# hide out ideas????



## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

I am always looking for interesting hiding houses for my rats. The love their various hideouts and hammocks. So I was curious, would the large aquarium decorations with the holes and such would be ok? gives them some texture and something new. Fish are so sensitive I would think they would be ok for rats, but ya never know. 

any opinions?
or other suggestions?


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## CarolineRose (Nov 18, 2011)

I'm not sure about all fish caves/hide away but some of the ones I've had for my tetras have had globs of glue inside to help hold certain things in place. The glaze and paint on them may also be toxic if the rat eats it. They don't hurt the fish because fish don't chew on their decorations, but the rats will.
Its awesome that you are being so creative with your ratties. One of my favorite hideaways right now is a sand castle bucket that I drilled a couple 2in holes into and sanded. I stringed a piece of braided rope inside it so they can get to the different holes. I caught one of my rats trying the drag her blanket into it through one of the holes, she seemed so determined that I helped her pull it through. They can only use one of the holes now because of the huge blanket but they seem very happy with the new arrangement.
The bucket looks a lot like this one:
http://www.earlyyearsathome.co.uk/assets/images/catalogue/standard/210192.jpg


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

That is a good idea! My dad made me some wooden hideouts and they love them and it provides a great chew item. I'm always on the lookout for new things


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

I use a mixing bowl with a hole in the front. Also make sure the mixing bowl provides enough venilation. Mine is more of a drainer. It has long slits in it to see my cute little furr balls cuddling in the hide out


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

Cheap plastic bowls and bins from the Dollar Store with doorways cut in them work for my gang. They also love empty tissue, cracker, and cereal boxes, and cardboard-box hideouts as well. I gave them an empty 32-oz. yogurt container a couple of weeks ago that they are happily destroying, and they also enjoy their tunnel made from a half-gallon milk carton.


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

Their current favorite is a box that is probably 4"X8"X5". all six females crawl in there for nap time and sleep time at night. It's so adorable! My new cell phone came in it and I thought they might like it so I closed it back up and cut a hole in it and sure enough they love it!


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## sewbama (Oct 1, 2011)

Empty milk cartons are a hit right now with my girls. I get the purified water for my rats that comes in those gallon jugs. when they finish the water, they get a new toy! 

I also started giving them the cardboard boxes those cuties oranges come in. Upside down it makes a great hideout because they have to squish down to get under the sides and then it's mostly enclosed. They don't chew on it and the bottom is open, so it lasts a while.


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## lexiloo (Nov 26, 2011)

I use the long 12-pack boxes and empty kleenex boxes, they already have holes in them. Also the cereal boxes that I use for their grain mix I save to make hides. Right now I have a big Hawaiian Punch jug that I'm going to somehow cut to make a hide.


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

with the milk cartons do you just cut the top off or what? I'm kinda worried about them cuttin themselves on the plastic if i do that..i'm a good worrier -_-


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

I used a paper carton, but if you want to use plastic, just cut off the top where it starts to narrow, and then cut out the bottom. _Voilà!_ A tunnel.


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## christinelovesyou (Jan 7, 2012)

BigBen said:


> I used a paper carton, but if you want to use plastic, just cut off the top where it starts to narrow, and then cut out the bottom. _Voilà!_ A tunnel.


I applaud you for using the correct word there, "voila". Maybe people think it is "woila". I SEE THAT WAY TOO MUCH.


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## sewbama (Oct 1, 2011)

To make a hideout from the gallon jug, I cut out a hole on one side (later expanded to two sides). To make it safe for their little feet (also a concern for the rat father in my house), I cut little vertical slits and folded over the edges. Makes it safe, but honestly the edges aren't terrible sharp anyway. Maybe it would if they were constantly stepping on it, but it's just when they go in and out, and sometimes not even then. 

I also made one out of a half gallon jug that I just cut on the diagonal. I hooked it to the cage and used the hooks to hold the fleece in it. They love having the fleece in there, but they of course pull it out. The fleece in the big jug is attached, too.


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