# Bar spacing for male rats?



## RavenclawRiddle (Sep 12, 2014)

Hello everyone!

So recently, we grabbed a nice looking cage from a yard sale for $5. It's in good shape, but it has bar spacing that's 1" or a little smaller. I'd like to be able to use this cage, but I obviously don't want my ratties escaping with two cats in the house. The rats will be males, one is quite large and we don't know what size the other will be, but it'll be close so he isn't bullied by the first one after introductions. 

Any advice on that?

Thanks!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

If they're large males 1" spacing is fine. My boys aren't even full grown and do fine with 1" spacing. Girls are a different story


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

Half an inch is the recommended absolute biggest for baby females - which are tiny. A little smaller than one inch should be fine for full grown/or close to adult males.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Also, it's supposed to be easier to introduce a young male to an older one than to introduce two older males, but it's not impossible.


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## thenightgoddess (Apr 2, 2014)

Yeah it would be fine for already adult males but keep in mind that if you want girls eventually or get a new rat as a baby that cage wouldn't work and like someone already said it is a ALOT easier to introduce a 10 week old male baby to a male rat older then four months. It is recommended that if your rat is older then four months to get a baby no older then four months and about 10 weeks is ideal.


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## RavenclawRiddle (Sep 12, 2014)

Okay, thanks! Just wanted to be sure. I'm not sure how old the first one is, he's full grown but still young according to the vets. They rescued him from Petco a few weeks ago, Petco was going to put him down.


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## thenightgoddess (Apr 2, 2014)

RavenclawRiddle said:


> Okay, thanks! Just wanted to be sure. I'm not sure how old the first one is, he's full grown but still young according to the vets. They rescued him from Petco a few weeks ago, Petco was going to put him down.


If he is full grown he is probably older then four months old. The two rats in my picture are a year and a half and around ten weeks old. The ten week old is now about six months old and has been full grown for a month or two.


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## RavenclawRiddle (Sep 12, 2014)

So would a big male 3-4 month old be ok with a rat who is around 6 months old, with proper intros?


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## thenightgoddess (Apr 2, 2014)

RavenclawRiddle said:


> So would a big male 3-4 month old be ok with a rat who is around 6 months old, with proper intros?


like someone already said it is not impossible but is harder when they are older under four months is better when you are introducing with an adult because they are less of a threat to the adult. I forgot to add that for an ideal introduction you need two seperate cages and it can take anywhere from a week to a month.


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## RavenclawRiddle (Sep 12, 2014)

Yep, we have means to do that, thanks! We'll try to get a youngling.


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