# Grotto Materials



## GuptRX (Sep 22, 2008)

hey all, great forum you have here.

im a new rat owner, i have too lady rats, tinkerbell and master splinter (i know, splinter was a boy, but she looks alot like him haha) ages 8wks and 5wks approx.

i have a nice cage for them at the moment but would like to build them a grotto enclosure, like a project for myself, but have a few questions.

i know pine shavings is a no-no for bedding, but what about solid pine for the grotto? is that ok?

also what about melamine? ive herd that it both is and isnt toxic, does anyone know if i should use it?

thanks heaps, im sure ill find lots of hints and tips on here *thumbs up*


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## jazzybff (Jun 24, 2008)

personally, I would just invest in a ferret nation 142. Once your done with the grotto, you will have spent as much money as a FN 142 costs. Also, grotto style homes become stinky really quick, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WATER PROOF PAINT YOU PUT ON. Trust me, GET THE FN 142.


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## sarahisgett (Aug 18, 2008)

i agree with jazzybff.


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

Home made cage= bad bad idea!! They do look nice, the problem though is that they don't stay like that! No matter what you do they will start to smell, they can't be cleaned easily, decorated easily, ect. It's just not worth it. This from someone who has spent at least $800 building cages modifying them so one is better than the next and honestly none of them turn out good in the end.


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## GuptRX (Sep 22, 2008)

hmmm...good point.

i just saw one on http://www.dapper.com.au/ and loved the look of it, also i think that alot of cages have a cluttered look, however after seeing the ferret nation 142-3 they seem pretty darn good! ahaha

anyways i cant go rushing off into things as im only just starting out, and my rats seem pretty happy with the cage they have at the moment. just gotta replace the newspaper with some fleece and their tissue box home with something more permanent. :lol: 

cheers


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

Yes the cages are cluttered, but they are for a reason! Rats like smaller spaces, dark corners, and tons of stuff in their cage! They need alot of room to move (2.5 cu inches for my big boys, 2 for normal rats) but they really need and like their spaces filled up. The floor is the only slightly bare spot in my cage and I still have their food dishes, rock under the water bottle, litter box, ladder, and igloo on the floor. 

If you look at my ferret nation cages and see the one the rats are in, then see the one my ferrets are in you would see what I'm talking about (my camera is broken so I can't share). The ferret cage looks naked compared to the rat cage!


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