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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / January 2005a different question about cages
Hi all; This thread above is very timely, as I just discovered this group yesterday. I used to have rats as classroom pets in my grade five classroom, (kids are 10-ish) and after a few years away from it, have decided to do so again. I used to have a plastic aquarium-style cage. Though it appeared a good idea at the time, I quickly became unhappy with it for reasons you can guess. I also suspect in retrospect that their ultimate demise from respiratory difficulties was probably also a result. So, I'm learning from my mistakes and resolving to do it right this time. I have also discovered not to use softwood chips like pine (oops) and to avoid seed mixes for hamsters ('nuther oops...). I'm going to get a wire cage (with the platic-y/rubbery laminated wires) with a smooth plastic bottom (good idea from what I've gathered so far?) and a decent size (say, at least 2ft x 1ft?) I'm going to again start with baby rats - probably two females. So... my two questions... 1. That size will be tons of room for two baby rats, but will the rats be happy with that as they mature? 2. I don't want the babies to be able to squeeze through the wires. I know mice can squeeze through surprisingly small cracks (yes, and that rats aren't mice....) How close together should the bars be, as a maximum? Hamster cages and stuff have the wires pretty close together, but the guinea pig cage we have at home has wires that are 3/4" apart from center to center. Would that be TOO big? In case you're concerned, no, I don't let big groups of kids maul the rats. I allow them, a couple at a time to take them out and play with them in an area of the classroom removed from the rest of the madding crowd. I also educate them about proper rat handling, etc. Chris > So, I'm learning from my mistakes and resolving to do it right this time. > I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > 1. That size will be tons of room for two baby rats, but will the rats be > happy with that as they mature? This will not be large enough for two adult rats, especially if they don't get out of the cage much. For two rats I would suggest a wire cage at least 24" by 16" by 16". Have some form of second level for them to climb onto, a third level if possible. Also make sure to ensure a safe Wodent wheel or other rat-safe exercise wheel. Wodent Wheel website http://www.transoniq.com/ Wire cages of this size are more expensive than the tiny glass aquarium cages that many people sadly keep their rats in. However, if they are kept clean then they will last a very long time, and can be used for many years to come. > 2. I don't want the babies to be able to squeeze through the wires. I > know [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > pig cage we have at home has wires that are 3/4" apart from center to > center. Would that be TOO big? I don't know about this. My cages have wires that are only 1/2" wide; seems safer. > In case you're concerned, no, I don't let big groups of kids maul the > rats. > I allow them, a couple at a time to take them out and play with them in an > area of the classroom removed from the rest of the madding crowd. I also > educate them about proper rat handling, etc. Good for you! Robert & Donna, with the brood Some links that might help: http://www.kristinewickstrom.homestead.com/files/PanelApplet.html http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/habitat/cagecalculator/index.php http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat http://www.ratbehavior.org/MartinsCages.htm http://www.geocities.com/ratsonthehill/cagecrafts.html http://www.dapper.com.au/grotto.htm The first three are cage size calculators. As you can see by those, you want at least a good 2 cubic feet per ratty (so a 2 x 1 foot cage would only be sufficient for one adult rat), and bigger is always better in this case. Most folks here who can get them are very fond of Martin's cages (with the powder coating that you refer to being preferred). They come with metal C-links to finish assembling them, or you might consider using plastic zip ties (melting the cut ends with a lighter for safety) so that the cage can be taken apart more easily later for storage or readjusting the levels, etc. Any wire spacing greater than 1/2 x 1" is too large for babies and adult females (with 1/2 x 1/2" preferred for the floor levels). HTH. You can also find good info by searching the archives of this group on Google: http://groups-beta.google.com/advanced_search (Enter search terms as appropriate in the top yellow section and alt.pets.rodents.rats in the Group box and then click the Google Search box, top right).  SignatureMariette http://community.webshots.com/user/wabewawa (wabewawa61 ["at" symbol] earthlink.net) >Hi all; > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > >Chris Also, here are what in my opinion are some of the best sites for basic/general rat care info: http://www.rmca.org (esp. Rat FAQ and Articles by topic) http://www.ratsrule.com http://www.ratfanclub.org/helpinfo.html http://www.petrats.org http://www.dapper.com.au/index.htm http://www.curiosityrats.com (esp. Info section) http://www.ratbehavior.org/norway_rat_ethogram.htm http://www.rattycorner.com http://www.rattyrat.com http://www.ratsauce.com http://ratguide.com SignatureMariette http://community.webshots.com/user/wabewawa (wabewawa61 ["at" symbol] earthlink.net) >Hi all; > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > >Chris I was going to offer some links, but it seems you've got that covered. One other suggestion, though. Regardless of what you decide to feed them, we mix our food with Nutro Natural Choice Lite dog food (http://www.nutroproducts.com/ncdoglite.asp). Someone in this group, who had a lot more time and diligence than I, discovered that the nutritional value of that particular brand and variety matches the nutritional needs of rats. We buy it at PetsMart. It's kind of expensive, but a 15lbs bag will last a long time. We mix ours with cheap bag cereal, Total, tri-color pasta, dried fruit, craisons (dried cranberries), dried vegetables (I buy frozen mixed vegetables and dry them in wire letter trays in front of a fan set low). We throw in some nuts, soynuts, yogurt covered soynuts, and other treats. And we give them fresh vegetables once in a while. Don't forget blueberries! We get dried blueberries and mix them into the food. We also get fresh blueberries when in season, freeze them, and give them as treats once in a while. Blueberries are scientifically proven to actually reverse the effects of aging on laboratory rats. SignatureMark Tomlinson "I'm not a trouble maker; I am a catalyst for change." > Also, here are what in my opinion are some of the best sites for > basic/general rat care info: [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] >> >>Chris Also, what looks to be a pretty good site for teachers I just found while surfing for rat name lists for a friend: http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/classroompets/mammals-rats.htm#I3 (or http://tinyurl.com/5cw62) And another site I should have added to the list below: http://www.petratscanada.com >Also, here are what in my opinion are some of the best sites for >basic/general rat care info: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >http://www.ratsauce.com >http://ratguide.com Thanks, Robert and Mariette! I got the biggest cage I could afford, which is about 21x21x12, and it has three levels. It was about $70CDN. As for the wheel, I may well look into one of those Wodent Wheels. As it turns out, the Canadian distributor is about a 15 min. drive from my house, so I can save on shipping. I'll get the 11" one. The only problem I'd have to resolve is taking out one of the levels. Each level is about 7" high. Ah, well.... Thanks also for the links. I had found a couple of them already - the Canadian one and another one. I'm sure the others will come in handy, too. I'll keep y'all posted. They'll be introduced to my class today. I kept them at home yesterday for another day while they get used to their cage. They were still pretty skittish, but are getting better now. Chris > Also, what looks to be a pretty good site for teachers I just found > while surfing for rat name lists for a friend: [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >http://www.ratsauce.com > >http://ratguide.com First of all, that's a great type of cage, just a bit on the small side. Please don't be tempted by those horrible Terenziani type cages with wire floors, they're nasty things, I see them as torture chambers! lol Stick to something with nice comfortable solid floors. You could even make your own cage from scratch if you have someone handy with wood. That's how I started. You can see my cages here, along with my first cage which was hand made for my rats. http://www.freewebs.com/bevluvsrats/cages.htm Bev x <:3 )~~ Owner of Clubrats 2 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clubrats2/# Visit my new and improved ratty website, now with Ratabilia!! http://www.freewebs.com/bevluvsrats/index.htm And for those of you with strong stomachs, my ratty medical site: http://www.freewebs.com/miscrats/ Bev, You sure are lucky to have a handy DAD! Sue > First of all, that's a great type of cage, just a bit on the small > side. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > And for those of you with strong stomachs, my ratty medical site: > http://www.freewebs.com/miscrats/ > Hi all; > [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > > Chris Welcome fellow Canadian! Were in Canada are you? I've brought my 7 young rats to the class room for my son's show and tell. All the children loved them. The teacher wasn't very receptive though. Although, she didn't really show it, I could tell she was a little repulsed. lol She had hoped I would bring in my rabbits instead. But of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to teach young kids about rats. I think it's wonderful that you are learning from your mistakes. I think we can all say that about our passion for rats. We all made mistakes and doing it right the next time is what counts. Will the rats go home with you on weekends? My other son's classroom had a hamster. On weekends, kids took turns to bring him home. On my weekend, I went out and bought him a new more suitable cage, toys and better food. Wouldn't you know... same teacher, different year. sheesh Hope to hear many classroom stories of the little guys and the kids as well. ;) SignatureJoanne Mom to 10 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 Chris, My husband and I have ten rats, 7 boys & 3 girls. We have the Ruud cage from Martin's cages that is 30" x 18" x 60", seven levels, six ramps, four balconies, and two full floors. The girls would prefer to have more room! Now, they are obviously just fine with this cage though, spacewise. Here is a link to the rat fan club website. The article is written by Debbie Ducommun,an expert on ratties and their care. If I'm ever confused about something I consult the "rat care guide" she wrote. (I highly recommend it!) http://www.ratfanclub.org/cages.html Good luck! Jamie >>Hi all; >> [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > Hope to hear many classroom stories of the little guys and the kids as well. > ;) Thanks, Jamie and Joanne for your support. I'm in Hamilton, Ontario. I brought them to school yesterday and they're adjusting to their new environment. The kids are excited and enthusiastic, but I'm being really diligent about not letting them freak out the rats (the kids named them Keisha and Oreo) by mobbing/mauling them. I'll let them pet the rats inside the cage tomorrow in groups of two when it's quiet. I haven't even been able to pick them up myself yet. They're interested in my hand, but they don't want to ride in it yet. :-) They'll let me pet them pretty readily, though. We're workin' on it. Chris > > Hi all; > > [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] > Mom to 10 rats > http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 |
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