hard to get hold of.. In one of our cages we have a ferret corner litter pan which we fill up with litter. It's also easier to clean. If you have a friendly pet shop they may be able to order some of the litter in and if you buy in bulk you may be able to get it cheaper.
We do not recommend wood chips, sawdust or wood shavings (different names, same guise) as there can be a lot of dust which will not help your ratties breathing, also has been proven to be toxic. They no longer use this for horse bedding, a lot of animal keepers are now using paper substitutes, even for horses. Some newspapers can be toxic and leave a lot of staining the rats coat. shredded paper can be a harsh on their feet and like ourselves it can cause paper cuts, which in turn could lead to bumble foot. We wouldn't recommend using this either.

Bedding

We recommend safe bedding which is shredded paper and it's sometimes mixed in with bits of J cloth. It costs about £5 for a very large bag. Our ratties prefer kitchen paper which they shred up themselves. We also give them clean dusters and rags which can be easily washed. Never use cotton wool bedding, it's dangerous to most rodents especially rats (if they chew on it they could choke)


You will need a gravity (ball valve) bottle This will keep the water clean and let out just enough water without spillage. The cost is around £1.30 Be sure to wash it out on a regular basis. We throw ours away after 3 to 5 months due to the algae and bacteria build up which can't be washed away. We urge everyone to do the same. 
You will need a couple of heavy feeding bowls. Ceramic ones are fine, rats have a tendency to sit on their bowls to feed. If you use a light one it will tip over. They should cost around £2 - £3. You will need more than one.


You will need a nest. You could use cardboard boxes, but they will quickly get soaked in urine. We recommend plastic boxes or igloos. They can easily be washed and wiped clean. Rats need their privacy, it's important that they have a dark nest.

You will need plastic tubing. Large plastic drain or guttering pipes are excellent and cost around £10 - £15 for 5 metres. An alternative is the cardboard inner tubes from rolls of carpet which are free but you can't wash them. Rats love to be up high, these tubes are ideal. We thread plastic brush handles through them which is cut at each side to slip on to each end of the bars of the cage. You can use a stick or a piece of rope and attach to each end of the cage.


OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THE CAGE ARE:


Parrot Ropes can be pricey but worth every penny. The prices range from  £5 - £20. You can attach them to the inside of any cage and they can be machine washed. We have lots of ropes on all levels of the cages and it is a delight to watch them climbing, having fun and exercising all at the same time.


Terracotta plant pots tied to the sides of the cage with an S-type hook are great for sleeping in. They also keep your rats nails in trim. Hanging pots come with a hole on the side and in the bottom. You can pick them up for 50p. The hooks are around 20p. We got ours at B&Q. You can also wash them when they get soiled.


Pet Carriers are very important and ideal for trips to the vet or holiday travel. We have used them as isolation boxes when a rat has become sick or convalescing. The large cat carrier are very useful and come with a feeding bowl and space to hang a water bottle. Argos sell them for £12.99. They have a large handle on top which leaves one hand free to open doors etc.


Shelving is important if you decide to buy a 
bird cage. Melamine boards are ideal and can
be cut to size. We highly recommend Perspex. It will 
last longer. Melamine costs £2.79 for 1.8 metres.
Perspex does cost a lot more though but it is much healthier for your rat and it does not absorb urine.


Hammocks can be placed at each end of the cage. This will give extra levels to the cage which is important to rats. They are made for ferrets and come in all different colours. They are around £7.99 - £18. There is a cheaper alternative. You can cut out the legs off old jeans, thread rope through and attach at each end of the cage. When your ratties decide to nibble at it you can throw it away and start again.

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