# Almost completed our first rat cage



## heatherrrrrrrrrR (Jan 7, 2010)

So I am new to this forum and am in need of some insight. my boyfriend is building a mansion of a rat cage for our two girls Sparta and Mocha. We have the main part of the cage built out of birch, there are two medium size rooms for sleeping, eating, water, and toys, one giant room we are going to make into a jungle gym climbing room (they love to climb), and a large potty area on the bottom. we have holes in all the floors and walls to go from each room to room (up, down, or through the wall). Here is my question, what kind of ladders should i use for them to go from room to room? people have said the bird cage ladders but we are worried that sense they are opened in between beams that they might fall through or hurt themselve, so we were thinking of maybe putting a back onto them. But i also was thinking of getting those apple wood logs they sell in the pet store and using them to make ladders that way they can chew on them too if they need to. Any ideas you guys have would be great.

Also, what should we use to seal the wood? it is untreated right now and we were going to lay some self adhesive laminated tile inside the cage to prevent moisture and for easy cleanup. but for the rest of the wood we were thinking of a sealer that is non toxic called polycrylic we found at home depot. So if anyone has any better ideas on that let me know.

Also another thing  any good websites to buy chew toys in bulk? they go through chew toys like crazy.

Thanks for all your help. I will post pictures of the cage when it is completed in a couple of weeks.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I dont know if you should treat the wood, the chemicals used are toxic if consumed. Im unsure if anyone has ever made a cage of wood and found a safe sealant. They will likely chew and and all wood.

The bird ladders are great for rats. Make sure its the wooded ones though. I have them in my cage and my rats can easily navigate up and down the ladders. There should be no problem with them.


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## heatherrrrrrrrrR (Jan 7, 2010)

AMJ087 said:


> I dont know if you should treat the wood, the chemicals used are toxic if consumed. Im unsure if anyone has ever made a cage of wood and found a safe sealant. They will likely chew and and all wood.
> 
> The bird ladders are great for rats. Make sure its the wooded ones though. I have them in my cage and my rats can easily navigate up and down the ladders. There should be no problem with them.


the sealer says non toxic its made for kitchen tables, do you think it will still be toxic? i think we are just going to seal around the front and outside the whole inside is going to be self adhesive laminate tiles. any suggestions for making sure the pee doesnt go into the seams between the tile and wood?


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## sawyerashton (Dec 14, 2009)

When I put my tiles down, I also put some contact paper on the wood first especially where the seams would be for the tiles. That way it couldn't go into the wood.

I also don't use ladders for my levels. I got some aspen plywood and cut a strip and covered it with fleece. It's not vertical though.


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## heatherrrrrrrrrR (Jan 7, 2010)

would using a NON TOXIC wood sealer be ok to use? its made for kitchen tables...


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## sawyerashton (Dec 14, 2009)

I can't comment on the sealer. I'm not really sure what chemicals are safe or unsafe for rats. I do think I read about some safe sealers or that people let the cages sit for a few weeks to get fumes all the way out before allowing the rats to live in, BUT I don't remember where I read that. 

Personally, I would think that this would be fine as chances are, if there are enough things in the cage for them to chew, they shouldn't chew the cage itself. If they do, Is that really any different than rats/mice chewing through walls in homes?


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## heatherrrrrrrrrR (Jan 7, 2010)

SawyerAshton said:


> I can't comment on the sealer. I'm not really sure what chemicals are safe or unsafe for rats. I do think I read about some safe sealers or that people let the cages sit for a few weeks to get fumes all the way out before allowing the rats to live in, BUT I don't remember where I read that.
> 
> Personally, I would think that this would be fine as chances are, if there are enough things in the cage for them to chew, they shouldn't chew the cage itself. If they do, Is that really any different than rats/mice chewing through walls in homes?


so we went with the sealer that is made for kitchen tables, since most of the stuff we read says "if its good for you its good for your rats"


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