Housing Pet Rats

The first, most obvious, decision to make once you have decided to get rats is where they will live. You can keep them in a wire cage or tank, make a home yourself or let them have the run of the house or of a room. The main things to consider when making this decision are your rat's comfort, safety and what you are willing to clean. Whichever home you choose, be sure to clean it often - before it smells - and use a safe cleaner. Rinse thoroughly after washing, disinfect, rinsing thoroughly again and dry.

Tank

Tanks look nice when kept clean and are usually good for if you will keep your rats in the living room or other highly-visible room in your home. One disadvantage to using a tank is that they are heavy which can make them hard to clean. They do not have very good ventilation so they will need to be cleaned fairly often. If you choose to house your rats in a tank, allow at least 15-20 gallons per rat. Make sure the lid fits securely. Rats are very smart and have been known to find their way out through the lid. Screen lids work okay, but the coated wire kind tend to work better and are heavier making it harder for the rats to lift.

Wire Cage

Cages are nice because they have much better air circulation than tanks. Bare wire cages are not very pretty to look at (and raise health questions), but there are many coated wire cages on the market that resist rust and look nice. Choose a cage that sits in a plastic or metal pan so that you can put bedding in the bottom level, and get the biggest cage you can for your rats so they have plenty of space to move around and to play. Allow at least 2 cubic feet per rat and take into account individual levels. A tall cage with only the one level still isn't much space.

Some believe that rats kept in a cage with only bare wire floors can develop ulcerative pododermatitis, or as it is commonly known, "bumblefoot." If you want to cover the wire floors, you can use linoleum-type tile, plastic needlepoint canvas, unprinted newspaper, etc. They may chew on the cover so expect to have to replace it periodically. If the floor tends to be cold, keep the cage off of the floor. Choose a spot that is out of direct sunlight and away from drafty windows and doors.

(Continued on next page)