# Rainbow and Tardus!



## PrincessRat (Aug 22, 2012)

My best friend, after meeting and falling in love with my girls, and us both convincing her mom to let her get some...just got two little girls yesterday! She sent me a picture of them. I was wondering if anyone can tell what kind of cage they are in? And if it is suitable for 2 rats? She is very new to the rat world and I have not yet let her girls but she wants any advice she can get to make sure her rats get good lives. I gave her a 4 page list of everything she needed and a bunch of tips on care and sickness and stuff.

The white one is Rainbow, the black hooded is Tardus.



-Rats are my life-


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

That sorta looks like a hamster cage that petco sells. WAY too small for too girls. I might be wrong about the cage tho.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

No, you're right. That's a very small hamster cage. I use that same cage for vet transport of my little guys and at 7 wks they've outgrown it and it will only be used to transport 1 at a time from here on out. It's dimensions are 12 3/4"Lx10"Wx13 1/2"H. WAAAAAY too small.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

PrincessRat, you may want to suggest that she and her mom try Craigslist for a suitably sized cage at at reasonable price! Cages can get pricey but they also can keep harmony and health so well worth the investment. Great job converting another person over to the rattie side!


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## PrincessRat (Aug 22, 2012)

Thanks guys! I thought I had seen that cage at Petco and it's a very small cage! But I wasn't sure. I will let her know they're going to need a bigger one. 


-Rats are my life-


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## PrincessRat (Aug 22, 2012)

Also, I am confused about my own cage. I have the single critter nation cage and I thought it held 4 rats, 5 max. But on every rat cage calculator I have tried it is saying it holds up to 9 rats. I thought the double critter nation could hold 8 or 9 rats but not the single. I'm just wondering if I was wrong or the calculator? The single critter nation is a good sized cage for a few rats, but I can't see 9 rats living in it.


-Rats are my life-


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## IOVERATS (Aug 25, 2012)

Wayyy tool small, it looks like a hamster cage, the sort that a crappy pet shop have. So I would tell her to buy a bigger cage, you will notice that they will probably be even more playful. I know cages are expensive but I think that you should do whatever it takes for your ratties 


A wise t-shirt once said 'my rats think your gross too!' directed at all you rat haters out there!


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## IOVERATS (Aug 25, 2012)

PrincessRat said:


> Also, I am confused about my own cage. I have the single critter nation cage and I thought it held 4 rats, 5 max. But on every rat cage calculator I have tried it is saying it holds up to 9 rats. I thought the double critter nation could hold 8 or 9 rats but not the single. I'm just wondering if I was wrong or the calculator? The single critter nation is a good sized cage for a few rats, but I can't see 9 rats living in it.
> 
> 
> -Rats are my life-


Yeah I know what you mean, 9 rats living in a single? That's too many. My cousin has the double and she only has 3 adults in that one so they have a blast, but she needs to do some intros with her adults to make sure that she can house this pair of 3 month old rats, normally when they are rambunctious as these two if she houses them with adults they normally straighten them out. But I wouldn't put 9 rats in a single, it's too many. But I'm sure 4 rats is a good amount my cousin will have five living together in the double. I reckon the calculator is wrong. But I'm not a rat cage expert its just a guess from experience. Haha, I'm sure it's fine to put around 3-4 in a single 


A wise t-shirt once said 'my rats think your gross too!' directed at all you rat haters out there!


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Did you calculate the actual dimensions of the cage, or did you accidentally include the shelf underneath and wheels?


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## PrincessRat (Aug 22, 2012)

Yes I did thank you, I measured the height of the actual cage and fixed that and now it says 7. Still seems a bit much to me though..?


-Rats are my life-


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

There is an option on most calculators to do 2 cubic feet or 2.5 cubic feet per rat. Select 2.5 and the number will change, and even then, we recommend 1 or 2 under what those calculators put out. There aren't rules written in stone anywhere for how many you can cram into one. I found 4 in a single was comfortable.


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