Ideal Setup for Rat Cage? (Changed setup - 5/31/13)

[GrayLightNewDay]

See, all your cages are so much more beautiful and fun than mine. I am on a mission to create a cage set up just like them!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if rats can see in color?

 

[dspch911]

I've read that they can, but have trouble with blue/green

 

[jorats]

I read a study once that said yellow made them happier. How in the world they came to that conclusion, I have no idea. lol

 

[Cinderwolf]

On that note I hear yellow is a very calming soothing colour for them

Haha I was abotu to post this and the site told me you had posted jo haha great mids think alike

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

I have read that yellow is a good color for babies, too! I guess yellow makes all creatures smart and happy. ;p

 

[Tarenthall]

We have rats guineas and gliders. I made all their cages myself. C&c for the guineas but since the rats can fit through the holes I went to homedepot and got wire shelving, had them cut it to size for me then zip tied it together. They have room to climb, run, and play and it's set up with a fuzz ball pit, stuffed animals, and various climby things. Also those horrible zhu zhu toys....the tunnels make GREAT play things for the rats and gliders both!
I'm a believer in building/making your own cage. So far it's been cheaper by far and bigger than what is available in pre made cages.

I spend tons of time at thrift stores and Jo Ann fabrics to make stuff for all my babies! Oh, and dollar tree.

 

[*Rebel_Angel*]

o i lone Navi's name and ya beiges and fawns are cute i have both lol

 

[Risika57]

As you already know, the cage is too small, but I see you're saving up to get a new one ^_^. I have used this cage as a temporary baby cage, and also for a lone, angry, male, who I could not touch whatsoever. I had to have a cage I could easily carry, and one where I could take the top completely off to get him out of it.

I do recommend putting a 12 inch wheel in there. Girls go wild over them. You may not see them use it for the first week or so, but once they discover what it does, they'll love it.

Here is how I had it set up for my loner.

I completely threw out the ramps, and then I cut out coroplast the same size as the shelves, made fleece sleeves for them, and side them over the shelves so that he couldn't soak the shelves with pee.

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

I am getting my new cage in two weeks, but for now I took the good advise you all gave me and made the current cage better. Not as good as Risika57's, but they seem to like it and it is much easier to clean!

 

[dspch911]

If your thinking of getting a new cage and I know we don't like to support pet stores especially Petco, but they usually have them on sale with free shipping that or 1800petsupplies.com

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

I am ordering it from 1800petsupplies.com! My brother ordered it for me, for my birthday, but it got canceled because the billing and shipping address were different and they couldn't verify it or something like that. So, instead he gave me money and I am ordering it myself.

This is the one I am getting: http://www.petsupplies.com/item/prevue- ... 95/650270/

 

[dspch911]

Yes, I have that problem with them too on occasion. You have to call and confirm the shipping address within 2 days if the billing address is different.

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

My new cage arrived and I got it put together yesterday. I really like it, it is nice and big, but not overwhelming for my (not so spacious) bedroom.

So far I only have a litter box, a big hanging bird toy, a hanging tunnel, and a basket type bed that I made, in it. I also put the fleece on the bottom of the cage. I need to make hammocks specifically to fit in it before the girls are officially switched over to it.

For now, I am using it like a play pen for them since it is neutral territory. I know I would be able to let Calista and the babies all live together right now, but Navi is having a slight attitude problem, so I wont rush it.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the new cage!

Reina and Midna liked the tunnel that I made

 

[eriin]

looks great so far! i'm sure they'll love living in it just as well playing

 

[amandasbutterflies]

See, all your cages are so much more beautiful and fun than mine. I am on a mission to create a cage set up just like them!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if rats can see in color?

This website is really informative and on this page the lady who runs it has videos up showing the extent of rats vision:

http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatCam.htm

 

[dspch911]

I've read they can see color, but have trouble with blue and green. However, the stuff I make always seems to be blue/green, but I try to use other colors.

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

See, all your cages are so much more beautiful and fun than mine. I am on a mission to create a cage set up just like them!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if rats can see in color?

This website is really informative and on this page the lady who runs it has videos up showing the extent of rats vision:

http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatCam.htm

I am SO happy you posted this. I have been wanting to see something like that, but I was never able to find it. Now I see why ratties like to use their mouths to feel if we have treats or not.

 

[amandasbutterflies]

I am SO happy you posted this. I have been wanting to see something like that, but I was never able to find it. Now I see why ratties like to use their mouths to feel if we have treats or not.

Aw cool, I'm happy that helped. :thumbup:

 

[Ace8670]

Weird... I wonder if rats can have favorite colors as well as far as not being able to see blue that well My oldest Bobo always seems to like blue better he will play with a blue toy before an orange toy I haven't noticed a color preference with my other rats and maybe it's all in my mind but even a dog rope toy I got him two one white and green the other blue he plays with the blue on but has barely touched the other, seems like that's the case with most of his toys.... Maybe I'm crazy

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

I decided that I didn't like the shelves in the cage, because they were really hard to keep clean. They had spaces where pee would get in, but it was hard to scrub the pee out, so everything kept feeling sticky and it had a bad smell. So, I took the shelves out and sewed up some long hammocks in their place. Everything fabric in the cage was made by me. Here is my setup: