# New rat cage



## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Just rescued two female rats that have been kept in a guinea pig/rabbit hutch, we know the hutch is unsuitable for them and need something new, I've been looking around and I can't find anything that looks big enough for them to get enough exercise and play in. I'm wondering has anyone bought cages online? And where's best to go? Just remembering we're in the UK and don't get all the good stuff, it seems the big pet shops forget about rats and there is always a very small selection compared to other rodents.  And when I see something that looks good it never says it's suitable for rats! Just hamsters/gerbils and mice, annoying! 

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I'm in the US so can't help that much, but from what I know Ferplast is recommended

This is the Jenny, the rat calculator says 5 rats so 10 square feet - http://www.ferplast.com/en/shop/small-pet-supplies/rat/jenny

If you go into their ferret section there are larger cages but also have larger wire spacing. http://www.ferplast.com/en/shop/small-pet-supplies/ferret?language=en-GB&p=1

The Explorer is also recommended, its like the Critter nation here - http://www.theonlinepetstore.co.uk/product/The-Explorer-Pet-cage-by-Liberta-1778

This is basically the same thing as above but with horizontal bars - http://www.theonlinepetstore.co.uk/product/Xtrail-Rodent-Cage-659

Hope this helps, these are just the most often used cages there.


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

If you can find a Pets at Home store near you, go and have a look at their cages. We got ours from there for £80 with things like litter, water bottle, food etc included. I've been to several branches of PaH, and found all of them have at least one in stock - last night I was there picking up some food, and they had one for £75 but still including the extras.

Not the most massive cage, but it's more than enough for my two. 

Edit: This is the one we have; pretty much the same thing as the Jenny that Lightning mentioned, (and the same price) but we didn't want a tube, as we didn't know how big our rats would get.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/furet-plus-rat-cage-by-ferplast-15988

And for a more real-world example, here is ours with some more accessories:









Hope this helps


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

I forgot about Pets at Home! There's one in the next town, I shall have to drive there and have a look. Thank you both for your help I shall keep looking at all the links you've mentioned Lightning and I will make that trip to Pets at Home. I want something bigger, spacious and that's more open than this stupid hutch we have them in as they tend to back into a corner and hide. We're trying to expose them to as much human contact as we can. The previous owner didn't handle them.  Very anxious, they need more space to play, I want them to be happier little critters at the moment they're not stimulated at all and just scaredy little things! 

Thanks for the help!  xx


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

I think that for acclimatisation, any cage (within reason) will do - the main thing is that hutches are quite private (and usually outside), whereas with a wire cage with easy access via hatches, you can sit them in your living room and interact almost constantly 

Edit: If you do end up driving over, clear out your car - you can read about the dimensions all you like, but you don't realise just how big they are until you see them..! Ours barely fit in


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Yeah, I'm just fussy and I want them to have a couple of tiers to run up and down, more expensive but I don't mind, they're my ratties. xD Yeah exactly, that's the problem, I think the longer they're in that hutch the less likely they'll want to be in contact with us as they hide behind the closed off door instead of the mesh side. I watch one of them trying to climb up the tiniest bit of mesh and I feel sorry for them they must be so bored in there, hardly any light can get in either. I think hutches are bad for any sort of pet really. 

Haha thanks for the advice I'll make sure there's plenty of space free in the car. xD


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Hello again! Just got back from Pets at Home and set up their new home, am so happy! I think it's the exact same cage you have alexn! I'm going to be addicted to buying them little toys to play with, it's look pretty empty to me already!  The first image is of them in the hutch the original owners 'cage' this morning before we left to get the cage and then the second of them exploring their new home. They seem a lot happier now and their curiousity is helping with their fear. We got 'free' bedding and food if you can call it free, it was £85 lol but at least I wasn't expecting it and it was a pleasant surprise. 

Thanks for the help, these ratties are very happy now


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## laurali (May 20, 2012)

Hi That look like the same cage as I have too. Can I say that it looks as if the bedding looks like wood shavings which can cause breathing and respitory problems. They are better on a cardboard or paper based bedding. I use Bedxcel that I get from the local horse supply shop. There is a site called dapper rat that gives lots of ideas that don't cost a lot of money like the stuff in the pet shop, like getting the old unwanted cardboard rolls from a carpet shop and cutting them for tunnels.
Laura XXX


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Yup, looks to be the same cage  glad they like it! As far as litter goes, the stuff we use is actually cat litter, but a very good, low dust paper kind called Bio-catolet. you can get it from PaH for about £7, and I'm surprised they didn't encourage you to take some - it's the best we've tried so far. You can probably go a little easier on the bedding - we use a couple of handfuls at most, we find that they never use it (other than to bury things) 

I notice you got them the ceramic red thing - I've been thinking about getting one of them for a while, as Daisy occasionally grows tired of Toki lying on her, and goes to the bottom corner for some quiet time - I'd like her to have a dark place to relax in private. Do yours like it?


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Yeah, I've heard wood shavings aren't the best so the next clean out I'll start using paper bedding instead. Thanks laurali. 
Does anyone use their own materials or do you just buy it from a store? Also what about wheels? I'm worried they can get their tails caught in wheels, are your rats okay with their wheel alexn? Did you buy it at PaH aswell? 

Yeah, we have noticed that they haven't really done much with the pile of bedding, I got the idea they'd use it to make a corner comfy, but they've decided to hang out in the 'red thing', I'm not sure exactly what it's made of but apparently it's edible and I thought that'd be perfect, maybe that would deter them from gnawing on the plastic bottom that I've heard a lot about? Haha. Also I figured that they'd need something to hide in to make them feel safe as they've only just been taken out of that hutch that was constantly closed up. 

The cage came with some food, chew sticks, bedding and litter so we've been using that in the little corner, Twitch seems to know where to go but Shortcake is still going wherever she likes! lol xD


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## IOVERATS (Aug 25, 2012)

I'm getting this cage when I get rats  thanks everyone for the pictures because I am sure I want this cage now  If anyone is interested in how to upgrade this cage then just say its super easy and my cousin has done it a million times! 

Good luck and they look much happier  


A wise t-shirt once said 'my rats think your gross too!' directed at all you rat haters out there!


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

I didn't realise quite how big it was until we got to the pet store. It may not be the most massive cage in the history of rat cages lol but it's suitable for my girls, also considering what they were used to, this cage must seem absolutely massive to them too! They love to climb up the bars and explore. Only Twitch has figured out the hammock yet. I turned round to see her little head poking out the side of it staring at me on my computer. Little cutie. <3


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Acquien said:


> I didn't realise quite how big it was until we got to the pet store.


I warned you! 

As for wheels, just as long as you don't get one made of metal bars, they'll be fine. I got mine from PaH a few days ago; they seem very cautious of it, but aren't burying it anymore. Regarding chewing on the plastic, I've noticed that mine don't do it at all - they'll chew on the toilet roll tubes and straw tunnels instead. There's not a single tooth mark on anything else, although then again this could be different for any other rats.

edit:


IOVERATS said:


> thanks everyone for the pictures because I am sure I want this cage now  If anyone is interested in how to upgrade this cage then just say its super easy and my cousin has done it a million times!


What do you mean by upgrading? Giving more space (with additional cages etc) or adding toys and the like? If the former, I'd be very interested indeed - Although it's suitable for 3 or 4, I find that there isn't enough distance, meaning that if Daisy wants quiet time, she doesn't really have anywhere to go to be out of Toki's vicinity.


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Haha, yeah, I did have enough space in the car though, but it was a bit of a squeeze!  You were right, I was going expecting it to be big but I didn't realise just quite how big it was, I was well impressed and it's great because they love to climb, they've fallen off a few times though which has had me worried but I'm guessing the way they've been housed they don't have much experience climbing it must be pretty new to them atm!

I decided to take the risk, a lot of people said their rats had chewed on the plastic bottom, but my ratties actually don't chew or gnaw all that much! :/ They like their chewstick and that's about it, I haven't seen them gnaw on any cardboard yet! 

Yeah I'm rather interested in what you mean by upgrading too, I want to make something for them too!

Oh and alexn, where did you get the idea to name one of your rats Toki, was it from the video game? That's awesome!!


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## laurali (May 20, 2012)

I get my bedding from the local horse supply shop. It is Bedxcel. It comes in a HUGE bale. I was mistaken I thought the pics were of a Jenny. I have the Jenny which is a little bigger but not much. Here's a few lay outs.


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Toki is named after Toki Wartooth from Metalocalypse


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## Acquien (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks laurali, I'll look out for it next time I'm at the petshop. (A lot of people around here own horses, so I should be able to find something somewhere). Also I love your colourful layouts, they're awesome. 

And aww alexn, I've never heard of Metalocalypse  haha! I thought it was from the commodore amiga game of the same name. I absolutely loved that game as a kid. xD


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Be careful with horse supplies. Most of the horse bedding is Pine. Straw can also be harmful to rats. so unless you know that it is hemp (the other type of bedding used for horses) Don't use horse bedding.


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## laurali (May 20, 2012)

LightningWolf said:


> Be careful with horse supplies. Most of the horse bedding is Pine. Straw can also be harmful to rats. so unless you know that it is hemp (the other type of bedding used for horses) Don't use horse bedding.


Thanks for the warning but the horse bedding I use is cardboard pieces. It is quite common in the UK. 
Laura XXX


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## DragonFire43 (Oct 20, 2012)

On amazon there's the "petco rat manor" that's pretty big. You would have to buy accessories. The cage is not expensive either


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