# Free roaming rats



## Tahlz (Oct 16, 2011)

So, I let my rats have free roam of my bed at the moment, I felt confident doing that after talking to two people. I just want to take it further. I have a old dog crate that's not being used so I've actually turned it into a fun playground for the rats. I currently have the crate placed on the bed so they can play on the bed/crate. At one stage, I'd love to allow them to roam around everywhere in my room as they please. I live in the shed so it's nice and closed in. I do worry they may found a hole somewhere so I need to check the whole area to make sure they can't get out.

So, the people that let there rats have free roam..

When you first got your rat, how long did you wait to give them free roam?. 

Did you do anything to teach them to come running to you if they went to were they shouldn't have?. (Did they actually listen and come back?).

Have you ever had a problem with free roaming?.Is there anything else you'd like to add?. 

Thanks.


----------



## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

i *personally* don't like to take the risk of free ranging. i could look away for just one second, and they could be half way through my expensive computer cables. even if you think you've completely rat proofed a room, they will prove you wrong over and over again. i am renting, and there are just too many things they could ruin and that would cost a lot more money to repair than it would to set up a simple playpen with some fun toys. i have had some rats i trusted running about on the floor, but if they ran out of my "comfort zone" i would call them back or grab them.


----------



## Ressal (Oct 18, 2011)

I allow my girls to free range, but only when I am solely dedicated to watching them rather than working or spending time online. Only Peach knows her name (Lucy is far too impatient to spend enough time training) and comes running when I call her, so I spend a lot of time worrying about Lucy and where she's gone, and it's distressing for both me and the girls. I'm in the process up setting up a large playpen for them so that they can have time out of their cage while I'm in the room working and not have me calling them or placing them back in to view all the time.

It's definitely worth investing some time and money in to creating a secure place for them to play.


----------



## binkyhoo (Sep 28, 2008)

My rats get to run free but I watch them 100%. My room is rather rat proofed, if not for the cables. They dont get to run untill I trust that I can catch them. I do what i call the bait n' catch. I rattle their food bag and they come running. They get a little reward and back to the cage to enjoy


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

I've rat proofed my room as much as possible. All cables are up off the floor and the sockets which are maybe about 10 inches of the floor are covered with most cables going up the way with extension leads on the window ledge not the floor, with all visible low down cables covered. The computer cables etc that can't be covered, are all up off the floor, but are within jumping reach. Under my bed is blocked off with cardboard, and down the back and side of my bed is blocked too. I have a cable under the bed, as well as storage things, so no way want them under my bed.

I don't plan to let them free-roam (for any length of time) without me being there, as there are still out of bounds areas, which are jumpable. One of my rats has yet to jump, the other jumps like it's the only thing she knows.


----------



## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

I found that roaming free as soon as they are somewhat used for a few days I take them into a small bathroom with their cage open and it has been really good to gt them used to me. It allows them to come and go as they please with the safety of their cage in reach. At one point they will get hungry and go back in their cage. Once they do well in that bathroom I give them a larger area.


----------



## 750XL (Oct 3, 2011)

I can't get my rats out of their cage at all for fear of escape. I tried free-ranging them a few times but the first thing they do is immediately run underneath my bed or drawers where its virtually impossible for me to catch them. They live in a large parrot cage so have plenty of room and space to exercise but I still feel extremely guilty for keeping them 'locked up' in it, but I have no choice. If I try to put them on my bed and stop them from escaping, they'll run as fast as they can (by the time I even see them running, they've gone!) down the back of my bed and won't be seen again for hours.


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

750XL said:


> I can't get my rats out of their cage at all for fear of escape. I tried free-ranging them a few times but the first thing they do is immediately run underneath my bed or drawers where its virtually impossible for me to catch them. They live in a large parrot cage so have plenty of room and space to exercise but I still feel extremely guilty for keeping them 'locked up' in it, but I have no choice. If I try to put them on my bed and stop them from escaping, they'll run as fast as they can (by the time I even see them running, they've gone!) down the back of my bed and won't be seen again for hours.


My bed is a metal frame, and I have a lot of stuff stored underneath, and I decided I didn't want my rats getting under there. It's only been day two, but they have not been under my bed yet.

I've blocked it all off with cardboard. Any gaps I've filled in with plastic bags, parcel tape or towels. Around the back of the bed (as my bed is pushed up against the wall at one side and the back, I've put flat cardboard under the mattress and flush against the side of the wall, so effectively they have a ledge to run on. I don't actually want them on my bed, but they jump up.


----------



## binkyhoo (Sep 28, 2008)

Rats on the bed is one of the joys of owning rats! Mound up a big old blanket and let them go blanket spelunking. Every now and then a little rat snout will peek out, looking so cute and back they go to it. after 3 years my gals have only pooped twice out side of their pen. And thats was when they were young'ins. One gal will pee, but not much at all, actually not for a while.


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

binkyhoo said:


> Rats on the bed is one of the joys of owning rats! Mound up a big old blanket and let them go blanket spelunking. Every now and then a little rat snout will peek out, looking so cute and back they go to it. after 3 years my gals have only pooped twice out side of their pen. And thats was when they were young'ins. One gal will pee, but not much at all, actually not for a while.


I've tried this one rat at a time. I find keeping eye on the whereabouts of the two of them at once a little difficult, as I don't want them on my bedside table, though I might give it another go at one point


----------

