# Bar spacing for baby rats



## SaZzY (Mar 4, 2009)

I am getting a few baby rats soon (will be arounnd 6 weeks old) and I have a massive cage which i used to house my old males in before they died  The problem with this cage is the bar spacing is about 2cm. Its been that long since I had such a young rat I cant really remember how big they are at 6 weeks :bash: Will they be able to get out of this. Something tells me they will and i may have to buy a smaller cage until they grow :lol2: Any advice ppl? xx


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## ladyboid (Nov 25, 2007)

I think they will be able to get out of that spacing.
I would recomend picking up a cheep secondhand cage (or new if you want) it doesnt have to be huge because they will be going in the big cage soon enough.
A smaller cage as a first cage is (in my opinion) better for getting young ones used to their new home... putting them in a huge cage right away can make it hard to bond with the not so bold babys. :2thumb:


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Yep - you'll need 1cm bar spacing. If they're girls (?) then the bar spacing might never be safe for them, depending on their lines and adult size. I wouldn't risk anything under 400g in a 2cm barred cage.


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## SaZzY (Mar 4, 2009)

Thanks for that. They will be females so do you think I should get a new cage entirely?


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I think it really depends on the girls. If you're going to a breeder, see how big their mums are. On a whole, though, I prefer to stick to small bar spacing with does, and all metal cages. Dont know whether it's just my girls (and we're talking unrelated ones from various sources) but escape seems to be their only plan - eating cages is a favourite passtime, and wiggling through bars would be too given the chance (especially when in season - they're tarts lol). Because I keep boys too, and many of them in rabbit cages with bigger bar spacing, I cant risk my girls escaping and getting into the boys cages - I'd have several unplanned litters on my hands. :gasp:


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## SaZzY (Mar 4, 2009)

Thanks i saw the mums they were lovely and a decent size but iv decided to get some males to be on the safe side :flrt:


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## richingram (May 11, 2008)

not to sure about all metal. most of my breeding stock are in wood ex Viv's or 50 Ltr rubs with weld mesh lids only use all wire cages of the old girls and boys


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I think we're talking about pet rats here though. Not that they're more likely to chew, but I dont think the OP is after keeping them in a box.

I've only had 6 or 7 years experience with rats, and probably not kept as many as some feeder breeders, but all of my girls from all different sources have been cage chewers. One group managed to eat through three cage bases in _one night_ (didnt have a metal cage to put them in so kept moving them to an intact plastic one until I could buy one). One of my current does ate through the plastic carrier she was in while I checked on her babies, and a few months ago my group ate their Explorer trays within 2 months.

I know many people with girls like this - and I've known of a few accidental litters because of it obviously the OP doesn't keep both sexes, but I'm sure they'd prefer to know about these things before they make an informed decision.


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

Wow either you're very unlucky or I have the best behaved girls in the world when it comes to chewing. I had never had a chewer till the last two joined the gang, and there fetish seems to be more about chewing the bars than the base just yet touch wood. Though I am keeping a very close eye on them.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Oh I know not all girls are like this (you lucky people!), but it is very common. My girls cant have posh hammocks as they eat them, and the day before yesterday I had to rehang one of their hammocks three times as they kept eating the corners.:bash:


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

LisaLQ said:


> Oh I know not all girls are like this (you lucky people!), but it is very common. My girls cant have posh hammocks as they eat them, and the day before yesterday I had to rehang one of their hammocks three times as they kept eating the corners.:bash:



Oh see mine do that. I realised that tea towels and cable ties were the best idea as they're cheap enough to replace. However, Keira has discovered that cable ties feel really good so she keeps chewing the corners off.. So i'm currently trying to recycle hammock clips off hammocks long since destroyed. They've always chewed beds and hammocks no matter what kind of chews/stimulation i've given them, they just never chewed plastic or the cage bars/base..it's these these latest two that are little monkeys!


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

I have had boys in the past that have chewed anything in site and ruined many pairs of curtains and bed sheets, i had one rat once decide to chew into the mattress of a double bed and live in there for two weeks ( just could not get him out) 

just got a couple of girls from someone on here and was told that they chewed anything material but so far haven't chewed anything here, got them all new toys they even have a teddy they snuggle with and still they haven't even tried to chew it


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## hairlessluvver (Mar 24, 2009)

1/2 a cm I'd say, 1 cm tops , 2cm and they'll squeeze through before you know it


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## SaZzY (Mar 4, 2009)

:lol2: Yes these rats will be pets. The last rat I had was a huge male. He was so lazy just lay there all day and never chewed a thing! I know girls are supposed to be more energetic though. I may just buy a totally new cage :lol2:


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

hairlessluvver said:


> 1/2 a cm I'd say, 1 cm tops , 2cm and they'll squeeze through before you know it


Even tiny newborn pinkies couldn't get out of 1cm, I challenge you to find a cage big enough for rats with 1/2cm bar spacing.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Katiexx said:


> Oh see mine do that. I realised that tea towels and cable ties were the best idea as they're cheap enough to replace. However, Keira has discovered that cable ties feel really good so she keeps chewing the corners off.. So i'm currently trying to recycle hammock clips off hammocks long since destroyed. They've always chewed beds and hammocks no matter what kind of chews/stimulation i've given them, they just never chewed plastic or the cage bars/base..it's these these latest two that are little monkeys!


Plastic is like waving a red flag at a bull or saying "dont press that button". I used to use cable ties to hold one of my cages together, til I put some girls in it, and they ate them all while I was out and I came home to a collapsed cage and rats on my landing. Same girls, all metal cage, cable tied on some shelving for them, instead of eating the shelving, they ate the cable ties. Whoever says rats are intelligent should have seen my old girls chewing off the ties that held on the shelf they were sitting on...kerthunk. I miss those girls, buggers for chewing but great personalities lol.


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## AliciaG (Apr 4, 2021)

LisaLQ said:


> Even tiny newborn pinkies couldn't get out of 1cm, I challenge you to find a cage big enough for rats with 1/2cm bar spacing.


Thanks For the info,
I have some 6 week old male rats and I have ordered a cage and found out the bar spacing is 1.1cm.
I was worried they would be able to escape!
This gives me peace of mind.
Thank you!


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