# Rats jumping out of playpen!!



## rainbowrats (Jul 25, 2013)

This is scaring me half to death.. When I take out my girls I have a roughly 2 1/2 ft playpen made out of cardboard, which I have learned is not nearly enough for 4-month girls. Sophie was half-out when I got her back in, and I had been planning to relax with them.. 

Do you all have any idea what the height should be? Additionally, if I instead free ranged and blocked off parts I didn't want them to get to, are there any tips on free ranging? I'm afraid with my current setup I won't be able to, but with some furniture rearranging...


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## Juliah456 (Mar 12, 2014)

Rats max out at 3 feet  I had the same problem with my girls when I got them, now I just let them go in the whole room with the bed blocked off. I'd recommend trying a full 'rat proofed' room when you're more comfortable with them, it's so much fun and they'll never get bored!
When I free range, I just use the walls of my old pen and use them to block off around the pen. I suggest that when you free range (at least at first,) try sitting on the floor with them... I find that this helped mine to come to me when I wanted them to (if that makes any sense ah).. it really just depends on the room you're in and your rat's habits/behaviours etc. I also recommend leaving stuff on the floor, actually! I leave my laundry basket, boxes and bags, a cardboard clubhouse I made them, baskets, etc, on the floor to keep them occupied. They'll love exploring. Also, don't be afraid to let them climb if they want to. My girls love love loove climbing on my shelving unit. I also have a bag rack with a sweater hanging down, and they'll climb up the sweater and into the bags. They can take falls pretty well, so don't be too worried about them going high up, especially if you have carpet.
Lastly but not least... I recommend seeing if they use the bathroom in one place. Mine all went in the corner so I started just placing a tray there so that I wasn't cleaning pee and raisins off the floor every time.


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## rainbowrats (Jul 25, 2013)

I need to work on litterbox training, definitely, but otherwise my girls like to chew on soft things, and I'm very concerned at my books and drawings I keep around.. My room isn't messy, but I'd have to block off virtually everything if I didn't want bites out of it. Truthfully, I may have to change my room quite a bit. I don't think there's anything there I'd be okay with leaving them around.


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## sherlockandwatson (Feb 22, 2014)

My play pen is three feet. My male rat has never tried but females are probably more daring . You can get boxes at home depot and cut them in half and fence in a play area. Good luck!


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## pip367622 (Feb 24, 2014)

We have had our rats nearly 6 weeks, free roaming went like this:
Week 1: The room where their cage is, and a small area sectioned off, with us and rats sitting in same space. Found the holes and hid under sofa, but came out and climed back in cage. 
Week 2: My old office / now utility room, has laminate floor, and sectioned off half the room, and one loved it, bit scared on floor, so blankets down, but as an extension room, does get cold in evenings, so blew out that room, unless day time and warm from any sun we get. 
Week 3 : Sectioned off hallway way, boys escaped up a few steps, and no one could relax so much, as lots of areas to block off. Took half hour ech time to put everything back, that we begged, borrowed and stole from each room to make a barracade! Exhausting all round. 
Week 4: Living room but barred certain areas, they still of course went where they shouldn't! 
Week 5/6 - current - We now block off telly area, turn off all plugs, and cover those wires, and boys just free roam the living room, and hallway, and we carry cage in, and they come and go as they please for a couple of hours, or until they show signs of enough. We are all more relaxed, and it's working great! Rat proofed the danger zones, the rest is now a huge play area, including the best climbing frames....US! ;D


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## Juliah456 (Mar 12, 2014)

My room used to be super messy but my girls have inspired me to keep it clean! Lol  Although lucky me they aren't chewers, so I can do my homework on the floor with them, draw, etc.


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## ratswithfoxandbear (Feb 12, 2014)

If I can jump in (and hopefully get an answer)-- where did everyone find their playpens? I need one because they have limited roaming space in my old apartment with lots of cracks and openings. I will be on the lookout for a pen that is three feet tall, but if anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate it.


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## Maddie (Jan 13, 2014)

Lol I will also chime in and say making the entire room a play space would be a good idea. My boys just climb my bookshelves and don't chew. They are too busy dangling from my curtains to worry about chewing books.


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## Juliah456 (Mar 12, 2014)

ratswithfoxandbear said:


> If I can jump in (and hopefully get an answer)-- where did everyone find their playpens? I need one because they have limited roaming space in my old apartment with lots of cracks and openings. I will be on the lookout for a pen that is three feet tall, but if anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate it.


 I recommend buying some hardboard at your local hardware store and cutting it into boards your desired size (you can ask the store to do that), then cutting slits in them so they will slide together easily and also disassemble for storage. http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/index.php?topic=4060669.0


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## ratswithfoxandbear (Feb 12, 2014)

Juliah456 said:


> I recommend buying some hardboard at your local hardware store and cutting it into boards your desired size (you can ask the store to do that), then cutting slits in them so they will slide together easily and also disassemble for storage. http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/index.php?topic=4060669.0


This is a fantastic answer, and I think you so much for doing the googling for me. I am going to make this my next project!


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## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

I was kind of surprised when my boys starting leaping straight up 3 feet in order to get over all of the barriers I'd put in place around my room. Isaac never makes it (he's not as athletic), but Styles had made some really astonishing leaps, which would be cool if it weren't for the fact that I then have to scramble under my bed to retrieve him (he always looks so amused). Now that they're older and more aware of safety I've given up and just let them free range in my room, I just have to keep them away from the iguana tank and they're good. 

I think building a playpen would be the best idea, since most playpens big enough for rats (roaming wise) have large spaces in them (since they're meant for ferrets/rabbits) and those with small enough spacing are too short (and meant for hamsters).


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## rainbowrats (Jul 25, 2013)

I've built mine out of cardboard, but yes, it's turned out to be way too small. ^^; I likely won't be able to freerange unless I make major modifications to my room, but I would love to do that instead...


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## Juliah456 (Mar 12, 2014)

rainbowrats said:


> I've built mine out of cardboard, but yes, it's turned out to be way too small. ^^; I likely won't be able to freerange unless I make major modifications to my room, but I would love to do that instead...


 a bit of work to get the room all 'rat proofed' but it's totally worth it! Good luck


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