# Ideas for a warmer cage?



## OutOfHowMany (Dec 24, 2012)

So unfortunately my house gets pretty chilly, and with the weather about to drop down into single digits, I was wondering what else I could do to make certain my girls are snuggly and warm in their home. They already have fleece and bits from an old snuggie to cuddle on, plus a space heater when we can use it. I'm thinking the temp will probably hit in the mid-twenties or so in the house (with the space heater off entirely; it stays in the mid 40's in regular 20-30 degree weather). I read somewhere that making a hot water bottle would be good, and something about a heating pad but I'd be reaaaaally hesitant to put one of those in there with my chewie Nerf.

Is there something else I can do, or a particular way to do those hot water bottles, that I could do to make certain my girls are warm during the temperature dip?


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## catland (Sep 3, 2012)

I put a blanket over the top part of my cage so that it covers the sides and back bit not the front


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## Sockladle (Jan 21, 2013)

Pet stores have nesting material you can give them to snuggle with. They will also curl up next to each other to keep warm. Covering up the cage with a blanket or towel at night can help keep the heat in instead of it getting drafty in their cage. Like you said with your chewing rat, I wouldn't get a heating pad unless it was somewhere they couldn't get to it and could only lay on it. A hot water bottle wrapped in maybe a towel could work too.


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## OutOfHowMany (Dec 24, 2012)

I have it covered over with a big blanket, though I'm not certain it's sufficient enough. I might drape a second one over just in case. I'm thinking of trying out the hot water bottle... Wrap it up real good, and stick it in their favorite sleeping hammock or something ;~;

Poor girlies I do not want them to be too cold.


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## EndlessDream (Jul 9, 2012)

I put dry rice in old baby food jars and heat it up in the microwave for mini heaters that I stick next to where they like to sleep. I tried making it into a bean bag thing but my rats chewed right through it to the rice, so that's why the glass baby food jars. If you could find something else they won't chew through that would keep it so the heat doesn't leave so quickly it might be better. Maybe covering the jars in fleece?


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

On the rice thing if you don't have baby food jars, you can put it in a plastic bag and put it in a sock. When our AC was off in the middle of summer (in Texas at that) and it was 100 degrees in our house we put frozen water and ice into plastic bag and in Ice for our guys to sleep on. They loved it.

Sounds like it might be time to invest in some paper towels, you can give them a few sheets a day so they can make a nest. Generally they'll make a nest in the tightest box, not so tight that they can't fit in it, so that they can stay warm easier.

What type of cage do you have? I would make sure that the whole base/pan of it is full so they have a deep layer of bedding to move around and make a nest in for them to choice to stay warm in. If this is an issue you can buy a large plastic tub, cat litter box, or if you have an old tank laying around that would work, to put plenty of bedding and shredded paper in. 

If you do the tank idea maybe put it on it's side so it's not as tall, also put it on the bottom part of the cage (basically the base) so it doesn't break a shelf since even 10 gallons are heavy.

Also make sure they are getting enough food so they can keep their temperature up.


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## OutOfHowMany (Dec 24, 2012)

I have the Super Pet My First Home for Exotics, Large (this one --> http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Fir...=UTF8&qid=1358829547&sr=8-1&keywords=rat+cage ). The entire base is full of fleece and stuff, and they have a nest box though my girls tend to like just stashing paper in it rather than sleeping in it. They have one hammock they love above all other, and all of my bits and pieces of ripped fleece I've given them as well as paper towels and tissues end up piled on them up there. They haven't seemed too bothered by the cold yet (I check them every few minutes like an obsessive person), but I just want to make certain . It gets very very cold down here and we can't run the space heater 24/7 (though we're getting close to it; we're cold too!!).

Though all of the rice and stuff ideas are good. I never thought of that. I'm sure she'd chew right through it eventually, but I might be able to find something they won't be interested in chewing I could use... Baby jars are good, but yeah I feel like the heat would leave quickly.

Definitely keeping that ice thing in my head for the summer!


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

The snuggle safe discs are pretty chew-resistant and last hours. Although obviously we should take some precautions, rats are much better adapted for the cold than the warm so if you're comfortable they're probably fine


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## OutOfHowMany (Dec 24, 2012)

Oh, really? Someone told me the entire opposite way around as soon as this cold weather hit D: So I guess I panicked a little. I know I'll be able to keep them cool in the summer time, but it's hard to keep something warm long enough to help them out.

Those snugglesafe discs look really cool, though!


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

They're so handy. You do need to put a cover on it (most are supplied with one) but even my bad chewers haven't made much of a scratch on it. And they do stay warm for hours, whereas pre-snugglesafe I was switching out rice bags every couple of hours or so. This lasts I think 8 hours but not certain.


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

What if you put the heating pad under the cage? At least some of the heat would come through.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

It was -20 Celsius the other day outside... 
My room was normal room temperature (about 21 Celsius (....73?f)) 

anyways, they voluntarily climbed to the window with a draft coming in, And sat by it! Several times! They seem to like the cold more than heat...my girls just become lethargic at anything over 25 (75?) 

Sorry about my rough Fahrenheit estimates...lol

Oh when it gets very cold, I put "blankets" I'm their cage that they sleep under. They like it.









Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Enclosed hammocks like pocket hammocks or cubes instead of flats will help keep them warm and their body heat in. You can also take cardboard or coroplast and put it around the top and sides of your cage to keep body heat in, and drafts out. Put the blanket over top of that and they won't be able to pull it in and make it useless ont he first cold night LOL


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