# Bar width



## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

I have a really nice cage that I wan't to use for my 3 rats and the bar width is 3/4 inch...I read that its supposed to be 1/2 inch or they might be able to get out. Do you think it will be okay?

Here is a picture...Mind you if it works out im going to put levels and hammocks. :wink:


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

that cage is small for three rats. I would go with something taller and the wooden thing is gonna absorb pee like there is no tomorow LoL you could always build it up Jennielove did it with hers and it looks great. I think the spacing is a bit large and you could run the risk of escape artists especially with girls.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

People use ferret cages though and im sure they are spaced more than half an inch. :? Oh and im not using the wooden house. That stuff in it is from when my rabbit was in it. :wink: I used a website that tells you how many rats can fit, it said 3 but it would be a bit tight. That is without levels so I think it will be fine.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

oh good LoL it is bigger than it looks then LoL I habve a big super pet ferret home for my boys and all but one can't get out the only reason I say it's iffy is because my dwarf rat can escape all he wants and girls are more likely to wander about than boys are just be careful is all make sure they can't get out and if so just wrap it with a finer wire. it'll be great once you get the hammies and all in place!


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

Ugh, im just really worried about the bar width. Maybe I should just try to sell it and buy a different cage. :?


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## Lise (Feb 26, 2007)

3/4 inch spacing is fine for all rats, including females as soon as they are about 8 weeks old.

However rats are happier and do better with *more* space not less. Rats that are crowded into a cage even when you add levels and hammocks tend to fight and squabble with each other more, and don't have enough room to really expend any energy.

I don't think that cage is even close to suitable for 3 rats. They will be SO much happier and better pets if you invest in a larger cage.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

3/4 inches can let my little man out of his cage lise LoL he gets out all the time but he only ever goes up and sits on the top of the cage. He is about the size of a large female rat. I would definitely go with somethihng bigger than that but that's because I like my boys to have LOTS of room. I have six rats in a cage that can hold 16.


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## twilight (Apr 20, 2007)

Alrighty, no problem. I will sell it and buy something bigger!  I wanna be a good rat mom. :wink:


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

that's awesome twilight check out craigslist they have some pretty good deals once in a while actually (thinks) *pm's you


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## Lise (Feb 26, 2007)

Stephanie said:


> 3/4 inches can let my little man out of his cage lise LoL .


I think you should go measure.... are you sure you don't have 1" spacing?  I'm guessing you do.

My Hagen cage that I have used for the past three years as a hospital cage and quarantine cage has 3/4" spacing... I just went and measured to make sure. Yup its .75". I have never had a rat come even close to being able to fit out. And I have tiny females! I recently quarantined 8 week old girls in it and they couldn't even fit out. So I'm pretty sure on the 3/4" being fine.

EDIT: Yeah I just noticed you have a Super Pet Ferret cage. They have 1" bar spacing. Whole different ball game... that extra quarter inch makes a huuuge difference. Many/most female rats (and obviously some males!) are small enough to squish out of 1" spacing.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

wow it is one inch the box said 3/4 that's hilarious! lmao i can't believe the box was wrong on that haha thanks lise now i know why little man can fit through
{edit} goes and checks the box to make sure i am not crazy!. . . well that's it I have lost my mind LoL I must have been looking at something else I could have sworn it said 3/4 inches thanks lise I have clearly gone over the edge either that or i am just out of it today *looks around* i blame the rain


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

The thing about bar spacing, is it apparently depends on the rats. I've never had any ratties get out of any cages, personally. Then again, I've never had females. I have had little males though... I keep them in a smaller-spacing SuperPets, then move them to the ferret cages when they're a bit bigger.

It does seem awfully small, though. Did the cage calculator say 3 with 2 cubic feet per rat, or 1.5 cubic feet per rat?


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## ManBeard (Apr 10, 2007)

Ive heard of attaching a layer of chicken wire outside of rabbit hutches to make holes smaller, maybe that could work with your cage?


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Well thats a marchioro cage. I have one like that as well, but mine good deal bigger than that one, but I made a cage topper for it and now my cage can hole up to 9 ratties! 

Heres what mine looks like now:
http://www.ratforum.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1101.html


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

my girls fought much less since I extended there cage-which reminds me-theres some fantastic junk out at the bin I need to go grab-I hope noone sees they think Im wierd allready!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Mmmm scavanging P:

I think the wire spaceing depends on the rats and whether they are an escape artist or not. I know I could keep my doors open all day and Bastian and Odin won't step more than a foot outside of the cage as they are afraid for some reason (yet I put bastian on the floor and he runs EVERYWHERE! What gives?) But some like the thrill of escaping, it sends shivers down their tails and makes them feel wild and free. Others I think just like to stay home where it's nice and comfy and would rather avoid those thrill seeking ways as they could be DANGEROUS! The horror D:

But yeah, depends on the rat. I bet I could keep Odin and Bastian in a topless guneia pig cage and they would never escape but Bert I was a little more worried about so I went with .5" spaceing. I don't really like that I can't just go up and interact between bars when I'm in a rush for work or something. I like to interact sometimes when I only have a second and not enough time to open the cage. I mean when i come home yeah I'll open those doors and play with my rats forever but when I'm rushing out the door sometimes I just like to reach a finger in there and give a goodbye pet D:


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