# Keeping rats in bedroom



## Cookie34 (Dec 7, 2017)

So currently my rats are in our semi-converted roofspace. Now that they’re getting braver I’m so worried they’re gonna get out past me when the doors open and only one of the walls is actualled walled...if that makes sense. The others are just what you would expect in a roof space, so god knows where they’d end up, I’d prob never find them! Anyway I could keep them in my room but I suffer from insomnia as is so I don’t know...maybe they’d be too noisy? There’s only two of them if that helps. Do I have any other options anyone can think of?


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## shadowshearth (Nov 21, 2017)

Hmm... I'm an insomnia sufferer as well. I have my two girls in my computer room and my new, adopted rat in my bedroom. They usually aren't super noisy - not enough to disturb my sleep habits anyways. But, even with my insomnia, once I'm actually asleep, I can sleep through most anything. If you're sensitive to small noises (like the sound of nibbling, them getting a drink, or destroying a paper towel roll), it might be a concern. 

Otherwise, if you'd prefer not to move them, I'd consider building a cardboard playpen around their cage, that way you know they are in a "safe" area when you open the cage doors for anything. And you can also have the joy of just opening it up, sitting down, and letting them explore and play with you. Just make sure it's made of fairly tall boxes and the cage isn't in a spot that they can climb up and jump out. You'd be surprised how high they can jump! They just need enough leverage to do so!


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## charlypie (May 15, 2017)

I've had rats and other small animals live in my room, but I don't have insomnia. However I found the 2 problem things for me where the noise of running on a wheel and water bottle sounds. A lot of rats aren't big on using the wheel, so that might not be an issue in your case, you could try to find a quite one but I don't know how quiet they get. But if you get a water bottle with a sippy spout (the animal has to move a little peg to get the water) instead of the usual ball system for small animals it should be really quiet, I have them and they are basically silent.


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## Ratologist (Nov 24, 2016)

I don't have insomnia, but I am a light sleeper. There's no way I could sleep with the rats in my bedroom. Between munching on food, running on their wheel, drinking from the water bottle, and running up and down the cage, they make plenty of noise!


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## MischiefUK (Dec 12, 2017)

Hm. It really depends. Do you need it completely silent to sleep? It sounds like your bedroom is the safest place for your rats to be, so maybe compromise and get some ear plugs? My rats' cage is less than a metre from where I sleep, and there's 7 of them. I remember thinking it was really noisy at first, but now the sound doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I don't think I'd be able to sleep if it was silent, haha.

I don't know, maybe trial having the cage in your room and see if you can deal with the noise? If they sleep when you sleep it really shouldn't be too bad.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

I think it depends on the rats. I have chronic insomnia and the noise doesn't bother me much. I let them out for a good 1-2 hours right before bed and when I put them back I feed them. After they eat they usually settle down and go to sleep.

But there was a period with my first pair of rats were I had to sleep in a different room but now i don't have a problem.


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## Ratmadoo (Nov 19, 2016)

I suffer from insomnia myself and have to have it really quiet to sleep, even the broadband router is too loud, but I do keep my rats in my bedroom, and for me it is fine, most of the time I can sleep. They do make noise, a lot sometimes, bangs, squeeks, chattering, etc, but because the noises are not to a pattern and are random, I find I can sleep... Different to my hamster who makes a pattern of noises the same noises over and over, this I cannot sleep through at all and hamster no longer stays in bedroom.


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## Basiltheplant (Jan 2, 2017)

I have eleven rats in a triple ferret nation that is about a foot from my bed. I tend to sleep perfectly fine. However it may be fair to mention that I work nights so I am awake during the same time they are awake and asleep during the same time they are asleep


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## Daisywonk (Aug 18, 2017)

I actually enjoy having Hazel in my room. Her little sounds help me sleep!


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## Phoene (Dec 21, 2017)

I sleep with the rats in my room as there is no other place for them. First few nights were bad because I had just gotten them and they had not really been out of the cage so one of the rats was reduced to slowly ripping the card board box that it their hide up. That really kept me awake! I have to take the wheel away at night now but other than the sound of grooming (my rats really talk when being groomed!), drinking water (worst noise for keeping you awake. Maybe you could give them a bowl of water for the night?), eating (actually this sound helps me sleep), the shelves shifting (not often), and one of my rats squeaking often while she breaths (she has a URI) they make no noise. I know I just named a lot of things but all of them are pretty quite. I do not have a problem with sleeping most of the time, when I do it is never because of my girls and they sometimes give me something to listen to while I am in bed.


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## mewmew_chan (Aug 20, 2017)

I have severe, chronic insomnia but like Shadowshearth, once I'm out I am 100% out, like a stone. Personally I can't sleep without a bit of ratty or hamster noises, I'm so used to them!


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## athenianratdaddy (Dec 20, 2017)

I live with roomates so I've always kept the rats in my bedroom. They can be noisy at night. I took to wearing earplugs and now I can't sleep without them, rats or no rats.


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