# Rat cage bars



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

Don't know if this will make any sense, but I can't find any decently priced rat cages around me or online that I can afford with bars facing side ways so that they can climb up the sides. The ones I am finding are facing vertically and it looks like it would make them not be able to climb up the sides??? Due to my female rat recently giving birth, we've been looking for a cage so that when the babies get 5 weeks old we can separate the genders and have something to keep them in until finding them homes. But we don't have a HUGE amount of money to put towards a cage since we weren't planning on needing two cages. So is it a BIG deal for the bars to be facing horizontally? I have one more pet store I can check tomorrow for cages but if they don't have any proper ones I'm going to have to get one offline.


----------



## rattylovebites (May 19, 2013)

How much money can you spare for another cage? And about how many rats will be in this cage?


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

rattylovebites said:


> How much money can you spare for another cage? And about how many rats will be in this cage?


Not sure yet but I'm thinking no more than 80-90 bucks. Long term it will hold 2 rats, short term it will hold however many boy rats are in my rat mommies litter.

I'm thinking this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Fir...8&qid=1370383629&sr=8-11&keywords=ferret+cage


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

We've decided to buy this one next week when he gets paid, looks like we'll have plenty enough to get it.  It's pretty much like my other rat cage so they will match except theirs has grey shelves.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Pet-D...714?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d3f43a2c2


----------



## rattylovebites (May 19, 2013)

Okidoki. If you're interested too you should check out http://www.martinscages.com/ Martins cages are very popular in the rat community and pretty cheap for their sizes!


----------



## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

The SuperPet Cage is a good one. Vertical bars are fine though. I had my six girls in a converted bird cage before they got their DCN and it had vertical bars that they climbed no problem.


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

Rumy91989 said:


> The SuperPet Cage is a good one. Vertical bars are fine though. I had my six girls in a converted bird cage before they got their DCN and it had vertical bars that they climbed no problem.


Oh really? Well thank you!  I will keep it in mind if we end up having to get one with vertical bars. ^_^


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

rattylovebites said:


> Okidoki. If you're interested too you should check out http://www.martinscages.com/ Martins cages are very popular in the rat community and pretty cheap for their sizes!


They do seem to be fairly priced for size, but is the wired bottom and levels okay or would it be uncomfortable for them?


----------



## rattylovebites (May 19, 2013)

No, you don't want them on a wire bottom. I cover mine in fleece. Walking on the barred bottoms can give them bumble foot.


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

rattylovebites said:


> No, you don't want them on a wire bottom. I cover mine in fleece. Walking on the barred bottoms can give them bumble foot.


Hm I may just go with the plastic floor then, because I don't have a washing machine and fleece wouldn't be practical as I wouldn't be able to wash frequently. It's hard enough getting my own things washed haha. Unless there is another cheap good option like plastic or something to cover the bottom?


----------



## rattylovebites (May 19, 2013)

I've heard of some people using tile or stone slabs but I'm guessing those aren't very cheap. Would be easy to clean though!


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

I'm wondering about plastic dividers like kids use in binders for school? If cut to properly fit I don't think they'd be easy to chew.


----------



## tori_m (Mar 5, 2013)

sorry if this isn't relevant, i don't have time to read the other replies right now, but
I got the guinea pig my first home, and modified it by adding levels and platforms and hanging tunnels 
it was only about $35! it's really nice and big and roomy, too 
however, i would only recommend it for full grown rats, because when my girls were 4 weeks, one of them could still squeeze through the bar. but someone recommended putting cage wire around it and that worked great until she was big enough to not need it  let me know if you're interested and i can dig it up on amazon for you to look at!


----------



## WinonaGun42 (Feb 2, 2013)

I heard Kaytee bought out Super Pet, but I have no confirmation on that. I also know someone ordered that exact same cage recently and received a different cage than what was ordered. It was a Kaytee cage they got, not a Super Pet. If you can get the blue and black Super Pet, It isn't a bad cage.

The My Deluxe First Home for Exotics Large is a decent cage for the price. I personally have one and used it with my two girls till I got the DCN. It was a pain to deep clean, but it was easy to spot clean daily. There are only two things you really have to worry about with this cage. Make sure the rats aren't chewing the plastic pan on the bottom, because they can escape that way. The way the cage is built, there are some places in the corners where the wires can possibly be pushed open enough for a very small rat to escape. I used zip ties in these places and problem solved. It really could have used a door on the top and I wasn't a fan of how the doors latched, but it's very configurable on the inside. You can put the shelves wherever you want and I did like the horizontal bars.

Another cage you might consider for the price is the Petco Rat Manor. It is a bit taller and less wide. It has a metal bottom and shelves they can't chew through. The shelves may be wire, but you can just put down some fleece over them and they will be comfy. It is good if you are on a budget and only plan on having two rats. You could put three females in there if you want to, but I think it would be too small for any more than that.


----------



## coxbrea151 (Jun 1, 2012)

I would also go for the petco rat manor. It is an excellant cage for the price, and it will last a long time. If I could buy it, I would. Martin's cages are also good quility, and you can customize them more.


----------



## pwoink (Feb 19, 2013)

I have two boys in the Petco Rat Manor, and I'm very happy with it.


----------



## Famous Amos (May 23, 2013)

Thats a good cage I've had several of them. They did eventually eat the thin plastic levels and the base. The solid levels were difficult because the pee and poop pooled up fast so I had to wipe them down 2 times a day with 2 rats in it. It lasted me a year.


----------



## WinonaGun42 (Feb 2, 2013)

I wish you lived near me Lightning. I would sell you my luxury rat home for 20 bucks. There are a few nibbles here and there, but it was only used for two months and still in really good condition. It's not a fantastic cage, but it does the job. I just deep cleaned it and put it in to storage today.


----------



## Lightning (May 24, 2013)

WinonaGun42 said:


> I wish you lived near me Lightning. I would sell you my luxury rat home for 20 bucks. There are a few nibbles here and there, but it was only used for two months and still in really good condition. It's not a fantastic cage, but it does the job. I just deep cleaned it and put it in to storage today.


 Aww that would be sweet of you if I was near you! That is actually the cage I have right now. It is a pain to clean, haha. The one we've decided to get is a lot like it but blue and black. So they will both be a pain to clean. When we live somewhere with a washer and dryer, we will probably upgrade to a CN or something and use fleece. But our apartment is tiny and won't fit anything too big. We are actually having to put our cages right now in our big walk in closet because we don't have anywhere else to put them! I also wish I had the option to take a cage outside and spray it down with a hose, would make things easier haha.


----------

