# Playpens that rats can't escape from?



## kindhearted (Aug 4, 2011)

Are there any play pens out there that ratties can NOT escape from -_- I have a marshall play pen which is fairly tall but my rats always manage to climb up and out. The bars are vertical so it just shows how very agile they are  A guinea pig ex pen is out of the question because they can climb out of that as well. I need some ideas!


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## jinsfch (Jan 8, 2012)

I haven't found anything short of the walls of my apartment. If you had a way of adding a top to the play pin it would keep them from climbing out. I know they sell play pin covers at petsmart. I like to let my boys run around in the room I'm in. It is a great way to ensure that I keep my apartment clean and orderly so they don't get into anything. Just make sure you have a litter box that you can move to the room you are in.


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

I bought a Martin playpen for them but it was sad to see them in there, hanging in an upper corner , looking desperate to get closer to me. They never played in there so I rat proofed the house, which they like much better.


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## giggles_mcbug (Sep 10, 2011)

I've heard of people forming playpins out of those really big moving cardboard boxes. But honestly I find putting them on a couch or a bed is way more fun for everyone.


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## choco (Jan 10, 2012)

I like the martin's covered play pen for them when they're younger, while establishing a good trust bond with them but after that stage I prefer to let them roam about whatever room I'm in freely. You just have to be really diligent in rat proofing, really putting yourself at their eye level and looking for hazards, holes and such. Like Giggles up there, I do like using the couch or bed for freetime when I want them to have "confined freedom".


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## kindhearted (Aug 4, 2011)

When I do put them on the bed/couch they always poo/pee and find a way to get under the mattress and cushions. When I do let them in the room supervised, one of the new rats keeps chewing up our carpet and then gets my other 2 ratties curious of course. There's things for them to chew but they are to interested in the rugs and wood of my bookshelves (lol)


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

kindhearted said:


> When I do put them on the bed/couch they always poo/pee and find a way to get under the mattress and cushions. When I do let them in the room supervised, one of the new rats keeps chewing up our carpet and then gets my other 2 ratties curious of course. There's things for them to chew but they are to interested in the rugs and wood of my bookshelves (lol)


My previous group was like that. What helped was when I bought flexible drain pipe material and connectors from Home Depot and put them on the floor, covered with a large bed sheet. It provided tunnels and all kinds of hide and seek games for them. When that got old I moved that stuff around so it would be new to them again. I threw an crocheted afghan over a laundry rack for them to climb on. Staying with them helped them stay out of trouble. As soon as I left, they thought of all kinds of naughty things to do.
Some other ideas: a carton box, filled with shredded paper with small treats hidden in it, a tub filled with soil and grass sods. They will show you what they can do with that.... .


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