# tell me what you think!



## melodybirdsong (May 19, 2007)

is she a little spoiled?

























































this cage was made from a simple 4 story book case that had doors on it. on the back of the bookcase was like that cardboard backing with wood print on it. i removed the cardboard and put wire on the back on the 3 bottom shelves. i made a simple wood frame and put wire on it and put a latch on the side and made in into a door. i put kitchen cabinet liner in the bottom because it's easy to clean. i screwed up some shelves and put those L brackets on the bottom so they'll stay up strong. then drilled about a 3 inch diameter hole on each level for her to go through. 


tell me what you think!


ohyes and this is petunia!
































<3---

melody


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

petunia cute. does she have a friend? 

the cage looks pretty good. i'm not a huge fan of grottoes myself because their so hard to keep clean and harder still to put in the toys i like to have. but that one sure does look pretty cool. i've never seen people use chicken wire before. i would have thought the mesh too flimsy that rats would be able to push their way out id they wanted. but it seems to be working for you. how long have you had the cage?


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## Alyssa_Rat (Mar 19, 2007)

I like it i think its cool.. only... its pretty big for one rat dont you think?.. maybe you could get her a same sex friend or 2!!


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## melodybirdsong (May 19, 2007)

i've had it for almost a year. its really easy to clean because i just turn it around and open the doors, wipe everything down, replace the litter and towels for the hammock and in her little box with hole thing. 

yes, she is the only one. i had a little bit of an incident with petco when i got her another rat to live with. the rat i had gotten was really sick (i didn't know at the time) and i guess being around another rat put petunia in distress and the after a few days petunia wouldn't even move(usually when you crinkle her treat back she freaks out and is running around everywhere). she had gotten that lung infection with the red stuff in her nose and ears and i had to take her to the vet. she got a shot and i had to give her medicine for 3 weeks. it cost me about 115 bucks but it was the best 115 i've ever spent, because i know if i didn't take her she wouldn't be here today!! 

i enjoy spoiling her and she's always with me watching tv or in her ball or running around in the sunroom!

she's by far the best pet i've ever had (and i've had everything from opossums to 16 finches) !!

thanks for the reply.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

It's nice! Though I've never made a grotto, I do know that some people highly advise against using chicken wire... I can't remember exactly why, but I do remember a few conversations otherwise.

*searches around* Oh! Apparently, it can easily be chewed through, and is rather flimsy. :\ Have you used it for long? Like I said, I've never made my own grotto, but the general consensus among those who have is that hardware cloth is best/safest. 

Very nice, though... Seems like you need another friend or two for her, since she'd be much happier with friends. Especially in such a big house.


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## Alyssa_Rat (Mar 19, 2007)

Oh.. wow.. shes i guess you could say luck ((ive only lost 1 rat to that disease))...
Well she is livin it good from the sounds of it.

Now about the whole best pet thing.. i have to agree. I also have been were you were ((from possums to finches)) but with me both my possum and finch were wild ((i rescued them then released them)) but yea.. i vote rats #1.


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## melodybirdsong (May 19, 2007)

the chicken wire she hasn't chewed through. when i first put her in it about a year ago she just chewed and chewed on it and i was a little worried but she still hasn't even made a dent in any of the wires. she actually likes chewing on them, for her teeth, and she also will chew on it when i m sitting near the cage and she wants to get my attention!


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## Strike2 (Apr 26, 2007)

I like it.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Do you have a smaller cage from a while back that you could use to quarentine a rattie friend for her?

Then she'd have someone to chase through all that space at night. :lol:

It's a great cage. *nodnod*


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Probably would be better to get a rat from a shelter, quarantine the rat friend for a couple weeks then SLOWLY introduce them day by day. This wouldn't be as stressful to her, your less likely to bring in diseases from a shelter rat than a petstore rat especially with the added quarantine, and introduceing them slowly will insure she's not stressed into other myco flair ups.

She seems happy though, ultimately it is your call but most of us have found our rats do better with friends. They give them interaction we can't.

Also a baby might be a good thing as well, not as intimadating to an adult rat.


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## Inesita (Feb 18, 2007)

Omg, Petunia seems to be my Takeo's missing twin!


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Love the rathouse


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## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

* I like it, I could never use chicken wire with any of my rats that are less than 6 months old. They just walk right through the wire lol. *


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## chefner (May 6, 2007)

You did a great job! Especially if you have had it a year and it still looks so great! So the kitchen shelf liner stuff is easy to clean, huh? I may go back and put that over my sticky linoleum tiles in my grotto. Add even more protection. The pee doesn't stain the liner? 
Your Petunia has the sweetest little face! You seem to be a great rat mommy!

Christina


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## melodybirdsong (May 19, 2007)

no the pee doesn't stain the liner. it just dries on top of it lol (it looks kinda gross but it's easy to notice and clean). the only thing is when i put it in there, i didn't wait long enough to make sure the corners were stuck really good and petunia had fun ripping it up, haha.


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## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

its nice. mine are babies and would slip through the wire...but it seems to be a great cage for an adult. and shes a lil cutie.


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