Play pen?

[Cece]

Hello!
I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on a playpen? I'd like to bring my rats out to play more often and together, but its hard because they're both hyper and wiggly. Plus, one was a feeder rat and even though ive gotten her to trust me she still hates being held. I can pet her just not hold her.
Sorry off topic.
Anyway theres really no way to rat proof my room, so Im looking into playpens but all of the ones I find seem to have too wide bars. Any suggestions?

 

[mvZD]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
This is the one I’m planning to buy when I get my new rats, so I can keep them separated from my other group. Although it is a little pricy. I’ve seen a lot of people use cardboard taped together, or those trifold poster boards.

 

[SQ]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
This is the one I’m planning to buy when I get my new rats, so I can keep them separated from my other group. Although it is a little pricy. I’ve seen a lot of people use cardboard taped together, or those trifold poster boards.

Rats can get out of that playpen, so don't waste your money by getting one
Edit: It is hard to believe but some will be able to climb the sides. In addition, sides are not high enough because rats can jump pretty high

 

[SQ]

IMO, the best play pen you can purchase is the martins powder coated (paint is baked on to prevent rusting) rat playpen (martinscages.com)
I have the large powder coated rat playpen. It folds for easy storage, is versatile, and has a hinged cover so they can not get out. Hammocks can be hung from the cover to increase play area and interesting activities.
Unfortunately commercial playpens are not large enough for people to sit inside

Pictures below are of my martins rat playpen with half of the top flipped back.
As you can see in the pictures, I have attached hammocks, a tube, a bird rope and corner litter boxes to the sides of the playpen, and have hung hammocks from the top/cover of the rat playpen.
Btw, the rats love that particular large fisher price garage - the ramps make it easy for rats of all ages, even elderly rats, to climb (it is affordable if purchased second hand)

To make a safe play area for rats, use chloroplast panels (etc) that are 3.5 to 4 feet high and attach them using zip ties or stick on Velcro. This allows you to create a play area that will be large enough for you to get into.
I have a huge play area - when I had an apartment it was the entire living room and their cages and my couch were inside the play area. I used large pieces of thick linoleum to cover the carpet in order to protect it.
​

Other suggestions are to use a couch or a bed (covered with a large fleece blanket to protect it from urine and chewing).

 

[Cece]

Thank you!

 

[allie]

When I had my rats I built a playpen out of cardboard boxes. I opened the top and bottom, cut all the way down one side so it was one big flat piece, collected a bunch and taped them together with gorilla tape and made it into a big circle around the cage. Just make sure it ends up tall enough, little rat girls can jump super high, well over 15 inches from a stand still (I learned that the hard way.)

 

[jorats]

I used to build a huge corral for my rats with corrugated plastic boards. But the minute I wasn't sitting in the play area with them, they would start to jump out. I had my boards at 2 feet high and even then... they could get out. Rats are amazingly determined.