# Other Cages = Hot, Mine = Not.



## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

Being a first time rat owner, I thought they were like every other animal - you get a cage, you spoil the heck out of them, and you feed them. Not these rats. I wrote about this in my blog this morning about how I quickly came to share a weird bond (something I've never felt before) and not only do I want to spoil the heck out of them, I want to know what's best. What's fun. What's exciting for both of us to share...

Now that being said, I feel like my cage is part of the ghetto compared to some of these beautiful cages you guys have on here! I'm very jealous of the people who find these incredible cages at great prices and the rats have tons of room to stretch out and relax in and mine look like they're squished into a studio apartment in NYC. LOL (But I am very excited and happy for you that you were able to get them!)

Ok I'm done poking fun at myself! LOL What I wanted to say was that I'm totally ok with starting out small and getting bigger. I'm fine with building my rat mansion from the ground up. But until then, does anyone have any ideas to make a smaller cage a bit more fun and exciting? Should I get rid of the plastic levels and add some hammocks and branches instead? Should I switch out the carefresh bedding? I've seen in a couple posts this is very dusty and although my rats seem ok with it, I personally can't stand the smell and it makes me sneeze like mad! I'd really like to do all I can to keep them stimulated and keep them interested. I would very much appreciate any tips you can give me.


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

Sorry. Brain fart here. For all you guys know, I keep the boys in a shoe box. LOL Actually I have a Super Pet Habitat Defined Rat Cage. It's not all that wide but it's pretty tall - maybe 3 feet? Plenty of room to climb and jump. They also like to carry the wooden treat ball up to the top level and roll it down the ramps, rinse than repeat. lol


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Is that the one with the strange wavy silver ramps? Ahh Google my friend, thank you! Yes it is. Actually that cage is too narrow for rats to live comfortably. Its okay for smaller girls but boys would need more room. Its 14-15" wide right? 

Funnily enough it should look a LOT more open being 3' tall so its an odd setup. But you could easily sling hammocks in there in a few places, hang toys down, etc...

Do you have it set up just plain right now and need ideas on how to make it more fun?


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

It's _very_ plain right now. I was hesitant on getting this cage but being a spur of the minute adoption, I needed something to get me by. (Don't get me wrong. I've done YEARS worth of research on rats as pets but never made the move to get one...)
I do plan on going much bigger and better for the boys (and maybe some others in the future) but would just like to spice it up in the meantime. Any ideas? I'm going to keep my eyes out on craigslist, ebay, and garage sales in the meantime for the mansion I know these boys deserve...


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

It came with a wheel right? is the wheel a minimum of 11" in diamater? Do the rats even use it? If not take it out 

If you have a little money to spend you can do things like this...

Buy one of these...a critterpod if you are in the US

http://www.amazon.com/Lixit-Critter-Space-Pod-Large/dp/B002X2NBNQ

and you can hang it from the ceiling like in this cage










buy or make hammocks and string them in the big empty spaces...remove the food dish on the side and just get a shallow cat bowl and put it in the bottom of the cage...

Get a small box for them to chew and sleep in for the bottom or if you prefer plastic, easy to clean and reusable there are several plastic houses you can use...


Its just a quick pic using Paint so you can see where things could be hung. The bottom hammock is optional only if you remove the wheel.

Buy a nice wooden chew toy for birds to hang in the cage for them to bang around and chew, and/or buy foam shapes, and hang those to rip down and shred


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## Poodlepalooza (Aug 9, 2012)

Be sure to include wayfair in your sites to watch for larger cages. I got a double critter nation for $179 or so with free two day shipping!


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

Awesome pics! No wheel came with this cage... Didn't bother me or them much... I see a ton of stuff on amazon (I'm only slightly addicted) that I would love to buy but I kinda really like that critterpod thing! I've also been considering buying a hammock because I feel bad that they sleep on the floor and nap on the levels. And as for that wayfair thing, that site looks AWESOME!!! I'm on there now and I feel like I've just depleted my savings account by just looking! LOL

By the way, what is that flowery thing in the cage? I've noticed that in some other pictures I looked at but I'm not sure what it is? Is it a chew toy?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If you mean mine? its mostly foam shapes from the dollar store or craft stores with a couple of metal shower hooks to hang them by. The wood is from a bird site where you can buy bits and pieces to make your own toys


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

The top cage in Lilspaz picture is the exact cage I am using.


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

I didn't know foam like that was safe for them to chew on! That's a cute idea to spruce things up for fall for their cage! I didn't know I could make so much on my own for their cages! Time to put my thinking cap on and head to a craft and/or dollar store!


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## trematode (Sep 8, 2012)

Even though money is tight, I am a fan of buying what you will need right off the bat instead of "building up".

If I wanted to, I could have spent $80 on a small cage, and then $170 for a large cage when they outgrew it.
Instead, I shopped around on Kijiji and found a large cage for $70. See the difference?
(I should note that cages and accessories here in Canada are way more overpriced than in the states)

Some ideas:
- I found fleece pet blankets at the dollar store for $2 each. They weren't long enough to cover the bottom of the cage, but I could cut them up to make lining for the levels and hammocks.
- Also saw wooden boxes and flower pots at the dollar store.
- Instead of a hammock, I noticed that some people attached tupperwear containers to the cage bars and put bedding inside. I\d like to try this.
- My rats love cardboard boxes.
- I bought them something similar to this: http://www.petco.com/product/110571...reCat=MM_SmallAnimalSupplies_SleepersHideouts but it has a little hay ball hanging in the opening, which they like to chew on and bat around.

I am new to rats, so I am always looking for suggestions too. Especially cheap ones. It is very frustrating that some accessories can be as high as double the price than they are on the Petco and Petsmart websites. Right now, Petco has hammocks on sale for $5-8. They are $15-18 here no matter where I go!!! Fleece wasn't that much cheaper. I did find some end of the roll fleece, which was $1 for 3 large pieces. But normally, it is $14.99 a meter. I had to buy a $20 membership in order to get it for $4.99/meter. You can make quite a few accessories out of a meter of fabric though. I lack a sewing machine so I just need the time and motivation.


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

If you go to any of those cheap shops (here we have the pound shop, I think your alternative is the dollar store) they usually have value packs of cat toys, with little bell balls and stuff. I string the bell toys up and hang them around the cage, the rats sometimes bat them around but mostly they serve to make the cage look more colourful and decorated. 

Rope dog toys strung to act like perches/swings. 

Apples with string through them to hang from the top of the cage - keeps the rats busy and looks cute while it lasts!

You can make hammocks easily yourself by cutting up old clothes and just putting paperclips through the corners to hold them up. 

If you browse small animal toys online (I use zooplus http://www.zooplus.ie/specials/rodents/special_offers/accessories/34891) there's tons of inspiration. I look at stuff online and then make it myself! :3 

Toiler paper rolls as tunnels, or if your rats are bigger then pringle tubs. You just push out the other end and hang it from the top of the cage and they love it! If you want to make it look nicer you can cover it with fabric, or use non-toxic kids finger paint to paint over it. 

There are literally tons of things you can do or make to improve the cage for your ratties. The Dapper Rat has a list of things you can make or do yourself: http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm 

Good luck!


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

trematode said:


> Even though money is tight, I am a fan of buying what you will need right off the bat instead of "building up"


I agree with this too but it really was a spur of the moment adoption. And I was offered the cage for an amazingly low price ($10), was told it was sufficient for 3 rats so I was happy to just save a couple lives. (Total lie about the cage size I know) 

I always have felt that we come across the animals that are meant to be in our lives only when they are ready to let us into theirs... (Cosmic, I know. lol) That's what happened with these boys... I knew I wanted a rat in the back of my mind and when I was being led to the backroom to see some rats for adoption, every fear doubt and the like was erased from my mind and I felt instantly connected the second I saw them. It's amazing how little I actually knew out of all the reading up on them I did in previous years and not only do I enjoy the company of them, I love the fact I'm learning so much about their species and making some new friends in the process  But I digress...

I'm in the market for a much bigger cage now and at least I know I'll always have a spare if I need one.


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

Yeah... so much for staying home today. My son and I are going to look around at some garage sales on our way to the dollar store


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## trematode (Sep 8, 2012)

jd882 said:


> I agree with this too but it really was a spur of the moment adoption. And I was offered the cage for an amazingly low price ($10), was told it was sufficient for 3 rats so I was happy to just save a couple lives. (Total lie about the cage size I know)


Well, that's not so bad then 

My parents had the same thing happen with their cat. Mom had to have our old cat put to sleep. She hated seeing her in pain and even though she is a nurse, it really hurt to have to make the decision to let her go. She thought it would be too painful to get another animal.

One day, the nursing home she works at received a phone call. A vet clinic just rescued a healthy cat that was brought in to be euthanized and asked if the nursing home wanted her. The nursing home couldn't take the cat at the moment because some of the staff has allergies. They told my mom about the situation. She called the vet and said she would take the cat before even seeing her. I went with mom to pick her up and she just fell to pieces when she saw her. It was ment to be.


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## pocketmouse (Jun 13, 2012)

you'd be surprised at all the fun rat cage things you can find if you keep an eye out! garage sales, thrift stores, free stuff boxes, craigslist, dollar stores -- all great places for rattie items! I got super lucky in the fact that the person I got my rat babes from ended up giving me some rat cage supplies (one of those ferret balls with all the holes, some rat sized tubes, a litter box corner tray, then my mom bought them a pyramid hammock from petsmart) but even still I find that my girls usually prefer the cheaper handmade items (although having the more expensive stuff is nice too if you can afford it). They've recently been sleeping in their dollar store washcloth hammock every night (I made it by poking holes in the corners and zip tieing plastic clips from old mcdonalds toys to each of them) and before that their favorite was a piece of a jean pant leg that I had zip tied up to the top of their cage. Really just having lots of variety is the most important thing. The dollar store has dog toy ropes that work really well as climbing ropes/rope bridges (although you may have to untie a knot or two) they also have tons of different tubs and containers, as somebody else was saying, that are great for hanging up as shelves or flipping over and cutting a hole into to make a little hut/hideaway (or heck even just using it as a litter box). Pot holders make really good cheap rat cushions / toys to drag around the cage, and there are endless patterns on them. You can use the upcoming holidays as cage decorating inspiration, hanging up stockings, easter eggs filled with treats, rattie birthday banners.. at the Dollar Store I recently found a Halloween pot holder and a gift box that looked like a haunted house that I ended up getting for the girls, they really like it  Using different fabrics is probably my favorite way to change up the cage though, but that's not really amusing/fun for the ratties as much so as it is for me (although they do like having a variety of different scraps, blankets, textures). But really there are endless possibilities/different rattie toys and cage accessories out there! I hope that you too will soon have a super exciting cage. You should post a picture when it's done !


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## jd882 (Sep 16, 2012)

I could see my son's face now if he looked in the cage and saw an old McDonald's toy that he never played with in there! LOL I am cracking up just thinking about it!! 
I'm getting some good ideas looking at the pictures here, on google, and even going through my closet seeing what clothes I have that I don't wear anymore that I could play around with... Guess sometimes these things are more entertaining for the owners then the pets!


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