How We Care For Our Rats
And some tips on how you can care for your pet rats
Cages
It can be very difficult to find a proper sized cage. According to "The Rat Lady" Debbie Ducummon, a rat cage should be at least 14" X 24" X 12" tall. Ideally a rat cage should be 18" X 30" X 18, or even larger and tall enough to include toys such as branches to climb on, a wheel, hammocks, tubes, ladders, etc. The bigger the cage the better. Think of it as your rats are rich, and what do rich people go for? Big houses, nice toys, and nice wheels.
Also there should never be a wire bottom floor, as it is not good for rats' feet. Powder coated wire is also ideal, as bare galvanized wire is harder on feet, and tends to smell and rust over time. I use the critter nation cage, as it has solid bottoms and shelves. However i have also used guinea pig cages and they have a plastic bottom.
Another thing to consider is bar spacing. Some cages have too big of wire spacing, the ideal wire spacing should be 1/2 inch apart, that way you don't have any escapee's running about and getting into mischief.
Now ... if most of the technical calculations was gibberish to you, then here is a calculator that you can use and it will let you know how many rats the cage can potentially have. Though these calculations are recommended the numbers are not set in stone. This is just a guideline.
http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml
These Are Our Cages:
This is my Double Critter Nation. It is an amazing cage to get. I highly recommend this cage to anyone who has rats. It has 1 inch bar spacing which is perfect because your rats cannot escape through the bars. Also it has the 2 levels that you can either keep together for a HUGE cage or just simply pull up the ladder and secure it and ta da you have 2 cages. I have also seen people go so far as to make it a 4 section cage. So even though this is a fantastic cage there is 1 fault to this cage... its EXPENSIVE and getting harder to find. Petsmart did have an all living things version which is the exact same cage just without the branding.
I currently have 1 for my females
I currently have 1 for my females
This is a guinea pig cage. Now this cage here is an alright cage. The bar spacing is a little wide, so I would only put in big beefy males.
This is my All Living Things Small Animal Condo from Petsmart.
This cage is 25 x25 x62 high. Full open door. Super Easy Assembly that you can easily put it up in about 10-15 mins max.
I would put 10-12 MAX in this cage
The only downside to this cage so far is that the shelves are plastic and you cant hang hammocks as easily as you can in a DCN or equivalent.
This cage is 25 x25 x62 high. Full open door. Super Easy Assembly that you can easily put it up in about 10-15 mins max.
I would put 10-12 MAX in this cage
The only downside to this cage so far is that the shelves are plastic and you cant hang hammocks as easily as you can in a DCN or equivalent.
I have other cages that I use for nursery/quarantine/traveling purposes , but they are currently being washed, I will post the pictures at a later date.
On top of providing lots of space within the cages for my rats to play in while I am at work or otherwise busy, I also let them run around in a confined space and am ALWAYS there supervising. I am also always adding things to it to give them something new to investigate or explore.
Litter and Bedding
Choosing the right bedding can be tricky. You have to be aware of the harmfull effects pine or cedar bedding can have on the respiratory system and the liver of our beloved rats. Here are a few articles to explain why cedar and pine shavings should NEVER be used in a rats cage:
Respiratory Toxicity of Cedar and Pine Wood
Toxicity of Cedar and Pine Shavings
Cedar and Pine Shavings are Toxic to All Small Animals
Physiological Effects of Softwood on Respiratory and Liver Function
Furthermore, dusty litter and bedding should be avoided because they can also cause respiratory ailments. some rats may be allergic to a certain bedding that you are using, so if your rat starts sneezing, try switching to a different type.
In the past I have used boxo, carefresh and Kaytee bedding. Even though they are very absorbant and keep down the odors, all of them are still dusty, so I have switched to Aspen.
To learn how to litter box train your rats, click here
or here
both are great sites that will teach you step by step how to litter train your ratties.
I make cage liners for DCN and FN cages and prevue Hendrix feisty ferret multi level home cages and their ramp covers in my store
Respiratory Toxicity of Cedar and Pine Wood
Toxicity of Cedar and Pine Shavings
Cedar and Pine Shavings are Toxic to All Small Animals
Physiological Effects of Softwood on Respiratory and Liver Function
Furthermore, dusty litter and bedding should be avoided because they can also cause respiratory ailments. some rats may be allergic to a certain bedding that you are using, so if your rat starts sneezing, try switching to a different type.
In the past I have used boxo, carefresh and Kaytee bedding. Even though they are very absorbant and keep down the odors, all of them are still dusty, so I have switched to Aspen.
To learn how to litter box train your rats, click here
or here
both are great sites that will teach you step by step how to litter train your ratties.
I make cage liners for DCN and FN cages and prevue Hendrix feisty ferret multi level home cages and their ramp covers in my store
Cage furniture and Toys
Cage Furniture and Necessities
An igloo or a hidey hut of some sort is a must. Our rats need a place that they can feel secure
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A water bottle. Every one including rats need water to live. Now if the bottle is defective then the rats cant get their water. some times the water bottle will leak, other times the water just wont come out. Make sure you check to make sure it's not defective before you give it to your rats.
Also If your rats tend to chew on everything, it would be a good idea to get a glass water bottle. Also the glass ones have a cute little duck inside :)
Also If your rats tend to chew on everything, it would be a good idea to get a glass water bottle. Also the glass ones have a cute little duck inside :)
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A food dish. self explainitory. You can use anything from a glass bowl, to a plastic or glass small animal dish, or even a bird food dish that clings to the side of the cage.
I personally avoid using plastic so that the rats don't chew them to pieces and I don't have to replace them.
Please see my diet section as to what to feed rats.
I personally avoid using plastic so that the rats don't chew them to pieces and I don't have to replace them.
Please see my diet section as to what to feed rats.
Toys and enrichment
You can have bird toys, doll houses, childrens toys, or cat toys. You can let your imagination run wild with all the possibilities. Rats if left alone in there cage with nothing to do, can become bored, so to stimulate their little minds, add toys. Give them something that they can climb, crawl through, swing on, or just chew.
I do make and sell a few toys in my Store
I do make and sell a few toys in my Store
Hammocks
With hammocks, you will have to be careful. Some rats will just chew them down to make a nest with the material in their igloo. I've lost a rat because I put a hammock in a high up place, she chewed it and fell down. So please keep in mind how your rats will respond to hammocks. Also make sure you use a nice soft material, if you use a towel or other such materials, your rats may get there nails caught in the fibers. So please be careful. But other then those many warnings...hammocks are a great. They add more levels to cages, or can be a nice cuby hole to curl up in and fall asleep. I make some in my online store that you cannot get at a pet store. Hammocks store
Excersize
Wheels are the easiest way to let your rats get excersize and they LOVE it. There are many different types of wheels. Just be careful when chooseing the right wheel, because some wheels have open spaces in the back and a suport bar, and if your rats' tail get's in between them, it may slice it off.
Diet
Main food: Regal Rat food made by Oxbow which has 15% crude Protein which is ideal for Adult male rats or older rats who may be sensitive to protein.
* I would stay far away from most pet store foods marketed for pet rats and small animals. Especially stay away from seed mixes and mixes that have corn in them. Corn is just a filler and has no nutritional value. Plus too much seeds in their diet tends to give them the runs.
LOTS of Fruits and Veggies: Watermelon, Honey dew, seedless grapes, berries, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, banana, apples, carrots
I also give them Cheerios, Rice Puffs, Pepita Seeds, Banana Chips, Green Split Peas, All Vegetable Pasta
* I would stay far away from most pet store foods marketed for pet rats and small animals. Especially stay away from seed mixes and mixes that have corn in them. Corn is just a filler and has no nutritional value. Plus too much seeds in their diet tends to give them the runs.
LOTS of Fruits and Veggies: Watermelon, Honey dew, seedless grapes, berries, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, banana, apples, carrots
I also give them Cheerios, Rice Puffs, Pepita Seeds, Banana Chips, Green Split Peas, All Vegetable Pasta
Pregnant females and Juveniles: Essentials Mouse & Young Rat Food has 18% protein which pregnant or nursing female rats and juveniles need.
This is ideal for juveniles (weaning- 6 months) and nursing females
This is ideal for juveniles (weaning- 6 months) and nursing females
Vitamin B complex: This is a must for aging rats. I give this to rats that are over 1 year old as well as to pregnant and lactating rats.
Flax seed oil: This stuff is great for a rats skin and coat. It makes their coats shiny. There isnt a set dose really so i just drizzle it on their veggies 3 times a week.
Calcium: This is added to our pregnant females porridge a week before her due date.
Probiotics: Probiotics are very important to a rats digestive system. Give this to all rats that are under any kind of stress (ie: cage moves, shows, shipping) and also all rats that are on antibiotics. You can use either bene-bac which you can pick up at your local pet store, or you can go online and buy Probios. I personally use an oral paste from my vet or bene-bac when its available.
Copyright © 2019 Melissa Crew
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All Rights Reserved