# (Unsure)Due to my previous post about males



## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Yeaaaah,so my birthday is coming up andddd for a present to myself and I wanted to get a blue male dumbo ( seeing as the wonderful people on here say you can keep males together ) so I was wondering would if it be okay to keep two males in a 10 gallon tank for about a week or so til I get back home.And if not how about a 5 gallon (the dumbo being by himself in this tank of course)?I know it sounds harsh but, It wouldnt be forever and the petstore at home I dont think..even sells rats. :roll:


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Well it seems like I know Gizmos vote already,lmao he just chewed through my headset cord T_T


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## cjshrader (Feb 15, 2007)

I don't know if it'd be a very good idea to get a second rat at the moment if you can't properly quarantine him. The rats will need to be separated for a few weeks into separate airspaces (preferably different houses, but if it must be different rooms then be extra careful with handling one then handling the other). I just don't think a 5 gallon would be large enough for the rat for a few weeks of quarantine then however long for introductions.

What's your cage like at home? Is it not the 10 gallon?

I would also not recommend getting a rat from a pet store. They are most likely to have health problems and some are not very friendly towards people (I'm talking from experience here). If I could do it over again, all my rats would come from breeders/adoption even though some are very sweet (Just not all that healthy).


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

I have a two story wire cage at home,and another 10 gallon at home as well.The cage Gizmo is in currently is a 10 gallon.I plan on getting a bigger cage for him as he gets older.I cant find any breeders here locally  ive looked in phone books,internet,and stuff.I've found some in my state currently,but with gas prices..blah.


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## cjshrader (Feb 15, 2007)

Hmm...I've been trying to think of ways for you to pull it off but I just don't think there's a safe way. I've been looking at 5 gallon aquariums online and I don't think it'd be ok to put a rat in there even for a week. I'm not even entirely comfortable with a 10 gallon for one rat.

But let's put it this way, if you *were* to get another rat now then quarantine is out of the question since they'll be riding home in the same car?

Are there any possible alternatives here? Maybe any other pet stores around you that might possibly sell rats? Then you could get Gizmo safely home in his own cage, get the new rat in a separate cage and do quarantine.

Maybe see if there are any cages in your area on Craig's List for free or cheap? I have one that might work, but I doubt you're in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I'm hoping you can figure out a way to make this work safely for the rats!

(By the way, I think the worst possible option is to put them in the same 10 gallon tank. Even ignoring health issues, one would probably be quite territorial over the other and they wouldn't have much space to get away from each other, so it wouldn't really be a good first impression of the new rat on Gizmo)


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Haha yeah im in Alabama right now,thats mighty nice of you to offer though anyways.And yeah we only have one petstore at home because I live in a very very small town (and the petstore isnt really even in my town to begin with,next town over)My friend was sugguesting using a dog crate but I didnt feel all that comfortable with the idea either so.haha.But yeah ive been here for all of summer break and what not,all my previous cages and rat supplies are at home,because I didnt actually think I was gonna end up with another rat this summer .I'll try to figure out another way,and if not just probably go ahead and buy another two story cage or something.


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## cocorat316 (Aug 9, 2007)

Yes you can put them in a tank best be a 10 gallon just until you get a better cage or get back where you need them.


-cocorat316


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

10 gallons is too small for even one rat ): And tanks are horrible for lungs. Personally, I wouldn't do it. You can get a small super pet cage for around $35-40. It would only be big enough for 1-2 rats though and not recomended for long periods. Why not use that wire cage?


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Well I planned on using it when I got home,but its not big enough for 2.And where could I get this 35-40 dollar one at?


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## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

if it's the one i'm thinking of you can get one at a petco


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

The petsmart here has crappy cages,and I looked on their site but im still unsure what would work.

I was thinking of something like this : 

http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...16082925&itemNo=4&In=Small+Pet&N=2047888&Ne=2

But im still unsure about the size and such.


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Hmmm but yeah I havent even thought of Petco,so I might look around there tomorrow.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

A 10 gal tank isnt even big enough for one rat...I wouldnt even but a baby in there. Breeders keep momma and her new born babies in a 20, but thats it and its only for a short time. Forget about any Tank you have, sell them and get the money to make or buy a cage. 

For $35-40 you can make a HUGE cage. Heres mine to give you an Idea. To make everything I have here cost me a total or about $50-60 and that was over a years time of adding things here and there. But just to make the cage was only $30-35. 

http://www.ratforum.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2979.html


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

The only time I EVER use tanks for rats is 20+ gal. for pregnant and nursing moms. I clean it daily. And I still hate using them, but wire cages with rittens make me nervous.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

If the bar spacing is correct there shouldnt be anything to worry about...Tanks are far more dangerous.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

I know they are not as good as a wire cage. I've turned down applications many times because people wanted to use a tank for long-term. As you'd said above my other post, breeders use them for infants. Well, rescues get in a lot of pregnant moms and litters, too. :? About 65% of my rescue has been litters so far.

I've spoken to established breeders and other rescue owners about the issue of what to use for a nursery many times. I'm not the only one that is afraid of what could happen in wire cages (there's a reason many breeders and rescuers use aquariums and bin cages). I am going to be making bin cages for nursery cages, using cooling racks for airflow along the top and lid. But as I said, they are TEMPORARY and only in the case of newborns and NEVER for transporting. I remove them from the tank before 2 weeks. I am well aware of the risk of tanks, thanks.  However, this is kinda off-topic...

As I was trying to say (poorly, I guess), they should NOT be used generally, especially when traveling, due to the way the heat builds up. I'd be afraid of a greenhouse effect.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Yeah well like I said, its only for a short time UNTIL they are old/big enough to be swtiched to a cage. Its not like someones going to be getting a baby rat thats way to small to even be put in a cage. In Leiren's case this isnt the problem and her rats should be caged in a cage and not tanks.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

Which was my point.


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

I have a bunch of tanks because I'm a fish freak (but i hide it well hehe).And yeah,Jennie your cage is amazing o_o.


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

well for traveling,he wont be in his tank btw.I have a carrier.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Kimmiekins said:


> Which was my point.


LOL, well good! At least we are on the same page. :lol:


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Leiren said:


> I have a bunch of tanks because I'm a fish freak


Thats cool, Im a lizard freak! lol I cant hide it for anything  

But they are fish tanks for a reason. :roll:


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

JennieLove said:


> Kimmiekins said:
> 
> 
> > Which was my point.
> ...


 :lol: Coming at it from different angles, but still arriving at the right place. :lol: 

Leiren - Fair enough, but I still wouldn't use tanks. I would suggest a small (but comfortable for short-term) cage. Smaller Super Pet cages work or anything along those lines.  The awesome thing is, too, that they collapse for storage.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

They are cheap too!


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

Very!


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Then ill get one and just use the cage hes in for a pac man frog ive been wanting.Will they hold two rats?And haha you guys are all spiffy and chipper and stuff.


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

Get the cage and THEN get the rat.


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Of course.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Pacman Frogs are so cute, but you do know that Pacman frogs eat rats when they get almost full grown right? lol xD


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Yeah hahahaha,my friend has one that he feeds mice.Theyre really agressive too,his has gotten him a couple of times on the hand =/


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

:O lol


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

lmao it seems like all the cute small animals are mean...pac man frogs..chihuahuas...dwarf hamsters TT_TT


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## cjshrader (Feb 15, 2007)

I thought Pacman frogs eat ghosts?

I have a (I think) Superpet cage from Petsmart and I just wanted to throw out one warning. I got the one for rabbits (I think), and the bar spacing is a little too big for my rats. My smallest got out easily. The other ones can with some issues.

The problem is that the bars bend a little, so even though they wouldn't normally be able to get out, they can by bending the bars. The cage works fine for short-term travel, but is not a good cage for any long term use (I since adopted two rats and got the cage they were in to use as my travel cage).

Now this might sound crazy but I'm probably going to Alabama next weekend to visit a friend of mine. If you would like the cage and you're not too far off from where I'm going, I'd be happy to give it to you. I'll be taking 85 South the whole way, though I'm not sure where exactly my friend lives these days. Also, I suppose I don't know for how much longer you intend to be where you are, and it sounds to me like you're planning on getting this rat before you leave there.

Edit: I forgot to mention that if you have males the cage should be no problem at all. I forgot what sex your rat was


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Pacman frogs only eat the ghosts,because the ghosts are scared of Mcdonalds n stuffs...srsly Bob Dylan said so.


And thanks for the heads up on the superpet cage.The thing I use to hate about wire-cages is that all my hamsters and stuff use to gnaw on the bars 24/7..and id give them treats and stuff to gnaw on too,but noooooo.

And,haha i'm in Huntville currently.I'm staying here til Sept sometime,hopefully til my birthday which is on the 19th.I dont know where 85 South even is.Or at least I can't remember right off the bat.


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## cjshrader (Feb 15, 2007)

Huntsville is where my aunt lives and it's almost as far from where I'm going as can be. You're practically in Tennessee! So unless you'd like to drive the three hours to meet me (Which is longer than my entire trip, and I'm in another state), I suppose that deal's off


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

Haha thanks anyways though.Really shows you're a nice person to come out and offer something like that to someone you even dont really know.And yeah lol,I was only planning to stay in Huntsville for medical reasons,but instead I stayed the whole summer.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

There are a good number of the Super Pet cages that have the smaller bar spacing.. You just need to look out for which one you're getting.  I believe all the rabbit ones have the larger bar spacing.


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