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Trusted rat advice
Cage Cleaning
One of the most common problems with rats is over cleaning. Below is my tried and tested method for cage cleaning which has kept us stink free with up to 8 males.
I do hammocks twice a week, spot clean (pick up poo) and change litter trays every 3-4 days and change substrate once a week. When I change the substrate I don’t take it all out I try to change about half to 3/4 of it at a time. This method stops them scent marking to much which leads to them being more smelly which leads to more cleaning and it turns into a vicious cycle. I also wipe down all their houses, wheel bars etc once a fortnight but do that on a day when I don’t do anything other cleaning.
Cage Recommendations
Rats need a lot of space. The minimum recommended cage size for 2 rats is 80x50cm and the more rats you have the more space you need. The cages I have personal experience of are:
The critter nation, this is what I use as the main cages for both my mischiefs. This is an all metal cage that comes with trays and shelves. Its available in both single and double size. the single size fits up to 4 rats and the double can house up to 8 rats. The only disadvantage of this cage is that it doesn't have a deep base so a large dig box or custom Perspex box will be needed for the bottom of the cage. The single critter nation retails for around £150 and the Double is around £240. Be careful not to get this cage confused with the ferret nation which is similar but has larger bar spacing making unsuitable for young rats and does.
For Boarding I favor the Coco Large as its a very decent budget cage at around £70 and can fit up to 5 rats. The advantage of this cage is that the main part folds flat when not in use making it easy to store. The downside of this cage is if your rats like to chew the plastic bottom can be a problem.
The Savic Freddy 2 is a smaller cage suitable for 2 rats but is not ideal for long term use. I use the cage for rats waiting for intros, pairs of rats for short term boarding and as a temporary cage for rats awaiting permanent homes. This cage also has a plastic base so is not suitable for rats who like to chew. It costs around £110 new but is often available for £40-50 second hand.
Other Cages that are popular but i have no personal experience of include
- Little Zoo Ventura, this is similar in size to the critter nation and is also available in single and double story. It can house 8-10 rats and comes with a deeper base than the critter nation although most owners tend to replace this with a deeper perspex box more suited for rats to dig in. It is slightly more expensive than the critter nation at £189 for the single and £325 for the double.