How do i make a hammock big enough for my pet rat?

Question

make it low enough so they can get in with out hurting themselfs and maks sure that the fabric is strong enough to hold them and make it bigger than the rat so they can move around in it and also use safty pins because then they can not undo it

Answer 1

Rats love hammocks!  There's so many ways to make them and use them differently for variety.  Here are a few simple ideas:

1.  The basic hammock:

Cut off an old jeans leg, thread two pieces of rope through it and tie up in the cage.  Or use an old face washer or cut a piece of tough fabric to size, punch holes in each corner, and feed through some rope/string/shoelaces to tie it up.  You could also attach it to the cage wire using safety pins or curtain hooks for easy removal for cleaning.

2.  The pocket hammock:

Cut a piece of tough fabric to size.  Fold it over so that the top covers 3/4 of the bottom.  Sew up the sides.  String/hook it up in the cage.  The rats can lounge on top, or burrow inside the pocket when it gets cold.  Ideal in winter when made from warm fluffy polar fleece.

2.  The cot shelf:

Cut two pieces of wooden dowel and indent the ends to exactly fit your cage like a bird perch.  Cut a jeans leg, or sew two hems along the edges of a piece of tough fabric.  Feed the dowel through and attach to cage.  With the fabric pulled tightly it will form a shelf, left loose it will form a hammock.

These are also handy for corner shelves.  Cut the dowel to fit across a corner.  Sew up a triangular piece of fabric with a hem for the dowel to fit through.  Tie a piece of string on the triangle apex and attach to the cage.

3.  Lofts:

Cut off an old jeans leg, feed two pieces of rope through and tie them relatively close together in the cage so that the jeans leg stays hanging open and the rats can climb inside.  Alternatively, punch four holes in the top part of the jeans leg and tie it up with rope.  You could even close in one end of the loft to make it more snug.

4.  The slippery dip:

Cut a piece of tough fabric so that it will reach from a higher shelf down to a lower one.  Tie it to the shelves to it is tight.  The ratties can climb up it and slide down it.  A nice change from a ladder or ramp.

6.  The rat pouch:

Cut a tough piece of fabric to size.  Double it over so the top covers 3/4 of the bottom and sew up the sides (you may want to make the overlapped bit wider so that it hangs open when hung up).  Attach string to the two top corners and hang it up on the cage wall. The ratties can climb in for a hanging hidden nap.

7.  The Snuggle Sack:

These can be sewed from calico or fleece (as in the photo), or simply use a fabric shopping bag or old sack.  Sit the rat sack on the floor of the cage and attach a hook to the top so that it holds the entrance open for the rats to get in.  These are handy for placing underneath ladders and ramps.  The rats will love sleeping and playing and wrestling inside it.

One thing to consider:  when you're making your rats a hammock, make two.  It's always handy to have a spare when the first one is in the wash or they chew it to shreds.

if you dont feel like making any of these your self you can alway buy them premade from the dapper rat site!

http://www.dapper.com.au/hammocks.htm

Answer 2

would your pet rat use a hammock?

id measure him lenghtwise and then and mayb 2 inches to each side

Answer 3

If a regular sized hammock is too small, then I think your rat is too big!  ;P

Answer 4

I use pieces of fleece that I have cut to be long and wide enough.  I then attach them to the side of the cage using clothes pins.  I got sick of spending a fortune on ferret hammocks in stores, and ordering online is not an option for me right now.  I just make sure that I check daily to see that they are solidly attached to the cage.

Answer 5

cut a piece of fabric and then cut one whole on the two parallel sides. Take a hook, or a string and tie those to the whole and then on opposite sides of the cage. or try a bandanna with that

Answer 6

I got a piece of fleece as it doesn't frey, that was about 16 and1/2 inches long. I folded it over so there was about 3 1/2 uncovered. Then I sewed along the sided to hold it together. To hang it, i cut little holes in eash of the corners and put a little key chain (NOT the circle spiral one) and hooked on the wires of Maisy and Shawn's cage!

Answer 7

Instead of making one (he could choke on the fibers or string or fabric and DIE) you should buy a ferret hammock.They may be a little big though, but it's worth your rat's life, right?

Answer 8

old t-shirt rags in a rectangle shape twisted at the end then hooked onto what ever... you know

Answer 9

Rats love hammocks!  There's so many ways to make them and use them differently for variety.  Here are a few simple ideas

1.  The basic hammock:

Cut off an old jeans leg, thread two pieces of rope through it and tie up in the cage.  Or use an old face washer or cut a piece of tough fabric to size, punch holes in each corner, and feed through some rope/string/shoelaces to tie it up.  You could also attach it to the cage wire using safety pins or curtain hooks for easy removal for cleaning.

2.  The pocket hammock:

Cut a piece of tough fabric to size.  Fold it over so that the top covers 3/4 of the bottom.  Sew up the sides.  String/hook it up in the cage.  The rats can lounge on top, or burrow inside the pocket when it gets cold.  Ideal in winter when made from warm fluffy polar fleece

2.  The cot shelf:

Cut two pieces of wooden dowel and indent the ends to exactly fit your cage like a bird perch.  Cut a jeans leg, or sew two hems along the edges of a piece of tough fabric.  Feed the dowel through and attach to cage.  With the fabric pulled tightly it will form a shelf, left loose it will form a hammock.

These are also handy for corner shelves.  Cut the dowel to fit across a corner.  Sew up a triangular piece of fabric with a hem for the dowel to fit through.  Tie a piece of string on the triangle apex and attach to the cage.

3.  Lofts:

Cut off an old jeans leg, feed two pieces of rope through and tie them relatively close together in the cage so that the jeans leg stays hanging open and the rats can climb inside.  Alternatively, punch four holes in the top part of the jeans leg and tie it up with rope.  You could even close in one end of the loft to make it more snug.

4.  The slippery dip:

Cut a piece of tough fabric so that it will reach from a higher shelf down to a lower one.  Tie it to the shelves to it is tight.  The ratties can climb up it and slide down it.  A nice change from a ladder or ramp

6.  The rat pouch:

Cut a tough piece of fabric to size.  Double it over so the top covers 3/4 of the bottom and sew up the sides (you may want to make the overlapped bit wider so that it hangs open when hung up).  Attach string to the two top corners and hang it up on the cage wall. The ratties can climb in for a hanging hidden nap

7.  The Snuggle Sack:

These can be sewed from calico or fleece, or simply use a fabric shopping bag or old sack.  Sit the rat sack on the floor of the cage and attach a hook to the top so that it holds the entrance open for the rats to get in.  These are handy for placing underneath ladders and ramps.  The rats will love sleeping and playing and wrestling inside it.

One thing to consider:  when you're making your rats a hammock, make two.  It's always handy to have a spare when the first one is in the wash or they chew it to shreds.

Answer 10

Maybe try a square piece of soft solid material (not wooly or anything that would catch their leg) then attach a heavy duty string or ribbon what ever you want. Attach it to the top of the cage to see how long it is. Try that it worked for my for my friend and her hamster plays secret agent Hammy. He swings on it then jumps down and does a lap around his cage and does it again.

Hope that helped!

Answer 11

what do you mean hammoks are huge they would fit tons of rats