# Play area?



## Glwolf (Aug 2, 2013)

Can I see pics if people's play area set ups? We have our cage in the living room so id like to have something that looks nice that we can take down when we don't have the cage open. I can't let them out in the whole room cuz they can't be trusted yet.


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## lcs (Feb 7, 2012)

I'd be interested as well. I had put together some plywood with long hinges, but it's not very easily put away, at least one of our rats good make the two foot height easily, and there was no easy way to get in and out.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I don't free range in the living room, and usually avoid near their cage since I don't want them spending time in there. Instead, I have this hallway I use. Once I shut the doors, I just block off the entryway. I lay down a blanket or sheet since it helps with messes.

When we free range, I give them new toys.
They just got this: http://www.ferret.com/item/marshall-connect-n-play-set/650297/
I also like to offer a digging box. We've done pea fishing and training.

With the hallway option, I can open some of the doors to offer new locations (bathroom, closet, my room). I don't like them to be able to get under furniture or find nice little escape places I didn't know about.


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## irradella (Nov 5, 2011)

I have a couple of shelves above my couch with a suspended litter box between them. We call it the "rat wall" and the rats all love it. I'm giving it a bit of a makeover at the moment but I have a couple more branches to wrap in blue fabric and then some new matching liners and hammocks to sew. There will be gold leaves all around it. Eventually I'm going to try to make the center part look more like a tree house and try to figure out another way for them to get up there besides tunnels. 









This is what I have so far 

This setup is easy to take apart and can be used as shelving.


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

Mine is just my room with cords unplugged from the walls so there's no power goes through them incase little ratty teeth get them some I leave plugged in they don't chew them. (They just chew other things haha) my closet door closes so they don't get in there I open their cage and let them come out on their own and if they don't after a while I take them out. They have a tent on top of their cage with a blanket in it. They manly run around on the floor and climb things or jump on me haha 

I wouldn't really worry to much of a set up just rat proof a room and block any exits. I tried putting toys and stuff down on the floor for my rats but they don't pay much attention to them so I stopped doing that.


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

irradella said:


> I have a couple of shelves above my couch with a suspended litter box between them. We call it the "rat wall" and the rats all love it. I'm giving it a bit of a makeover at the moment but I have a couple more branches to wrap in blue fabric and then some new matching liners and hammocks to sew. There will be gold leaves all around it. Eventually I'm going to try to make the center part look more like a tree house and try to figure out another way for them to get up there besides tunnels.
> 
> View attachment 64994
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You should post a thread of the tree shelf when it is done I think it looks so cool and neat.


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## yourcharmedlife (Aug 6, 2013)

I went back and forth with this for months and finally found a solution. I bought peg board at home depot, blocks off one side of hall and then close two doors and line the slots under where they can get out with bricks, that way it also dulls down their nails and that's it! I did have to make sure its 3" high so my little jumper cant jump over it. Heres a pic.


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## coxbrea151 (Jun 1, 2012)

I have heard of others useing foam board. I do not know if that is what its called though. They arange it around an area, and normally rats cant get over it. It is light, and easy to make with duct tape and boards. I used to use a baby pool, but most rats can jump over it.


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## Timberlee Fields (Aug 2, 2013)

I need to figure out a way to fashion a pen as well. Or a blockade to save the tv cords at least. 


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## Hephaestion (Jan 27, 2013)

@ Timberlee - I just got cardboard boxes, flattened them out and cable tied them together to make a barrier. My tv corner has internet cables, sound system and many wires, so, needless to say, my rats loved going behind the cabinet. My barrier has been a cheap and effective solution so far.

@coxbrea - I have read of people using correx to fashion play pens. It is the stuff that plastic signs are made from, think real estate for sale signs. There is a thread somewhere on fancyratsforum.co.uk but I couldn't find it just now.


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## Glwolf (Aug 2, 2013)

I would just let them into the whole room but they go under couches or bookshelves and never come out. Do they stop doing that when they get older?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

When they've explored it, they might. But otherwise it is my understanding the safest and most comfortable place for a rat to be is hidden like that.


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## Beckvin (Aug 7, 2013)

I posted a few. I put some sheets on couch Just IncAse they have accident. But they are good w litter box I just fill A little container and reuse it for only playtime so it's not cycled into the rest of the Tupperware we use for my son and i


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## Beckvin (Aug 7, 2013)

I put my dog in the other room during play time. She's sweet but too curious and gets very excited. 


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## Beckvin (Aug 7, 2013)

Wow love the " rat wall!" Is that couch from lazy boy I think I have exact same lol


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I haven't been able to let them freeroam as much as I would have liked to, but I generally clear my bed of all but the top sheet and toss an old bedspread on there - believe it or not, climbing through and making tunnels in this blanket is endless fun for them, they never get bored of it.


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

This is my rat's play area. Well, they actually have the run of my whole room but this is specifically for them to run around and play in. I switch out the boxes now and again when they're dirtied and throw in some bits of rat food and treats for them to attack! There's also a picture of half of the space of my room they get to run in - it's a big room as it's a loft conversion. (btw that's my second, smaller cage that I don't have set up right now, I have a bigger one for my three girls in my side room).


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