Where do I house my rats?

Rats can be kept in either cages or terrariums, if you visit a pet store they are generally housed in the latter.

It is in the rats makeup to climb and run around therefore the best house to get the most out of your rats is a cage (whatever you choose ensure it is big enough).

Rats really are good climbers therefore your cage should have both vertical and horizontal bars; cages help with their daily exercise and mental stimulation. Fancyrats also use their noses to sample the smells and other scents of the outside world.

An important fact if you decide a terrarium is best for you your rat will not be able to climb the sides, if not let out become lethargic and sometimes show signs of psychological distress. Also, due to the lack of fresh air supply they may be more likely to suffer from pulmonary problems.

Whatever you decide to use as your rat’s home it is important that it is strong. Rats can quite easily chew through hardened plastic therefore if a cage is plastic coated metal it is regarded as the best choice.

The more items you place in your rat cage the better as it stimulates their minds, if affordable larger cages and cages with multiple levels can aid the health of your rats and provide them with more visual entertainment. A stimulated rat can also increase his or hers lifespan.

Necessities for a cage (if affordable and big enough) would include an igloo, litter tray, hammock, tunnel, food tray/s and most importantly a rodent water holder.

Although rats are generally clean animals it is important to clean the cage and soiled bedding out on a regular basis and typically no more than a week.

Fancy-rats have a very useful tool when calculating the size of cage required for the number of rats kept. Please click here to work out whether your cage is big enough for you.

I it also important to remember that rats are social animals and must not be kept on their own, they need cage mates just like humans require friends and family (preferably the same sex otherwise you will have lots of little rats very quickly!)

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