A few rat cage questions?

Question

I have a few questions about rat cage sizes and stuff.

You know how at petco and petsmart they have different sized rats like small, medium, large, etc.? If I got a 2 small rats could I put it in a cage that's a little bigger than a 10 gallon aquarium? And if I did, how fast would they outgrow it and how big will they get? Would it just be easier to go for a large cage straight off the bat, or would it be dangerous to put a small rat in a cage that's about 3 feet high?

On a different note, if I were to get a cage with wire flooring, ladders, and shelfs I heard that is bad for their feet so could I just cover the shelves, etc. with fleece or is that bad for them, too?

I know that's alot of questions so try to answer as many as you can. Thanks!

Answer 1

you should just get the larger cage, rats grown pretty fast so it would definitely be cheaper for you in the long run. I have my rat in a mansion, it is 5 stories high, it is around 3 feet, it won't be dangerous, most rats prefer to climb up high. you should get a wire cage so they get plenty of ventilation and I wouldn't recommend getting wire bottom cage rats like to make nests in the bedding to sleep and also like to throw their food in the bedding, so they can "scavenge" for it, the size of your full grown rat depends, my female is mush smaller than my males, my rats have shelves and ladder, and their feet seem to be just fine, they are as happy as can be.

look at the rats that are in the large rat tank at the petstore, you can expect your rat to get that size or even bigger.

Answer 2

It's better to buy a larger cage for them because rats do grow pretty fast. If you get a wire cage (which is best because rats need ventilation) make sure the little guys can't fit inbetween the wires, otherwise they might explore further than you wanted them to. A large cage shouldn't be a problem though, rats like to climb and explore and it gives them exercise!

When I get babies I keep them in a smaller rodent cage like for mice, and when they get big enough I move them to the big boy cage.

As for putting fleece down on the wires, thats fine but it will get dirty really quickly. Be ready to clean it all at least once a week or the rats will be more at risk for a respiratory infection. I would suggest some kind of paper as a better option, so that you can just throw it away and replace with a clean set. Also, if you give them a hammock or cozy cup those will need to be cleaned often aswell.

Answer 3

PetCo is stupid. The only difference between the sizes of the rats is their age.

A cage the size of a ten gallon aquarium would be barely big enough for a MOUSE, let alone two rats.

Get as big a wire cage as you can afford. PERIOD.

The only problem with some big cage is that they might have large wire spacing that might allow them to escape.

As long as there are lots of shelves, hammocks, and stuff like that then a 3 feet high cage would be fine!

I have my two rats in a cage that is supposedly big enough for 4 rats and it still seems cramped for them.

Yes, you can just cover the shelves with fleece. You would have to change the fleece every few days, however, because

Answer 4

Go for the big cage straight off the bat.  Rats grow a ton in the first 12 or so weeks, reaching adulthood at around 6 months.  I don't know why Petco does small, medium, large, as that mostly depends on the rats' ages.  Way to go on getting two rats, as they are highly sociable creatures and need a friend.

The biggest thing to worry about with a large cage and baby rats is that the wire spacing on the cage is too wide.  Baby rats are pretty nimble and squishy and can squeeze out of bars that are too far apart.  Your typical ferret/bunny cage spacing would be too large for 5 week old rats.  You can find excellent cages at Martin's Cages.  The Rat Tower is what I have more my two girls.  If you go that route, make sure you get it powder coated as straight galvanized wire can be toxic to your rats.  http://www.martinscages.com/products/cag...

Make sure you get a wire cage, as aquariums do not provide enough air flow to keep your rats healthy.  For wire floors, hit up your local hardware store and buy some cheapo linoleum tiles and cut them to fit the floors of your cage.  It will make it easy to clean up messes as well as protect their feet.  Ladders aren't as big of a deal as the rats aren't on them a ton.

On top of that, you can put fleece liners.  Out of all the fabrics, fleece is best as it doesn't have those stringy bits that other fabrics can get, and it wicks away the moisture.  People use binder clips, etc to hold the fabric down.  I use some clothes pins I got at Target in their dollar section.  You'll have to wash it every week or so to keep it from smelling bad, so make sure you have enough for two batches.

For a cage that is tall, just make sure that if a rat were to fall accidentally that they don't have super long to go.  You can hang up fabric hammocks with clothes pins or shower curtain hooks if there's any places in your cage that could happen.

I know when I first got my baby rats, I got them a tiny, cheapo cage from Petsmart for them to live in until my big cage came.  I've continually used that cage, primarily as a travel cage (I was traveling back and forth to college) and as a hospital cage when they were older.  It definitely wouldn't be a bad idea to get a smaller cage for these purposes, and while your rats are tiny, it's not as big of a deal to have them in one (though get a bigger cage ASAP).

For more info on rats, check out these sites:

http://www.ratguide.com

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/

http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/

As a side note, you really shouldn't buy your rats from Petco.  Rats from large pet store chains are usually unsocialized and can have health issues later in life (if not when you get them).  Check out your local humane society to see if they have any.  You'll save some rats, and the money you spend will go towards helping other animals.  

If that isn't an option, a breeder or a small, local pet shop is the way to go.  These rats are usually handled since birth and are bred from healthy stock.  Large pet store chains' rats are just feeder rats thrown into cages to be sold as pets.

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

I would get the biggest cage and make sure it is a wire cage so they get ventilation, also if your worried about their feet you can put cloth down on the wire to help just make sure you wash it when it gets dirty

Answer 6

Good for getting rats!! Dont get a small cage, get a large one because babies like to explore and it will safe you money. I cover my wire shelves with fleece but I prefer my cage with plastic shelves. You can get it at petsmart and its black and blue, and has 3 shelves. I think you can get that one. It's a superpet cage for exotics. If you have anymore questions, please feel free to email me at [e-mail] and I will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Answer 7

I would get the Petco Rat Manor. That is what I have and I love it!! The only problem is that is has wire shelves, I just put fleece on it and clamp it down with binder clips. Rats do not need to live in a aquarium. It is not ventilated enough and when to ammonia builds up they can get respiratory problems. Do you have to buy your rats from a pet store? Try to find a Breeder or Rescue one.

Small Rats: 6-8 weeks old

Medium Rats: 2-4 months old

Large Rats: 4-8 months old

Jumbo Rats: 8-14 months old

All of the rats will get as big as the Jumbo rats. The females are a little bit smaller than the males though.

Generally speaking, male rats make better "lap" pets, preferring to sit and have their ears scratched by an attentive human friend. Female rats are very curious, and love to explore and play games. Both genders make great companions. I recommend getting a pair of males *or* females (they are very social creatures and really like to have a cagemate of the same gender!) because they both are absolutely charming. I would suggest you *let a rat pick you* when you go pick them up, and then get a friend of the same gender and age (a littermate would be great if there's one available), so your new rattie won't be lonely when you aren't around to play.  

Congrats!!

Rat Lover <3