Rat question?

Question

I put this really nice nesting box in my rats cage for them to sleep in. But everytime i come back from school (yes, school), they are standing on top of it. That's all they ever do. they just stand there.

Any ideas to get them doing something?

They are both males.

Answer 1

do they have a wheel?  We had a rat that LOVED his wheel.  We also got him a hamster ball to cruise around in.  My dad used to let the rat sit on his shoulder while he did the dishes.  We were school aged too when we had him.  Saturdays were pancake day at our house and he'd get a rat sized pancake.

You can also try flipping the nesting box over and leaving them bits of shredded news paper and torn fabric so they can build their own nests.  I'm not a rat expert, but that's what our male rat liked to do.

Answer 2

Rats usually like to sleep up high.  If you have an aquarium tank you're keeping them in, I would consider switching to a wire cage that is taller than it is wide.  Martin's Cages has good ones.  http://www.martinscages.com/products/cag...  The Rat Tower is good for 2-3 rats.  Make sure you buy some cheap linoleum tile and put on the wire floors to protect your rats' feet.

If you do have a wire cage that's tallish, try making them a little hammock thing.  I've used old pj pants, cut a portion off the bottom, and then cut another slit in one of the seams.  Hang it up with safety pins or some nice clips and volia!  Make sure that if they do fall out of it, that they don't have far to fall.  You can get some ideas here: http://www.dapper.com.au/hammocks.htm

Another reason your guys might not be using it is just cuz they haven't really fallen in love with it yet.  I had this weird fuzzy bird house thing and for months my girls never liked it.  They'd only chew at it, never go in.  Then out of the blue, they started sleeping in it, and now they sleep in it all the time.  You might just have to be patient.

Make sure you have multiple places for the rats to hang out.  A hammock, a hanging nest thing, an old oatmeal container are all excellent places for a rat to lounge.

http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm#nestbo...  This site has some good nest box suggestions as well.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Rats like to be as high up as possible to survey their domain or something like that. My rats used the plastic igloo I got them when they got older, but as young rats they mostly slept on top of it or (much more often) slept/hung out in their hammock. I'm sure your ratties would enjoy a hammock or something to get them as close to the top of their cage as possible, plus I think the hammocks just look more comfortable. ^_^

Answer 4

my 2 rats love playing with ping pong balls

Answer 5

Do they have a solid-wall cage or aquarium? In which case they are trying to get away from the ammonia buildup on bottom. Or do they not have levels, just a bottom?