# I need some advice on my chewing rats



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

I've four young females between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 months old. They stay in my bedroom, which I've tried to rat proof as much as I can, but it seems whatever I try and stop them doing, they just find a way anyway, or do something else.

First things first, I do love my rats. They are gorgeous girls, but just so cheeky.

The main problem is that they like to chew. They've chewed carpet, so I stopped them by blocking the corner. They moved to chewing the corners of my bed sheets, so I blocked that with cushions, which they happily now chew away on. Also, my pillow cases get chewed.

I had my mobile phone charger on my bedside table when the rats were out this evening, and one of them munched through that. I've tried my best to get all wires up off the floor, such as at the back of the TV and computer, but all the rats are now confident with jumping, and they can easily reach or climb their way to on top of the TV, or my desk. Actually they can get everywhere I've tried to stop them going to.

Last month I was so close to moving to a bigger flat by myself, where I could give the rats an area for themselves, where I could also provide them with a pen, which I can't do here as my room is so small.

Another problem is that even though I blocked off under my bed previously, they could easily push their way through the gaps between the mattress and the metal bed frame and wriggle along, so I took away all the rat proofing under my bed. It's safe for them, but they keep hiding food under there and like to chew stuff - I think they've made it their second home.

I don't know what to do other than move and give them a bigger and safer area.

:/


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Until you're able to move you could try not getting all 4 out at once- all of the time.
I have 5 girls. I cannot get them all out at the same time unless they have my complete attention so I can stop them wandering off into the forbidden areas!
I'm in a similar situation- just a room in a house. So I tend to get 2 or 3 out at a time for play time, and I'll get one rat out every day for alone time with me.
I'll put them on my bed, on the sofa or just in the 'rat chair' (It's just a stand-alone wicker chair that I keep infront of the cage so I can watch them) They seem to like climbing all over me in the chair. What's handy is that the cage door rests on my lap if I sit in the chair so they can run in and out as they please.
So you could try just getting them out in pairs for your everyday free-range and then get all 4 out when you have some time to devote just to watching them.
You could put them on a table.
When I get all 5 out I put their play mat on the floor and then sit next to it and basically just shove them back onto the mat when they try to wander off.
A chest of drawers? If you have an empty top you could put them on there with some toys and stuff. Just any stand-alone spaces where they can't go anywhere else really.


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

That's so good advice thanks. I'd not be able to keep my rats on a mat or a table top. They always want to run, jump, climb.

Do yours chew stuff? How old are they?


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

2 are supposedly 5 months, but every day I suspect more and more that they're younger than that... 2 are 6 months and one is 3 and a half.
The oldie is easy- she can't move very fast and is more of a lazer than a chewer- too much effort to chew lol.
One of the youngies (Lilly) is a bit timid and whilst she's quick when she wants to be, she doesn't run off too much. The other youngie (Harley) runs around a little bit and then settles down for a nice nap. The other 2 are a nightmare. They gang up together to cause terror! I cannot get these 2 out together unless I'm in full concentration mode. They make each other worse, like a pair or twins. You'd think it was Annie and Lola that were related, not Annie and Harley and Lilly and Lola. They run off, they hide, they chew. I swear they communicate with each other and one distracts me whilst the other runs off!
Young'uns are a handful. But it's worth it 
Just another thought- where's your cage? Is it on the floor? Because mine is on top of the box thing where the stairs are (do you know what I mean by that vague description lol) so they can be let out _on _​the cage too since only one of them has learned to jump down to the floor.


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by the box thing :/ Though I used to mind up on a low table, but they could jump down easily. One of my younger ones is a little more timid than the other three, but even she will get to places that one of the older one doesn't. Altogether, the four of them can be a nightmare, running about, play fighting, climbing curtains and whatever is hanging on the back of my door, on top of my TV, chewing my bed, in my clean washing, onto my chair and then onto the desk, all over my laptop if I'm using it when they are out, knocking over my waste paper bin. They even try and jump up my posters to get to the top lol. It's very cute, but just stupid. Basically, anything that isn't over 2ft high is reachable, and if that in itself is anything less than about 1 1/2 ft away horizontally from something they are allowed on, they'll jump to it. The three older ones are all very confident and have no probs jumping or climbing up or down.

And when I first let them out their cage they will go crazy and run about like mad, and sometimes even after 1 hr some of them are still wanting to play. I know they will be like this much more while they are younger, and I don't mind that  I'd just like to make things safer for them, and to protect my stuff. I can see them wanting to get out and play now again :/ Whenever I open the cage door, even if I am putting food in, they just want out to play - or to grab the food and hide it under my bed. Cheeky little things they are


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Erm, you know if you have a room above the stairs and in the room is a sort of half-wall?
You might be able to see here









The pink thing under the cage is the box (I covered it with a mat to protect it from rat infestation!)

Yes they are frustrating sometimes. But you can't help but love them  Do you give them toys when they come out? My girls have in toys and out toys. Keeps them amused a bit longer since they don't see them everyday.

ETA: I was a bit sad and made a quick sketch to try and explain what I mean


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

I think I know what you mean. Thanks for the diagram. I don't really have toys for them outside anymore. I did when I had a pen around the cage (which they eventually got old enough to jump over), but I will try some again.What is your cage set up? Two cages? Is the bottom one a Jenny KD?


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Lol, it was a bit sad, I just can't get my point across properly in words! I speak a lot with my hands so internet is like crazy hard for me! It is indeed two cages: the bottom is a Furet XL and the top is a Marchioro Tom 82. It was pretty handy since they're the same width so I just clipped one on the other.
Yeah maybe try some toys- tubes, boxes full of newspaper and stuff. Pea fishing. They seem to like pea fishing


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

Wow that is quite a set up. Is that all for five rats?I was thinking if I did move flats, I'd get a Furet XL.I'm typing on my mobile, so that's why my answers are short now lol


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Lol, fair enough. Yeah all 5 live in there. The Furet XL is a good cage actually, I'm really happy with it, and it'd be plenty of room for your 4.


----------



## sonicboom (Sep 3, 2011)

I was wondering about the Furet XL, which I like because it has the type of bars/coating that I want... Do any of your rats chew the bars? I've got one that always chews the bars on my cage, and I wonder if the coating on the Furet XL would get chewed off?


----------



## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Definitely does. I bought it 6-8 weeks ago. Annie sits there and just grinds her teeth on it for hours- it's an awful noise- so the coating's coming off. I would still recommend it though- she's just a weird rat and nothing would stop her. She chewed one of the bars of the old cage off! Super rat!


----------

