# New to Rats, seeking assistance in setting up cage



## Lizard (Nov 13, 2012)

Hi everyone.

I am here to seek advice: I get my first pair of girls rats on Sunday from a local rodent rescue, when they will be also be doing a home check. I am not new to animal keeping generally (ive been keeping exotic animals for around 15 years and had my cat for 4 years), but little caged creatures have put me well and truely outside of my comfort zone.

The cage is here and basically setup, but I would like some guidance on what I am missing currently. I used to have a pair of boys when I was a child, but that was a very long time ago and I want to make sure I do everything right for them.

Fingers crossed the images I have attached will work to show what I have so far by way of toys/exploratory stuff for them.

I'd really love some feedback about what else I should be adding etc. (the girls are about a year old from what I can remember and a little timid if that makes a difference to what I should be putting in).

Thank you,


>^..^< Elizabeth


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## Lizard (Nov 13, 2012)

Anyone?

I know the cage looks quite small in these photos, but it isn't really, i'm just not the best at taking pictures.

The cage is a savic freddy. The dimensions are:
height:63cm	
width: 80cm
depth: 50cm


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## MissRatLover (Nov 15, 2012)

U should get a few hammocks  


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Drowsy (Oct 23, 2012)

^ agreed. Hammocks are great! I also made a corner house for mine. It was no-sew. I just tied all the pieces together.
I use dog rope toys, as well as bird toys.

I also have these two 'log' arches that they love to huddle under together, or take food under.
At the bottom I keep a cardboard flat full of carefresh, too. So that they can burrow or hide food if they want to. c:

I hope you don't mind pictures? you could get an idea from looking at them elsewhere here, and here is my cage.










I just safety pinned rope toys in there. I made the corner house, obviously, and both hammocks. It's not hard to find things to enrich the cage with. c:
Also you'll want to line the shelves with something. I use papertowels right now, but most people use fleece.
Also don't worry, I could tell your cage was plenty big!


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## rattyandseekersmum (Sep 29, 2012)

best way to make hammocks i have found. get any old shirts, pants, and i used a dressing gown. chop the legs or arms off, and string them up so they are tubes/hammocks. our rats LOVE them, they got 1 a week ago, havent really left it yet


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## Romans5.8 (Nov 15, 2012)

You know I bought a couple of hammocks at the pet store the other day and hung them up top and my rats could care less! One time when returning them to the cage I put them IN the hammock and they just crawled right across it and climbed down the bars on the other side! That big ol' cage they have and all they want is to sleep on the ground. Food and water is on other levels and they go up for that, but for the most part their favorite place is in a corner down below... go figure!


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## Drowsy (Oct 23, 2012)

Romans5.8 said:


> You know I bought a couple of hammocks at the pet store the other day and hung them up top and my rats could care less! One time when returning them to the cage I put them IN the hammock and they just crawled right across it and climbed down the bars on the other side! That big ol' cage they have and all they want is to sleep on the ground. Food and water is on other levels and they go up for that, but for the most part their favorite place is in a corner down below... go figure!


HM!
Are they fleece? they really love fleece. And maybe try the double hammock or 'cube' like I did? they loove that. 
They may get used to it! Mine ignored theirs for three days and now they adore it. I honestly think homemade, or bought from someone on here would work better. c:


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## Romans5.8 (Nov 15, 2012)

Drowsy said:


> HM!
> Are they fleece? they really love fleece. And maybe try the double hammock or 'cube' like I did? they loove that.
> They may get used to it! Mine ignored theirs for three days and now they adore it. I honestly think homemade, or bought from someone on here would work better. c:


Yup fleece. Have them hung up at the top of the cage. Just not showing any interest in them.

They like the various toys and such throughout, but their sleep habits are what crack me up. They have little beds, a wooden and plastic 'house', the hammocks, fleece lined shelves, you name it. But, they prefer to curl up on the floor of the cage. Oh well!


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## Lizard (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks everyone. I have added in a few more hiding places in the form of cardboard boxes stuffed with shredded kitchen towel and different material scraps so they can build a nest, a few tree branches and have bought a fleece to line the shelves with. How would I go about making sure the fleece stays on the shelf? I have tried cutting it to double shelf size and wrapping it around/tying the edges to the bars, but I dont think it would take a rat over 30 seconds to get it off again...


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Looks like you've got a Freddy there, they are good starter cage, nice for up to 4 rats. I'd take out the shelves completely, they will only get smelly and in a freddy there aren't any long drops so your not needing to worry about that. If you want a shelf i would recommend popping down to a supermarket or Wilkinsons or similar and getting a cheap cat litter tray, drill or melt holes in each corner and use cable ties, garden wire or keyring clips to attach to the bars. You can fill with substrate to make a litter tray for rats and expand their digging are.

Also with you being in the uk it's well worth checking out www.ratrations.com they do lots of cheap rat toys etc, and food and bedding, if you get a decent amount from them it works out a lot cheaper than pet shops. I'd recommend the card beddings they do too.

I'd probably add some ropes and branches, i favour active layouts for my rats to help keep them fit and slim, oh and a wheel like a silent spinner is a brilliant addition, again great for there health and fitness.


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## EndlessDream (Jul 9, 2012)

Romans5.8 said:


> You know I bought a couple of hammocks at the pet store the other day and hung them up top and my rats could care less! One time when returning them to the cage I put them IN the hammock and they just crawled right across it and climbed down the bars on the other side! That big ol' cage they have and all they want is to sleep on the ground. Food and water is on other levels and they go up for that, but for the most part their favorite place is in a corner down below... go figure!


When I first got my rats they had no interest in hammocks or even cubes either. They'd just sleep on the cage shelves or in their little house and ignored the hammocks. But I just left them in the cage, and eventually they ended up snuggling together in the hammock to sleep more often than not!


More on topic, you could save up cardboard boxes like cereal boxes and popcorn boxes for hidey places when they inevitably chew through and pee on the ones in their cage.


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