# Show me your rat cages!!!



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Lol... rats rats rats..... i guess its about time i stopped talking about mice and cats... 

So i should be getting some from kelly... in october...

I have aske done question already im sure there will be more!
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/other-pets-exotics/345996-i-hope-get-some-rats.html

Ive seen kellys set ups, can i see some of yours for ideas?! 

Thank you!!!


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

My Brio Maxi (aviary)









I also have a Tommy 82 T3, and a Baffy three tiered cage from Zooplus, but no pics of them yet.

Here's some past cages though:

Ferret nation:


















Explorer (was a bit bare, pics taken as we assembled and got it ready):









Old old cage Samo 82 (I now use half of it for babies):









Anyhoo - some ideas there...my advice - for girls, get an all metal cage (aviary, tall chin, Critter 3 etc). Most wont chew, but in the odd rat I've had who has - they've always been female lol.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

hehe well im getting males so that solves one thing!
so lots of toys and stuff lol ropes and hammocks etc


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Yep - my cages are pretty bare in comparison to some peoples, but I have trouble bending and fussing over the cage (I have a minor disability in my back/pelvis), so what makes it easiest for me to clean is keeping them uncluttered.

I use a lot of hammocks, baskets and ropes though - you dont need to spend a fortune, teatowels make good hammocks (especially if your rats are chewers, as they're cheap and disposable!), storage baskets make fab beds, cardboard boxes make good igloos, etc etc. My ropes are dog toys from Poundland!


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

hehe well i must go and look in pound land when i get the chance to then!
im going to my local pet shop today to see what they have,, and ill go from there


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## Chazybabe (Jul 14, 2008)

Home to 9 girls..


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

well i got my fat cage today! and i brought my first object to put in it! lol
(i have till october time, so i will get dribs and drabs till then!)

Here are some pics, of the cage, one of my cats, lol, and the rope i brought 



























I was also told about today, lkarge paperclips that you can use for hammocks etc, does anyone know where to get them from?


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## Freakinfreak (May 13, 2009)

Can you keep rats in the same room as a snake?
If you can, are you supposed to keep them so the snake can't see them?
Or stupid question? :lol2:

How big do males get?
Same but for females... how big?

How much do they tend to be?
How much are the cages?

Should you keep more than 1 together so they don't get lonely?

Do they have a special diet or do they feed on those pack mixes that gerbils and hamsters do?

Is there any special things you have to do?
Like have it warm/let them out for certain times of days... etc?

Are they nocturnal?

Lol, sorry for noob questions.. but just wondering :flrt:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

*Errrr get your own thread lol*


Can you keep rats in the same room as a snake?
If you can, are you supposed to keep them so the snake can't see them?
Or stupid question? :lol2:
*My mice have lives in the same room as snakes, niether seemed bothered.*

How big do males get?
Same but for females... how big?

How much do they tend to be?
How much are the cages?

*I just got mine second hand for £50, in the shop i went to today the same cage was £130*

Should you keep more than 1 together so they don't get lonely?

*yes*

Do they have a special diet or do they feed on those pack mixes that gerbils and hamsters do?

*most people make their own, look down a little in this sectiuon and i recently made a trhead asking.*

Is there any special things you have to do?
Like have it warm/let them out for certain times of days... etc?

*errr dont think so, its not a reptile lol*

Are they nocturnal?

Lol, sorry for noob questions.. but just wondering 

*lol now go make your thread! lol*


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

lol just went out and came bak to find one of my cats in it! lol
any more for anymore?
money saving ideas? your bargins? lol

and where do i get these paper clips from? lol


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Try poundland for the paper clips.
Gina where did u get the rope from?? and how much??
Ive just found an indoor aviary that I need to pick up tomorrow for my 2 then I can add a couple more babies:flrt:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> Try poundland for the paper clips.
> Gina where did u get the rope from?? and how much??
> Ive just found an indoor aviary that I need to pick up tomorrow for my 2 then I can add a couple more babies:flrt:


poundland!!! lol
good idea..now i gotta get there.. hmm

rope from my local pet shop on sale.. (might go there tommorroww to get another one) its liek a bridge with 4 ends which screw to the bars.. on sale for £4!!! 
.... and you call me a crazy mouse lady!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

freekygeeky said:


> poundland!!! lol
> good idea..now i gotta get there.. hmm
> 
> rope from my local pet shop on sale.. (might go there tommorroww to get another one) its liek a bridge with 4 ends which screw to the bars.. on sale for £4!!!
> .... and you call me a crazy mouse lady!


 
You can also get paperclips from WH Smiths/Rymers or any office type supply places/ stationers


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> You can also get paperclips from WH Smiths/Rymers or any office type supply places/ stationers


i need hugeeee ones though, but i will look!!!

(im goign to try to get another one of those ropes tommorrow! they better not have all gone!)


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Lucky you our petshops cost a fortune. I want a rope climbing net thing and its £15

Try here Paperclips Paper money saving special deals at Shopzilla UK


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> Lucky you our petshops cost a fortune. I want a rope climbing net thing and its £15
> 
> Try here Paperclips Paper money saving special deals at Shopzilla UK


yea i looked at a net type on e there too it was around £15 its crazy1


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

Gina, that cage is the ferplast Jenny. I can't believe the shop are selling it for 130. I think mine cost 60 or 70 new. I know prices have gone up since then but 130 is bonkers.

You may want to consider, before housing ratties in it, replacing the smaller door with a larger one and also plasticoting/japlacing the bars (can get this from DIY stores/Wilkinsons). I had my Jenny for a year and took blooming goood care of it and it still rusted in places and the access with the little fiddly doors are awful. Used to cut my arms open trying to clean it. Also if you're trying to tame down slightly skittish rats it's a pain.

Rat Cages : X-Part : Ferplast Jenny Large Cage Door : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online
^ which would make the cage a thousand times easier to access,clean, handle ratties etc etc.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Katiexx said:


> Gina, that cage is the ferplast Jenny. I can't believe the shop are selling it for 130. I think mine cost 60 or 70 new. I know prices have gone up since then but 130 is bonkers.
> 
> You may want to consider, before housing ratties in it, replacing the smaller door with a larger one and also plasticoting/japlacing the bars (can get this from DIY stores/Wilkinsons). I had my Jenny for a year and took blooming goood care of it and it still rusted in places and the access with the little fiddly doors are awful. Used to cut my arms open trying to clean it. Also if you're trying to tame down slightly skittish rats it's a pain.
> 
> ...



im going to be taming the ratties down in a smaller cage first, thats my theory anyway!lol
its also got the new coating so it wont rust in theory! lol..
im sure itll be fine!  there is a large door at the top, which i will pprobably use, and i did rewad about adding bigger doors too 

p.s you know what pet shops are like, they put up the prcie on evereythign! lol


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## ladyboid (Nov 25, 2007)

Katiexx said:


> Gina, that cage is the ferplast Jenny. I can't believe the shop are selling it for 130. I think mine cost 60 or 70 new. I know prices have gone up since then but 130 is bonkers.
> 
> You may want to consider, before housing ratties in it, replacing the smaller door with a larger one and also plasticoting/japlacing the bars (can get this from DIY stores/Wilkinsons). I had my Jenny for a year and took blooming goood care of it and it still rusted in places and the access with the little fiddly doors are awful. Used to cut my arms open trying to clean it. Also if you're trying to tame down slightly skittish rats it's a pain.
> 
> ...


 
yep a jenny cage but with powder coated bars :2thumb: so no need to paint them ..
door could be replaced but if she gets some really friendly boys she should have no problem getting them out ect.. i recomend putting the new babys in a smaller cage for the first few weeks at hers so they (freeky and rattys) can get to know each other better first : victory:


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

Yeah I was warned about access beforehand but thought, big door at the top no problem. In the end I bloody hated that torture device as it came to be known.

Didn't even attempt to sell it when I got the cage I'm using now, I just gave it away. I bet they're still cursing me now :razz:

Powder coated bars? This something ferplast are doing now or an addition already made? If so that's cool, though I'd still prefer a larger door if i was ever forced to have one again :lol2:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

lol ill be fine


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

I've got Jenny's, and they're fine if your rats are friendly. Mine come to the door when I open it, so I don't have any problem with access. 

Cleaning it is a bit of a pain though.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

midori said:


> I've got Jenny's, and they're fine if your rats are friendly. Mine come to the door when I open it, so I don't have any problem with access.
> 
> Cleaning it is a bit of a pain though.


aww thats so sweet!!
cleaning will be fine 
(EDIT - i gave it a whipe down today (cats had been it it ) and that was ok, im small and have thin arms! lol....


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

well i made some ropes last night,
well kinda ropes, out of old top and an old pair of trousers, i was thinking of use the top of the trousers (like shorts) as i cut the legs off, as a beg/hammock... i will sew up the leg holes, and itll be a bed! lol l ol.. sorted!?


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

ladyboid said:


> yep a jenny cage but with powder coated bars :2thumb: so no need to paint them ..
> door could be replaced but if she gets some really friendly boys she should have no problem getting them out ect..


LOL I'd challenge anyone to get my big friendly lads out through a Jenny small door. It's not about skitty rats, it's about size! :lol2:

I've got a modded Jenny here, it would be completely pants without the two extra big doors on it. They are an absolute necessity. :2thumb:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

lol if my cats can get through the door, so can a rat, lol.. its fine it doesnt matter i have the cage now.. 
this wasnt tlking about the cages anyway, more about the interior(Sp)


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## asianblood07 (May 19, 2009)

some nice cages u guys got :2thumb:...


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

for toys can you thread dog buscuits/pasta on to ropes etc? and the same for mice?


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

I got some cheap plasticcy rope (nylon? or poly summat lol) and weaved it though the bars to make swing/climbing frame type things. Also left a dangling length from top to bottom with knots in it as a climbing rope. Threading pasta over it is a very good idea, will do some for mine ! : victory:

Love your sig video couldn't stop watching it lol pmsl


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

RedGex said:


> I got some cheap plasticcy rope (nylon? or poly summat lol) and weaved it though the bars to make swing/climbing frame type thing. Also left a dangling lenght from top to bottom with knots in it as a climbing rope. Threading pasta over it is a very good idea, will do some for mine ! : victory:
> 
> Love your sig video couldn't stop watching it lol pmsl



hehe its addictive isnt it? lol

thankyou! i just did a quick string + dog buiscuits and the mice are going crazy, even if they dont know what they are supposed to do! lol


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

Yup gotta love labs lol, butts the kid one way and sure he jumps n whacks him with his paw on the way back lol.

Also - my rats love the woven willow balls. Got a couple cheap on ebay ages ago, but theyre more expensive now i think and a few quid in shops. Don't last long but they enjoy them while they're there!

The boredom breaker cargo nets, think thats what you meant in earlier post - i got first two on ebay for 9 quid each (inc p n p) l but they have gone up too. Found one in a shop for eight and sure i saw one in pets at home for a tenner. They last well though, my rats favourite place to sleep, even over hammocks.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

thankyou!
one of the mice has worked it out!! yay!!!


i was thinking of getting [plastic plant pots, line them with fleece for houses? (and hang them, will they like that?)

i would prefer to make all my own stuff rather than spend £20 (in my local shop) on a tiny hammock whih will get chewed hehe!


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## RedGex (Dec 29, 2007)

Plant pots sound great, they love anything they can fit in, as long as the plant pot doesn;t get too sharp when its chewed? 

My cargo nets have done well so far, females haven't chewed at all (after at least 6 month) and they are chewers lol, and males have frayed it a little but no chance of it falling. I just got a spare as takes a while to dry after washng. You could get some thick rope and make one, if you're good with knots? Its nice for them as it lets air circulate under them when they are all heaped on it, good in summer!

You could get some plastic kids bowls (like ikea type ones) drill some holes in and hang them like hanging baskets, bet they'd love that!


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

freekygeeky said:


> lol if my cats can get through the door, so can a rat, lol.. its fine it doesnt matter i have the cage now..
> this wasnt tlking about the cages anyway, more about the interior(Sp)


We must be talking about a different cage - the small door on my Jenny is only 12cm, no cat is getting through one of them and no hand and big rat is either! The big doors yes! :lol2:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

RedGex said:


> Plant pots sound great, they love anything they can fit in, as long as the plant pot doesn;t get too sharp when its chewed?
> 
> My cargo nets have done well so far, females haven't chewed at all (after at least 6 month) and they are chewers lol, and males have frayed it a little but no chance of it falling. I just got a spare as takes a while to dry after washng. You could get some thick rope and make one, if you're good with knots? Its nice for them as it lets air circulate under them when they are all heaped on it, good in summer!
> 
> You could get some plastic kids bowls (like ikea type ones) drill some holes in and hang them like hanging baskets, bet they'd love that!



hmm didnt think abou tit being chewed, it woudl get sharpe if chewed yea.. hmm


im currently making a makeshift bed klol...


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

For a bed/hammock/swing, £1 hanging basket from local garden centre, stuff with odd pieces of fleece. done.
Also, if you have "fatty ratties" you can weave pieces of fleece through the holes to stop them squeezing through.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

LoveForLizards said:


> For a bed/hammock/swing, £1 hanging basket from local garden centre, stuff with odd pieces of fleece. done.
> Also, if you have "fatty ratties" you can weave pieces of fleece through the holes to stop them squeezing through.


hehe okthankyou
i did look for som yesterday bu tthey were all expenisve cast iron type ones?!:bash::bash:


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

My cages are pretty bare compared to most people's. I have added a few more toys now though. 

The rope hammock is brilliant. I am going to order one for the other cage. It doesn't get chewed really, which is great, cos I had a fabric/fleece type hammock, and my rats demolished it in about two days, and the rats really use it. Anything I made myself, including the hammock made from an old towel you can see in the picture, gets chewed to bits ASAP.... :lol2:

This site is good for cheap toys: (well, cheaper than shops) 

Rat Toys - Cheap UK Supplier : Buy Online Now from www.EquineCanineFeline.com Horse & Pet Products UK, Pet accessories and equestrian supplies for all cats, dogs, rats, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, ponies and horses


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

thankyou!

ive made my bed type thing out of my trousers im impressed by it, my dad l;aughed at it... you cant please everyone though can you! lol


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

p.s this
Rat Toys : Boredom Breaker Rat & Ferret Cargo Net Toy : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online
is the same make as the one i have .. well i dont have the netting but its the same colour and everythign!


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

what do you use for flooring?
And do yours use a litter tray?


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

Rat Toys : Boredom Breaker Rat & Ferret Rope Bridge Toy : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

Is this the one you have? It's the same make, but a rope instead of net. 

I am using wood shavings, plus rippe dup kitchen roll/paper hamste rbedding on the floor at the moment, although i don't think it's really recomended as dust can cause respiratory problems in rats. I haven't had any problems, but am changing to cardboard bedding as soon as I can get some. I think a lot of people use paper based cat litter, but my rats refused to walk on it. :lol2:

I know some people us evet bed, and have a litter tray. I might try that if the cardborad proves impossible to get.


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

midori said:


> Rat Toys : Boredom Breaker Rat & Ferret Rope Bridge Toy : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online
> 
> Is this the one you have? It's the same make, but a rope instead of net.
> 
> ...


yea that steh one i had, although i got it for £4 i n the sale 

lol

ok thankyou.
my mice all have shredded paper, could i use that or?


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## RCTLisa (Sep 18, 2008)

These are the cages that I have:









Explorer (home to my girls)









Explorer (home to my other group of girls)









Explorer (home to a group of boys)









Ferret Nation (home to my boys)

Plus some random layouts:


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## RCTLisa (Sep 18, 2008)

on another note you can get the large paperclips from Rymans or staples. I get a box of 100 form £3.50


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

thankyou!!!


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