# Free range area for rats....but how?



## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

Ok....my rats are in my room and can't be in the other rooms of the house....My room is very small but my two rats have a good sized cage to live in. Can you list details on rat proofing rooms so that they can run around in my room....I take them out a lot and sometimes they get to roam around but i want them to be able to roam longer and all around my room without them destroying stuff....lots of help needed.


Thanks


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

No cords on the floor, nothing on the floor you don't want peed/pooed/chewed on (not that they can't climb and do the same). Make sure tehy can't fit under the door, etc.

I use a spare bedroom to let my ratties run around in, it's basically empty, except for the sofa, and that's where they end up hiding when they aren't done playing. :lol:


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## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

I looked on the dapper rat site and they suggested using boxes where you cut one side so they open long and you connect a bunch together to block off areas they aren't allowed to go...or just make a big circle out of it for them to play in. I might just try that....I wish I had a bedroom that wasn't used!  (It would be rat paradise in their....not to say that they haven't taken over my room....multiple cages, rat food, rat litter/bedding, rat treats, rat treats, rat wheels, rat clubhouses made out of cardboard boxes, etc.-You get the picture....I basically just sleep in my room! lol

I recently made them a maze using a big, tall box and cutting pieces of cardboard and attaching it to form a maze to run through....there is even a hiding box that also serves as a tunnel.

Gosh I love my ratties


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

I will never be able to let my rats roam around my room.
There are So many Cords and So much stuff in there.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

That's when you, a) clean, and b) cover the wires with wire wrap. Easy! 

I let my rats free-range in my bedroom all the time. You just have to keep things really clean and remove, or cover, all wires. I just open their cage door, set up a ramp, and they come/go for a few hours a day. 

When I designed my room, I had Aaron put in a built-in entertainment center so there'd be no hanging wires from my TV, game consoles, DVD player, stereo, et cetera. Besides that, I just have one floor lamp which wires are covered in wire wrap and then I have a cordless vacuum, which I just put away when the rats are out.


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## Taru (Jun 9, 2007)

When I get my rats I would love to let them free range, but my roommate and I have discussed it, and we think it would be for the best if we didn't. She has spina biffida and uses a manual wheelchair, and she is afraid that if we let the rats free range in the room she would forget and accidentally "get" one of them with her chair. 

Has anyone had experience with this, or suggest some ways to get around this? Oh and she is in the room whenever I'm in the room, which is about 95% of the day.

Emy


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## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

Never assume that a rat can't carry off an item that's bigger than them, especially if it's light.


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## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Itâ€™s very helpful to teach your free-range rats to â€˜come.â€™ The easiest way is shake the bag/box of yogurt drops before you give them one, it doesnâ€™t take long for them to associate the sound with the treats. I also pair it with kissy noises so in case I donâ€™t have a box with me I can still (usually) get them to come. :wink:

(Edit: typo)


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

Night said:


> That's when you, a) clean, and b) cover the wires with wire wrap. Easy!
> 
> 
> > My Room isnt Dirty I just Have almost every Videogame System known to man...lol... Besides the Wires My Room is Always Spotless. I cant Stand it being Dirty.
> ...


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

Taru said:


> When I get my rats I would love to let them free range, but my roommate and I have discussed it, and we think it would be for the best if we didn't. She has spina biffida and uses a manual wheelchair, and she is afraid that if we let the rats free range in the room she would forget and accidentally "get" one of them with her chair.
> 
> Has anyone had experience with this, or suggest some ways to get around this? Oh and she is in the room whenever I'm in the room, which is about 95% of the day.
> 
> Emy


let them run around on your bed. just make sure there isnt any overhanging quilts or blankets because the little darlings are great parasailers haha!!


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I turned my hall into a fun play area. It's not a big free range room, but it's about the size of my bathroom and there are no cords to chew on. They seem to like the space just fine. I put tons of stuff down there and when they are done I clean up!


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## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

THanks everyone....I have a desk by a table that my t.v. is on and there are some cords....I'll probably just completely block off the area so they can't get back there at all. They will then still be able run around the rest of the room.

I have a daybed and my rats get under there and sometimes chew on stuff....is there anthing i can do or should i just live with it and watch them close?


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## dkirschling (Mar 20, 2007)

I have a children's tent that I use. It's from Target, part of a "camping set" so it zips up all the way and has windows. I can put it away when I need to, but I usually just have it out. The bottom is tarp so I can just wipe it out. I have their digging box and pea-diving pool in there and it's filled with boxes and wheels and toys. I can zip it up all the way if I need to step away for a bit, but the door area has a lip, so I can leave it open to see in. I sit in it with them too sometimes. It works great!


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## Spider (Mar 19, 2007)

You know its weird but my Rats enjoy being in their cage so much I just leave the door open all the time. In the morning they look forward to getting under the covers with me and playing together, but they won't leave the cage until I put my arm inside for them to climb on, they get all excited each morning hopping up and down waiting for my arm, and then to my bed its a mystery why they don't ever leave on their own.
I've always hated to lock animals up so it works out for me. I'm an old Hermit and I worry if I die in my sleep if they were locked up they would starve, so I just started leaving the door open and its like they understand and respect it, but won't abuse the privelidge.
Spider


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## tenten (Mar 29, 2007)

I think rat proofing your room and letting your rats free range is well worth the effort. I ran into a little frustration because my one rat, Chairman, ends up in the weirdest places (pretty much everywhere I thought was inaccessible) So initially I got all the wires out of their way and kept the room clean, but after letting them run around for a while, the real rat proofing began. Now I know all their favorite hiding places and can retrieve them at a moment's notice, but it definitely took some patience.


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