# My rats don't like hammocks?



## RedResilience (Feb 4, 2014)

Is it normal for my rats to never use their hammocks?

I got one for Ratty, my older rat who is about a year old. He never even tried to go in it. All he does is eat, and he wouldn't even venture up to get a treat out of the middle of the hammock. It wasn't like it was hard to access or anything... I guess I figured he had been without one for a year and would not adjust to using one.

My four month old, Lucky, only occasionally uses his hammock. He will retrieve treats out of it but will never sleep or sit in it for a long amount of time. I've tried making it taught, making it loose, making it higher, making it lower...

Are my rats just weird? Should I even consider buying them hammock sets or just get igloos and be done with it?


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## Maddie (Jan 13, 2014)

How is the cage set up? Do they have lots of different fleece like objects to play on and run around in or just the hammock? My boys have a lot of fleece in their cage and probably just six hammocks alone not including the fleece cubes. It took them a week or two, but they boy decided they like them. It did take a few weeks, but having so many hammocks in the cage did encourage them to explore them a bit more. Also one of my boys like hanging cubes more than hammocks and will sleep on those. What are your hammocks made out of? If it's not fleece maybe they don't like the material or the way you've positioned it. I would try with hammocks if you can since honestly my boys hate igloos (again sure it's different for all of them). They dislike plastic things in their cage, but on the bottom level I do have a giant shoe box with a hole cut in it that they play in. They don't like sleeping there though and prefer to lay in the hammocks. My cage and shelf liners are also fleece and sometimes they will both just curl up together and pass out on one of the levels since it's just as soft.

Do you have any ropes or anything close to the hammock where they can jump back and forth from the hammock to the rope or platform? My guys also like that. 

Even if you don't sew you could buy a yard of fleece and make no sew hammocks pretty cheeply for them. I've tried to make my guys a variety of objects to play in to keep them entertained.


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

Mine aren't too keen on hammocks either - they'd much rather sleep in Spuniks. When I first brought them home they did take a liking to a hammock I bought from Amazon so when it came time for cage cleaning I sewed a new hammock for them in the same size and style, to replace the Amazon hammock - they snubbed it completely though and would just sleep out on the ledges instead (despite the fact there were also other hammocks in the cage which I had made).

It wasn't until I changed the cage bedding this week and again took out the Amazon hammock that they started to explore other hammock options - and I've had our boys for nearly 2 months now. It's taken them that long to explore hammock options ...as I write this though there are two rats in Sputniks and one sleeping out on a shelf...!


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

It took two weeks to get mine to use their hammocks. They prefer to huddle in hanging baskets, but lately they've been sleeping in one of those flat fleece dog beds from the dollar store that I've hung like a hammock. They can be picky at times.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

My rats are divided fairy evening between "tree" rat and "ground" rat as I like to call it. Some of them feel best up high an others prefer burrowing. 

I should add my one rat had never seen hammocks before and it took like two weeks for her to stop distrusting it, and that was with my always hiding treats in it. 


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## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

The only hammock my boys use when they're not in play mode is the one that's pretty much "ground" level on the top shelf. Otherwise they only use the others when they're hyper and just looking for new perches from which they can then tackle one another.


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

Mine do not like hammocks unless it is the kind with a pocket that they can sleep inside of. They'll sleep in anything else I put in there -- the space pod, the igloo, the fleece cube and a freakin' fleece sack, but not hammocks. I think they just don't like sleeping out in the open.

I had to throw the old one out (with a pocket in it) because I've had it for a while and it just needed to be tossed so I have a normal, fleece hammock in that they've sniffed at a few times. Maybe they'll try it out this time. Rats can go weeks without having interest in something and then sleeping in it overnight -- I have experience, lol.


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## Stubbylove (Sep 5, 2012)

I have three hammocks in my ratties cage. And they like the one that is the closest to the top of the cage the best. And if that one is taken by 2 or 3 ratties then they will go on the corner hammock. I think my hairless likes the hammocks the most and he will talk one friend to get on it w him to keep him warm in the cooler months. They don't seem to sleep on the hammocks much when it's hot in the room. 
I too had to try making them tighter and looser and I think they like it kind of right in the middle. Now they even bring treats, bedding scraps and pieces of cardboard hides up onto the hammocks as well. So I end up cleaning it out daily when I spot clean their cage 


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## RedResilience (Feb 4, 2014)

Wow thanks for all of your responses!

Currently they are in separate cages (long story short, Ratty is a loner). Ratty is in a three story cage, which is his permanent residence. Lucky is in a really crappy guinea pig type cage, but it's completely temporary. I'm going to get him the same three story cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing and a buddy very soon. But I haven't had a hammock in Ratty's cage since he moved into the big cage. Lucky is actually using his now, though! It's set up across from a shelf and has two little perches to get up into it. I think he likes it very taught so it can't move on him. But no, they don't have any fleece objects in the cage (yet). The hammock is made of some soft material, but it isn't fleece. >< I am looking to invest in like a five piece set and matching liners (I'm very OCD like that XD) but I just wanted to make sure it was worth the investment. I'll probably buy a set for Lucky and use the old hammock to see if Ratty will warm up to it. Ratty always sleeps on the ground under a shelf, so I don't know if he will like hammocks at all. 

That is so funny! They are all so different hahaha. XD Especially the fact that they will only sleep on certain ones, that is so funny... Rats are weird.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

I have had rats who LOVED hammocks, and currently have a pair who are indifferent. They will crawl through it and on it to get to the Sputnik though- that is by far the favorite nest for all of my rodents, whether hung up or sitting on the ground.


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## Roonel (Jan 27, 2014)

My rats also don't like hammocks much. They have lots - two knitted out of bamboo and cotton yarn, a honeycomb triple hammock, a pocket hammock...but no. They love a big "rat monster" I hung up for them, though - it consists of open-ended fleece tunnels in the shape of a dragon. They love hanging there because they aren't exposed, I think. They have occasionally sat in the top honeycomb hammock bit, but nah... Their second fav spot is a cardboard box with nesting material inside - once again, because it's a hidden spot, I suspect. They'd rather be on an open shelf than a hammock.


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## lonerambler (Mar 6, 2014)

My rats only like hammocks if the enviroment is completely quiet. If I start to play music (even very low), typing in the computer or if there are people talking in the room, they leave it and go into their cave. That might be your problem.


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## RedResilience (Feb 4, 2014)

Really? That's cool! I just bought Lucky a 3 piece set, I hope he likes it.  I also bought him a new cage, haha what a spoiled rattie.


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## RedResilience (Feb 4, 2014)

In case you all were interested here's where I got my hammock stuffs: https://www.etsy.com/shop/QualityPetHammocks

She is so amazing and will work with you to make custom patterns or liners. I've never purchased from someone so helpful and patient (especially after I changed my mind about three times ><'')


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

Every rat is different and we have to try to figure out what they like. Fortunately five of my seven rats like hammocks. My two new two-month old rat sisters don't like hammocks and I too think they are weird. However, when I attached a hood off of a ripped coat (the coat was donated as thrift stores sometimes sell unusable clothing items to fabric recyclers which keeps them out of the landfill) they took a liking to it and hoard their food in it as well as sleep. 

From now on I will use fleece hats and hoods for my new girls. They also their Critter Space Pod...! http://www.lixit.com/node/814


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

I kinda just threw in all sorts of hammocks (honeycomb, standard, pouch, and corner) and made them very accessible... They didn't touch the honeycomb hammock until I moved it from the top of the DFN to the bottom level... Sometimes, it's just positioning.


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