# some sort of natural cage



## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

Hey! I'm new to rats (don't have 'em yet as of right now) and I'm sort of making plans on how I would make things. I used to keep reptiles and one thing we did is to try to make their tank as close as their natural habitat. I'm a man and I feel most of the rats' cage I see are too girly . 

Is there a reason why I don't see a lot of cages with branches, rocks, stuff for their nests such as leaves and some sort of grass I could pick up from the fields/forest around here?!? I would not use dirt as bedding like I did with monitors since they did all their crap in the water. But I would make a dig box like with ferrets. It would be easy to change the setting since it's free, throw the old stuff out, put some new one. I just like to keep things as close to nature to possible. sorry for my english im a french canadian.


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

I don't know about natural, but I do advise a litter box and a pee rock, probably the reason you don't see cages with lots I rocks in them is most people just use one (a pee rock) because rats naturally pee on rocks (it's magic, you need one)


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

It is easier to clean cages when you just have to vacuum, wipe down fabric, etc.

With being domesticated, we can't offer rats many natural things. That's why we get big cages that are vertical and try to make it comfy and fun. Rats are intelligent and without being able to do much in a cage, the focus is less on the environment per se and more on enrichment. I use branches in my cage, but it would be unsanitary imo to use dirt and leaves and such. Rats love destroying things and making a mess, but you need to keep their cages clean or your rat will die.


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

I recently bought a lot of new beds and shelves and such for my four girls, and it too has been crossing my mind about making it look more 'natural'. For example I'd love to give them say a hide that looks like a hollowed out rock and give them leaves to burrow inside and hide, but it's really not possible. I agree that a lot of the stuff looks feminine but as someone else said, they are domesticated and it's actually about giving them a good mixture of comfort and enrichment. Seeing as I have girls anyway, I don't mind putting girly looking things in their cage because well... they're girls!


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

You can do a good job by looking at there natural behavious and making sure you satisfy them. I use quite a lot of natural or semi natural materials myself.

First off substrate, using something like hemp or similar and mixing in or topping it with a thin layer of good quality low dust hay works well, though I like some card mixed in there for diggability. The main thing hefe is to allow them to forage and dig, which is why I dont like fleece on its own, I always try and offer at least 3 to 4 inches deep substrate and scatter there food in it, it really helps keep them happy through the day.

Next climbing and balancing, look out for rat safe branches, typically fruit and edible nut tree branches are a good bet. Make sure they are well dried and clean, try to get decent lengths or use garden wire to fasten them together and make a tree effect. To do this well you need a decentlyx tall cage. I also use a lot of natural rope to add extra climhing with a bit more challenge. Small bits of wood can be chopped off and a ith minor diy involving drilling holes in one end and adding an eye screw and a couple washers and you have nice perches.

A digging box works well too, try and get a deep tupperware box with a lid, mix up 60% organic soil and 40% sand and you get a mix that holds shape well, add a flat stone on top and you maximise digging fun. If you fill the tub 2/3 full and put the lid on with a rat sized hole cut in you will save yourself mess.

You can also make an occasional rat lawn, get some edible seeds such as bird seed, grass and herb seeds, sprinkle them on some soil in a shallow tray and water well, cover with clingfilm and leave that on for a few weeks until they start sproating, leave as long as youd like and offer to the rats once theres a decent amohnt lf green there, be warned this is very messy.

Using plastic plant pots, or even terracotta I summer, and either hanging them from the bars or having them a bit in the substrate makes great nesting boxes that fit well with a more natural theme. Also I often add rat safe twigs and leaves at clean out, just weaving them I their branches, they dry and drop down


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

If you're worried about it looking girlie stick to earth tones and primary colors, it may still look a little childish, but hey rats are a lot like kids (but smarter sometimes)






this is what my cage looked like for a while it's got blues and greens and stick balls (a lot of toys are made from wood that's not painted anyway) bird toys work for rats so if you find "manly" bird toys those will work too


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

Thank you all for your quick answers! Really appreciate it!

I don't plan on going fully natural, but I'd like it to be as close to nature. After all I saw many picture of pet rats climbing trees. I plan on getting a big bird cage, that I will mod for rats (like bar spacing, the bottom of the cage, blablabla). I would like maybe something like a cave or a natural hollow piece of wood for a ground nest and using drift wood branches or natural bird perches/ small tree for them to climb on rather than ropes. All that stuff can be sold in pet shops. Maybe I should be only using rocks for their litters as you guys said. As you pointed, maybe I should not use leaves and grass for nesting material if you say it's bad but why can they go free range outdoor without a problem?!? they will have some sort of hammocks and natural levels mixed in. I don't mind spending more time on cleaning I am a single guy living alone in a very small appartement and I am a loner. Most of my time in spent home. I'm pretty sure I could make some sort of toys with ropes and pine cones. Stuff like that. Maybe I still would buy pink balls and stuff!!! 

As for bedding I was planning on using hemp. 

I had 3 ferrets before and they all had a mix of natural habitat with some touch of girly pet, they gain incredible abilities as time went. They say rats need to climb, jump, dig, run, and I think all this stuff would be possible in a more natural set up that I will keep clean like I did before with my ferrets and my reptiles.


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

I keep reptiles too and I'm thinking you could try and use the food bowls sold for herps sold in pet stores as litter boxes or food bowls. Some are shallow but I have a very deep one that would work fine for rats and most look pretty natural with the grooves and such. And the driftwood sold there for climbing. I have a small log type of hide for my geckos that I see sold for rodents too. A lot of the stuff I see in the reptile section would actually work just fine for rats, now that I think about it.


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

Xerneas said:


> I keep reptiles too and I'm thinking you could try and use the food bowls sold for herps sold in pet stores as litter boxes or food bowls. Some are shallow but I have a very deep one that would work fine for rats and most look pretty natural with the grooves and such. And the driftwood sold there for climbing. I have a small log type of hide for my geckos that I see sold for rodents too. A lot of the stuff I see in the reptile section would actually work just fine for rats, now that I think about it.


Yeah something along those lines! You can also put the half hollow log on the vertical rather than horizontal and fix 'em to the cage bar so they can climb on, and get inside like a tree trunk.


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

My point is I want to go outdoor free range (after a lot of training) my rats. I want them to feel at home climbing on branches and tree since it's probably their best place if they have to run for covers and easier for me to watch.

What I'm trying to say is that no one had ferrets cage or room like mine. They said ferret did not make good climber, and they could not get down if they did. Mine (all 3 of em) could climb trees so fast and they found a way to go down by giving up a little bit of their grip and sliding down, you would have to see it to believe it. Of course they started young and there was a lot of training/playing/supervision involved. I started this after I heard some people hunted squirrels with their ferrets in hollow tree. ( I did not hunt, I'm veg, just let em climb trees)

Cleaning took more time and most of the room was designed around ferrets but I take great pride in my training.


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

The reason why you can't just use everything from outside is everyone thinks that rats survive well in the wild and that nothing hurts them when in reality they can get killed within seconds of them being outside.

The problem with using grass and leafs from outside inside is that it makes a big mess and also fleece is easier to clean you could use fleece and give them a few things from outside like clean branches, rocks, a digging box.

Remember domesticated rats are not the same as wild rats they require a cleaner environment and they have delicate respiratory systems so not everything outside is safe for them.

If you plan on taking your rats outside when you get them search the shoulder rat and all outside activities thread. 

I think as you learn more about rats while doing research you will understand why we don't just have a bunch of outside stuff in the cages. 

Mostly everything you bring from outside needs to be sterilized because if its in the house they will probably try to chew it. 


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

And if you bring in stuff from outside there might be........pesticides.......


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

yeah rat daddy is my hero and motivation as a trainer myself and im actually reading all the posts he ever made. I have professionally trained sledge dog and guard/protection dog. I have also worked with horses, and had 3 ferrets and one savanah monitor and one ball python. Reptile are more sensible than any other ''pets''.

yeah i know about the sterilize thing, using the oven and washing it hardcore. I dont pick stuff from the city but the forest as far as pine cones and stuff like that. The wood I use is drift wood from pet shop. It's not my first pet you know... I'm glad you are concerned but I'm not just throwing all sort of stuff from outside without care...!


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

I'm not saying its your first pet. Not all pets are the same and have the same needs, sense you haven't had a rat before everyone here is telling you information about them, and the work it is to bring the outside stuff inside for it to be safe for a rat. 

I just find it easier to use fleece and store bought stuff that I know is safe for my rats, then to go outside and worry about what could have been on it or could harm my rats by taking it inside. Like some rocks if they get wet with the pee from the rats and you wash and boil it its fine after but others the rocks hold the smell and stink so then your out looking for another rock. 

I was just giving you my opinion and the information I know about rats. 


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Heres pics for inspiration, heavy use of branches here


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## Kitsch Slapped (Aug 25, 2013)

Be careful using things from outside as they can be contaminated with nasty things that can make your rats very sick. Sanitize anything you plan to use in the oven on low heat to kill any bacteria, mold, or other nasty stuff that could be in it.


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

markarpc said:


> yeah rat daddy is my hero and motivation as a trainer myself and im actually reading all the posts he ever made. I have professionally trained sledge dog and guard/protection dog. I have also worked with horses, and had 3 ferrets and one savanah monitor and one ball python. Reptile are more sensible than any other ''pets''.
> 
> yeah i know about the sterilize thing, using the oven and washing it hardcore. I dont pick stuff from the city but the forest as far as pine cones and stuff like that. The wood I use is drift wood from pet shop. It's not my first pet you know... I'm glad you are concerned but I'm not just throwing all sort of stuff from outside without care...!


Oh I didn't mean to imply that you were! I'm just paranoid about pesticides after my brothers cat (super friendly beautiful boy) it out an must have eaten some, the neighbor found him dead in his garden, just don't get overexcited (like me, I'd probably et overexcited and forget a step) my dad drives a log tuck, so I've seen some of the nasty stuff that get put up even in the woods, they've tried various pesticide approaches here for pine beetles and I'd be leery that whatever I did wouldn't get them off, no matter what you decide we always look forward to pictures of your rats home 


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

Isamurat said:


> Heres pics for inspiration, heavy use of branches here


I love it! thank you!


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## markarpc (Oct 5, 2013)

Grawrisher said:


> Oh I didn't mean to imply that you were! I'm just paranoid about pesticides after my brothers cat (super friendly beautiful boy) it out an must have eaten some, the neighbor found him dead in his garden, just don't get overexcited (like me, I'd probably et overexcited and forget a step) my dad drives a log tuck, so I've seen some of the nasty stuff that get put up even in the woods, they've tried various pesticide approaches here for pine beetles and I'd be leery that whatever I did wouldn't get them off, no matter what you decide we always look forward to pictures of your rats home
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



I'll send pics for sure in a couple of months once I'm done studying all there is about rats, and setting up a proper cage. I might just use a rock from outside and some pine cones from the forest for some toys I plan to make. I'll buy drift wood and bark pieces from the petshop. Use aspen for bedding, and toilet paper and such for nesting. They are girly but I like those cube nest for sugar gliders!


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