Housing
Choosing a Rat Cage
Before you get your rats, the most important thing to have is a good cage. A cage is going to be the most expensive thing you will ever buy for your rats, so obviously you want to make sure whatever kind of cage you get is going to be worth your money. At first, the process of looking for a cage can seem pretty overwhelming. There are so many to choose from in so many different places, it can be really hard to know what to look for and what to avoid.
Please remember that no matter what kind of cage you decide to get, it’s crucial that you provide enough accessories to furnish the cage properly. Any cage with little to no cage accessories is not suitable for rats at all. The more levels, hammocks, hideaways, and toys your cage has, the more area of the cage your rats will be able to occupy. If your rats can’t occupy an area of the cage, then that part of the cage may as well not exist. Therefore, your rat cage is only as suitable as you make it.
Please remember that no matter what kind of cage you decide to get, it’s crucial that you provide enough accessories to furnish the cage properly. Any cage with little to no cage accessories is not suitable for rats at all. The more levels, hammocks, hideaways, and toys your cage has, the more area of the cage your rats will be able to occupy. If your rats can’t occupy an area of the cage, then that part of the cage may as well not exist. Therefore, your rat cage is only as suitable as you make it.
General Cage Requirements
Material
A tank or a plastic cage is not suitable for your rats, as they can lead to respiratory infections. The most important thing to look for is a wire cage. Consider horizontal bars over vertical bars. Horizontal bars are much easier for your rats to climb and offer more options for decorations and accessories. Size Your cage must also be large enough to accommodate adult rats. Rats need at least 2 cubic feet, minimum, of cage space. The larger the better, but generally 2.5 cubic feet for 2 rats + 2 cubic feet per each additional rat is the absolute minimum. Before purchasing any cage, you should use the Rat Cage Calculator to find out how many rats can live in it. Once you type in the dimensions, the calculator will tell you how many rats can comfortably live in a cage of that size, “if the space is used wisely.” |
Area
You'll want to go for a tall over a long cage. Rats love to climb and be up high, so your cage must provide space for them to climb, and plenty of height to hang different kinds of beds, toys, and hideouts.
Bar Spacing
If you have females or babies, you need to have a cage with 1/2-inch bar spacing. Any bigger and they may be able to escape. Adult males, usually over the age of 5 months, can be housed in a cage with 1-inch bar spacing. Make sure you know the bar spacing prior to purchasing your cage. We rat parents have a saying, “If the head fits, the body will follow,” meaning, rats can squeeze through anything they can fit their head through. If you wind up with a cage with wide bar spacing and notice your rats are able to stick their head out of the cage, you can wrap the cage in hardware cloth to prevent escape.
You'll want to go for a tall over a long cage. Rats love to climb and be up high, so your cage must provide space for them to climb, and plenty of height to hang different kinds of beds, toys, and hideouts.
Bar Spacing
If you have females or babies, you need to have a cage with 1/2-inch bar spacing. Any bigger and they may be able to escape. Adult males, usually over the age of 5 months, can be housed in a cage with 1-inch bar spacing. Make sure you know the bar spacing prior to purchasing your cage. We rat parents have a saying, “If the head fits, the body will follow,” meaning, rats can squeeze through anything they can fit their head through. If you wind up with a cage with wide bar spacing and notice your rats are able to stick their head out of the cage, you can wrap the cage in hardware cloth to prevent escape.
Levels
A cage with wire or plastic levels, or no levels at all, will work just fine, depending on how you utilize the space.
Plastic shelves are easy to clean and will be comfortable on your rat’s feet. Wire levels need to be covered with a thick layer of newspaper, cardboard and/or fleece. You do not want to subject your rats to walking on wire shelves, as this can lead to an injury called bumble foot.
If your cage does not come with built-in levels, that’s okay, too! Having no levels leaves room for creativity.
Pan
If you plan to use loose bedding, such as aspen shavings or recycled paper, you'll want to get a cage with a pan that's at least 3" deep. If you plan on using fleece liners, a pan that's less than 2" deep is best.
Door
Think about how the cage door is placed and how wide it is. The larger the door, the easier the cage will be to clean and the easier you will be able to access your pets.
Price
Finding a large cage that's worth the price may be tricky. Many cages you will find in pet stores are often way overpriced; and you can find much larger cages online for either cheaper, or the same price. Search the internet to find the largest cage that fits within your price range. Compare and contrast the different prices and sizes of all the cages you find, and figure out which one will get you the most “bang for your buck.”
(Get it? Because a male rat is called a buck? ..... No? Okay...)
A cage with wire or plastic levels, or no levels at all, will work just fine, depending on how you utilize the space.
Plastic shelves are easy to clean and will be comfortable on your rat’s feet. Wire levels need to be covered with a thick layer of newspaper, cardboard and/or fleece. You do not want to subject your rats to walking on wire shelves, as this can lead to an injury called bumble foot.
If your cage does not come with built-in levels, that’s okay, too! Having no levels leaves room for creativity.
Pan
If you plan to use loose bedding, such as aspen shavings or recycled paper, you'll want to get a cage with a pan that's at least 3" deep. If you plan on using fleece liners, a pan that's less than 2" deep is best.
Door
Think about how the cage door is placed and how wide it is. The larger the door, the easier the cage will be to clean and the easier you will be able to access your pets.
Price
Finding a large cage that's worth the price may be tricky. Many cages you will find in pet stores are often way overpriced; and you can find much larger cages online for either cheaper, or the same price. Search the internet to find the largest cage that fits within your price range. Compare and contrast the different prices and sizes of all the cages you find, and figure out which one will get you the most “bang for your buck.”
(Get it? Because a male rat is called a buck? ..... No? Okay...)
Suitable Types of Rat Cages
Exotics Cages
Exotics can mean any number of things, from rats to sugar gliders to hedgehogs. Many commercial cages marketed generally towards “exotics” are meant to house rats, chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, degus and even small birds. They’re made to be as versatile as possible to accommodate a wide variety of animals, and usually have 1/2” bar spacing to ensure smaller exotic animals cannot escape. These types of cages are usually perfect for pet rats and can be found almost anywhere that sells pet cages.
Exotics can mean any number of things, from rats to sugar gliders to hedgehogs. Many commercial cages marketed generally towards “exotics” are meant to house rats, chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, degus and even small birds. They’re made to be as versatile as possible to accommodate a wide variety of animals, and usually have 1/2” bar spacing to ensure smaller exotic animals cannot escape. These types of cages are usually perfect for pet rats and can be found almost anywhere that sells pet cages.
Ferret Cages
Some of the best cages you can find for pet rats are made for ferrets. Rats and ferrets require a relatively similar amount of space, so a medium-sized ferret cage can be a large rat cage. Rats need plenty of height for climbing and being able to sleep high up in the air, and ferret cages are usually taller than longer. Lots of small animal cage manufacturers produce ferret cages, so you can find a very wide variety of cages you can use for your rats if you search for a ferret cage. The only downside is that most ferret cages have 1” bar spacing, since ferrets are a little bit bigger than rats. If you choose a ferret cage, it may need to be covered in hardware cloth. |
Bird Cages
Some bird cages, such as flight cages, are fine; but many aren't for a number of reasons. Any bird cage with a door the slides up and down and has no locking mechanism is not going to contain your rats for very long. Rats are very intelligent and will easily be able to lift the doors up and escape. If you are going to use a smaller bird cage for a carrier or a time-out cage for misbehaving rats, you will have to use a clip of some kind to hold the door in place. Most bird cages that would provide enough space for your rats, would probably be a cage designed for larger birds like amazons and cockatoos. In this case, the bar spacing will most likely be 1” wide, or wider. Generally, most flight cages are good for rats. They are usually designed for smaller birds like finches or parakeets to get exercise safely, so they are much bigger than most commercial cages marketed as permanent housing for birds, while still providing small bar spacing. Please use caution when deciding to use a bird cage for your rats. |
Guinea Pig Cages Most commercial guinea pig cages are not suitable for guinea pigs and, most of the time, probably shouldn't be used for rats either. However, a guinea pig cage is an okay option for someone with limited space for a cage, or especially has an older rat that has a hard time getting around. The main problem with guinea pig cages is the height. Rats should have a cage with enough height to be able to climb, and a taller cage is better than a longer cage. Since guinea pigs don’t climb and like to be close to the ground, a cage marketed for a guinea pig would most likely be too short for a rat to climb up high. However, the ones with a single shelf and ramp are, in my opinion, the perfect option for old rats who can no longer climb the bars of the cage and have little desire to do much more than sleep. However, the bar spacing in most of these cages is 1” wide. This said, please use guinea pig cages with caution. |
Homemade Cages
I want to mention first that cages made of wire storage grids are (in my opinion) one of the poorer options for rat cages. Many guinea pig parents use these grids for enclosures called C&C cages and they work just wonderfully. However, I wouldn’t make a cage like this for rats because the spacing between the wires is usually 1-1/2” to 2”, so no matter how large your rats are, you will need to cover it in hardware cloth. Furthermore, making a wide enough and sturdy enough door would be incredibly tricky. Lastly, after you’ve spent all the money on the grids, hardware cloth, strong enough zip ties that your rats can’t chew through, some kind of locking mechanism for the door, a pan to hold bedding, etc., you might as well have just bought a cage on Craigslist, or even a brand new cage. Personally, I don’t see it being worth the hassle or the money. The cages I’m referring to when I say “homemade,” are a type of cage commonly known as a Grotto Cage. Some of these cages I’ve seen are absolutely excellent and can be an amazing home for rats, along with being very visually appealing. They’re essentially up-cycled bookcases, TV stands, wardrobes, display cases, etc. You can find a lot of information online on how to make one of these cages yourself. When building a Grotto Cage, be sure the area of the item you’re using is big enough to accommodate your rats, and that you coat anything wooden in a non-toxic waterproof seal to prevent the wood from being soaked in urine. Overall, if you find a large enough piece of furniture at a yard sale, flea market, or on Craigslist, and you have a little bit of imagination, one of these cages can be a wonderful decorative addition to your home, as well as an incredible cage for your rats. |
Unsuitable Types of Rat Cages
Any cage (without accessories)
This is the most important rule about rat cages. Any cage can be a bad cage, as long as it does not have enough suitable cage accessories and toys. Rats need to have lots of different things to interact with, climb on, and sleep in. If you do not add hammocks, toys, boxes, and multiple levels to the cage, it will be uncomfortable and boring for your rats. There must be plenty of toys and accessories in the cage to keep your rats entertained and comfortable. Rats love to have crowded, cluttered cages. Thus, you shouldn’t just put a hammock and a chew toy in there and call it a day.
Before purchasing any cage you should use the Rat Cage Calculator to find out how many rats can live comfortably in the cage. But don’t stop there! No matter what number the calculator gives you, the most important part of this sentence is “If the space is used wisely,” meaning, as long as you have enough suitable accessories in the cage, it can potentially accommodate that many rats. A large cage with little-to-no accessories would be like purchasing a really nice house, but it was only furnished with a couch and a bed; nothing else. You wouldn’t care how big the house is; you’d care how empty the house is. A cage is only a good cage if it has enough accessories in it. Regardless of the number the calculator gives you, only having a small handful of accessories will make it an unsuitable cage for even a few rats. Always make sure you fill up your cage with as much stuff as you possibly can. Please click here to learn more about rat cage accessories.
This is the most important rule about rat cages. Any cage can be a bad cage, as long as it does not have enough suitable cage accessories and toys. Rats need to have lots of different things to interact with, climb on, and sleep in. If you do not add hammocks, toys, boxes, and multiple levels to the cage, it will be uncomfortable and boring for your rats. There must be plenty of toys and accessories in the cage to keep your rats entertained and comfortable. Rats love to have crowded, cluttered cages. Thus, you shouldn’t just put a hammock and a chew toy in there and call it a day.
Before purchasing any cage you should use the Rat Cage Calculator to find out how many rats can live comfortably in the cage. But don’t stop there! No matter what number the calculator gives you, the most important part of this sentence is “If the space is used wisely,” meaning, as long as you have enough suitable accessories in the cage, it can potentially accommodate that many rats. A large cage with little-to-no accessories would be like purchasing a really nice house, but it was only furnished with a couch and a bed; nothing else. You wouldn’t care how big the house is; you’d care how empty the house is. A cage is only a good cage if it has enough accessories in it. Regardless of the number the calculator gives you, only having a small handful of accessories will make it an unsuitable cage for even a few rats. Always make sure you fill up your cage with as much stuff as you possibly can. Please click here to learn more about rat cage accessories.
Tanks
Also known as aquariums or terrariums, tanks are never a good choice for a long-term cage. No matter what size they are, or how well the lid is ventilated; no tank can provide adequate ventilation or the right amount of space. Even if the ventilation is “good,” rats have extremely sensitive respiratory systems and cannot handle the odor of ammonia. Since ammonia sinks, it will not be ventilated through the lid of the tank. Instead, it will lay stagnant at the bottom of the tank, which will ultimately lead to a respiratory infection. Cleaning the tank every single day will not guarantee that your rats will be comfortable. Even if you’re removing the source of ammonia every day, the rats are still going to pee. If the odors from their urine have nowhere to go, the rats will still have to deal with the ammonia for most of the day. Rats have far more delicate respiratory systems than we do, so even a day’s worth of urine in their cage [tank] may not be smelly at all to us; but to them, it’s like sitting in a room with a dirty cat litterbox all day. |
Additionally, if you’re removing their pee every single day, they may start to overcompensate. When you clean too often, your rats may pee more to mark their territory, because you keep removing all the territory they marked.
Not to mention, cleaning every day is a huge waste of money. If you’re changing the bedding every single day, you’re going to end up spending more money on bedding than you would on a real cage. Now you might be thinking, “Well, what if I use fleece and wash it every day?” This might even be a worse option, honestly. Fleece retains odors, rather than absorbing them like loose bedding does. There will be even more ammonia on fleece than on aspen or paper bedding. Many rat parents--who use fleece in large cages like Double Critter Nations and only have a small number of rats--claim that they have to change the fleece at least every 2-3 days or else it gets very stinky.
Finally, a tank is not going to provide enough floor space or height. Even in a large 50-gallon tank, the short side is only between 12-18 inches, which is hardly wide enough for a rat to lie down and stretch out comfortably. Rats also cannot climb in a tank. Wire cages not only provide ideal ventilation, but rats love to climb up the bars of the cage, and there is virtually no place to hang baskets, toys and other accessories. Rats need climbing space, and they need to have lots and lots of accessories in their cage that hang from the bars. A tank cannot comfortably provide that for them.
The one and only acceptable use for tank, is as a nursery; or on the chance that you just got a very tiny baby rat that's too small for a cage with 1/2" bar spacing (however unlikely). Even a baby rat should never be kept in a tank after about 6-8 weeks of age. Otherwise, a tank should never be used under any circumstance for any amount of time.
Not to mention, cleaning every day is a huge waste of money. If you’re changing the bedding every single day, you’re going to end up spending more money on bedding than you would on a real cage. Now you might be thinking, “Well, what if I use fleece and wash it every day?” This might even be a worse option, honestly. Fleece retains odors, rather than absorbing them like loose bedding does. There will be even more ammonia on fleece than on aspen or paper bedding. Many rat parents--who use fleece in large cages like Double Critter Nations and only have a small number of rats--claim that they have to change the fleece at least every 2-3 days or else it gets very stinky.
Finally, a tank is not going to provide enough floor space or height. Even in a large 50-gallon tank, the short side is only between 12-18 inches, which is hardly wide enough for a rat to lie down and stretch out comfortably. Rats also cannot climb in a tank. Wire cages not only provide ideal ventilation, but rats love to climb up the bars of the cage, and there is virtually no place to hang baskets, toys and other accessories. Rats need climbing space, and they need to have lots and lots of accessories in their cage that hang from the bars. A tank cannot comfortably provide that for them.
The one and only acceptable use for tank, is as a nursery; or on the chance that you just got a very tiny baby rat that's too small for a cage with 1/2" bar spacing (however unlikely). Even a baby rat should never be kept in a tank after about 6-8 weeks of age. Otherwise, a tank should never be used under any circumstance for any amount of time.
Tank Toppers
The same rules that apply to tanks also apply to tank toppers. Ammonia sinks, and a cage like this will not provide good ventilation for the rats. Just because it has a wire cage on top does not mean the tank itself is any less dangerous. Not to mention, most tank toppers I've found are for 10- or 20-gallon tanks, which are not suitable for rats at all, as they are far too small. If you happen to find a tank topper that fits a 40- or 50-gallon tank, you’re much better off just spending that amount of money on a real cage.
The only time you could use this cage is if you're using it as a nursery. Nursing moms and babies should be kept in a tank or a bin cage because they retain heat better than cages and reduce any kind of draft that may make the babies cold. A tank topper is a great option for a mom and babies because the babies will be able to keep safe and warm inside the tank, while mom can go up to the cage and spend some alone time. Then when the babies are old enough to climb, they can easily learn how to live in a real cage.
Apart from using them as a nursery, please do not use tanks or toppers at all.
Bin Cages
Bins are bad cages for the same reasons tanks are. It would be very difficult to build a bin cage with enough ventilation for rats, let alone comes anywhere close to being large enough. Even if you were to make a bin cage with multiple large bins all connected together, you would have to add wire mesh to all 4 sides of each bin in order to provide enough ventilation. After you’ve spent all that money on 4 or 5 large bins and enough hardware cloth and zip ties to make it work, you might as well have just bought a real cage. Believe me, I’ve tried!
Hamster Cages
Speaking of hamster cages, let’s just avoid them altogether, shall we? Any cage marketed for hamsters is probably not even suitable for hamsters, let alone rats. In my opinion, any cage that isn’t suitable for it’s target animal sets off a red flag; especially cages like a CritterTrail or Habitrail. These are those cutesy little hamster cages with the connectable tubes around the outside of the cage. These tubes are the perfect size for an adolescent or an adult rat to get their head stuck, and break their neck. These tubes can be extremely dangerous, especially if the rats panic and start flailing around. Please do not even use one of these cages for very young babies. Baby rats grow very, very fast and they may be able to fit comfortably through the tubes one day, but get stuck the next. Any cage that is large enough for a Syrian hamster may also be large enough for up to 2 rats; however, rats and hamsters require much different types of enclosures. Hamsters need lots of floor space. In the wild, hamsters live in wide-open deserts, so they tend to stay very close to the ground and aren’t exactly famous for their climbing skills. While rats, in the wild, live in forests or urban areas where there are lots of things for them to climb, whether it’s a tree or a trash can. Therefore, rats need both floor space and height for climbing and being able to sleep high up in the air. A cage that provides adequate floor space for a hamster will most likely not provide enough height for a rat. |
Rabbit Hutches
Although rabbit hutches are spacious, they don’t provide many options as far as adding accessories, since there's virtually no way to hang hammocks or toys. Plus, rats chew a lot; they especially love chewing wood, and a wooden rabbit hutch would easily become very damaged after only a short time. After a few chewing sessions, a wooden hutch be very easy to escape.
Rats also pee a lot. Constantly, in fact! If you’ve ever deep cleaned a rat cage that has been lived in for more than a few weeks, you already know that the bars of the cage are always a little sticky and covered in pee. Now imagine that, except on absorbent wood, instead of metal. In order to clean rat urine out of wood, you need to soak the wood in a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Good luck doing that with a whole hutch!
A high quality rabbit hutch may be comparable to a homemade Grotto Cage, as long as you make all the right modifications. However, most rabbit hutches are not built the same way as wooden furniture, and can be much more easily damaged.
Although rabbit hutches are spacious, they don’t provide many options as far as adding accessories, since there's virtually no way to hang hammocks or toys. Plus, rats chew a lot; they especially love chewing wood, and a wooden rabbit hutch would easily become very damaged after only a short time. After a few chewing sessions, a wooden hutch be very easy to escape.
Rats also pee a lot. Constantly, in fact! If you’ve ever deep cleaned a rat cage that has been lived in for more than a few weeks, you already know that the bars of the cage are always a little sticky and covered in pee. Now imagine that, except on absorbent wood, instead of metal. In order to clean rat urine out of wood, you need to soak the wood in a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Good luck doing that with a whole hutch!
A high quality rabbit hutch may be comparable to a homemade Grotto Cage, as long as you make all the right modifications. However, most rabbit hutches are not built the same way as wooden furniture, and can be much more easily damaged.