# Free Ranging Rats



## Paterson.S (Oct 1, 2009)

*Free Ranging Your Rats*

Just like a dog, a rat needs time out of the house (or in this case, the cage) to exercise, explore and have some fun. How would you like being cooped up in your house all day, and only being allowed out when some giant came and picked you up? Not very much, I am assuming. Rats need to be let out of their cage to explore and stretch their legs at least once or twice a day for about and hour or two. I find a rat room to be the best way to go about free ranging, this way the area can be always 100% rat-proof and you don't have to set it up with proofing and toys every time. Unfortunately, most people don't have the extra space for this kind of thing. The second best way to do this is to have a room that is *rat safe*:​

- No cords or anything sharp exposed
- Nothing bad that the rats could eat
- Nothing that would scare them (other pets, loud, active people, etc)
- No holes exposed into walls or furniture where the rats could get stuck or lost 
- Nothing for the rats to hide under or behind out of your reach​
Most dangers are quite obvious, though there are things you may not have thought about.
Many houseplants are toxic to rats. Either remove them or ensure the rats cannot chew on them. 
Always be careful where you sit, especially if you have a rocking chair or sofa bed... rats love to explore dark hidden places. Remove shoes before walking in a rat zone and learn the "ratty shuffle" so you don't accidentally tread on anyone. Ensure all other household pets are locked elsewhere. No matter how much you trust them with the rats, instinct can overwhelm them and accidents can happen. Taping some cardboard so that it projects over the edge of bookshelves will prevent your rat from climbing up too high.​


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## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

So is the bathroom an okay place to let them free range? We have a pretty big bathroom, and that is really the only place that doesn'y have cords laying around..


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## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

All of our cleaning products are stored in the laundry room, across the house, so that wouldn't be an issue  Thanks! So far they have been free ranging on my bed. It's a queen, but I know they need more play space XD


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## toby (May 11, 2009)

when i was young a friend of mine allowed his rat to free range in his bedroom. He was a smart boy and spent most of his time running along the shelves and cupboards. ;D


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## maddy (Jul 27, 2009)

i free range my rattys in the bathroom 
there's nothing in there that is bad for them
no where where i cant get too
i use a small cage to transfer them from the room where they live and the bathroom
i've also used that cage for intros so they all feel really happy in there


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## Paterson.S (Oct 1, 2009)

If I put mine on the bed they find a way to the floor, lol!


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