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Anonymous
Question /an/

What's a good house for two male rats, preferably under $50? Would a 10-gallon tank with one of those wire toppers (like this) http://cgi.ebay.com/Tank-Topper-Hamster-Gerbil-Mice-Cage-NEW_W0QQitemZ230281248630QQihZ013QQcategory
Z121854QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem ) be acceptable, or is it still too small? They'll be getting a lot of time outside the cage to run around on the floor and whatnot, too. I'm just concerned by how wide-spaced most ferret cages are, and they seem to be the only other kinds of cages with ramps and levels to them.

Pic not particularly related.
>> Anonymous
depends on the size of said rats, but if you get like, little pet-co rats that should be fine
>> Anonymous
I would avoid giving them anything plastic, they will just eat it. I used to keep rats, I kept them in a small plastic hamster cage when they were little, then moved them to a bird cage with some wire shelvesand ladders, and when full grown I put them in a big rabbit cage. Keeping rats requires you to improvise, most hamster/gerbil stuff is too small for them. Just make sure you give them plenty of bedding material, and something they can build a little nest in. I also used to give my rats wooden spoons and cardboard tubes (like from paper towels or those round fedex tubes) to play with, they really seemed to like it. One of my rats grew very big, so I started feeding him dog food and he lived almost 7 years, which is very long for a rat. I stopped keeping them because their short life spans were very hard on me, they have very unique personalities, each one of my rats (I had 4 total) was completely different from the others, and I was really sad when each one died. If you keep them in something like a hamster or gerbil cage, I recommend you dont reach and grab them. Just open the door and let them climb out themselves if they want to play with you. It's a lot easier on both of you and it will trust you a lot more. When you first start keeping it, put some food out for it to come get. Each of my rats would climb out as soon as I opened the door, and when I set them down climb back in on their own without any trouble. I even had one that would close the door (although he couldnt latch it) on his own. Lots of interaction, especially when they are young, is key to having a friendly rat. I also recommend getting female rats if you have a choice, I found the female rats to be friendlier.
>> Anonymous
>>292572
I'm reluctant to get females because I read they have an even higher chance of contracting tumors. :(

But that was also another question, would a birdcage with some modifications (removing wire floor, adding shelves and ramps/ladders) work well? Bird cages seem to be incredibly cheaper than small animal cages of similar size.
>> Anonymous
the best type would be a smaller ferret cage with 1/2 - 3/4 in openings between the bars. 3x2x2 or so (with a slide out litter pan!!)

I just sold mine on craigslist. maybe check that or other classifieds as ferret cages can run in the higher price range.. although a larger birdcage not a bad idea if you have the ingenuity.

Two males are great, playful and not too territorial.
>> Anonymous
Bird cages make excellent rat cages, just remember they can and will climb the bars, even until they are completely upside down, so make sure the cage is not so tall they could fall and hurt themselves (i.e. a large parrot cage). Make sure they have something to chew on or their teeth will grow painfully large. Also make sure you can clean the cage easily, rats can get various parasites like little mites etc. that will cause them irritation, and the only way to get rid of them will be to completely sterilize the cage and wash the rats thoroughly before returning them. I think ease of cleaning is one of the most important factors, keeping their cage as clean as possible will keep them healthier and there will be almost no smell. I found my rats were surpsingly good at arranging their cage to their liking, at one point I had made a little ladder to help her reach a higher level, I shouldn't have bothered, the next day she had removed the ladder completely and used it for an addition to her nest. She seemed to prefer climbing up the sides anyways.
>> Anonymous
>>292849
Awesome! I planned on putting little hammocks at different levels so that if they did fall, they'd land on one of those or a shelf instead of falling all the way to the ground. I've already got two guinea pigs, so I know about the chewing thing. I'm planning on going to the pet store Thursday and picking up the cage and other stuff for them. I pick them up Sunday. :3