Cages
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When choosing a cage, you need to consider the following:
- Floor space. The floorspace should be least 80cm x 50cm. Many bird cages do not meet this.
- Height. There should be enough for climbing opportunities and enrichment. Aim for at least 50cm in height.
- Area per rat. Ideally you will allow for 2.5 cubic feet per rat within a cage, but they can live in a space where they have 2 cubic feet per rat maximum.
- Bar spacing. A maximum of 15mm spacing works well for rats of all ages and both sexes.
- Shape. Rats have been shown to prefer cages with a rectangular base rather than a square base.
- Depth of trays. The trays should be deep enough for a good layer of substrate.
- Good access for cleaning and rat cuddling. Double-opening doors are popular.
- Material. Metal cages are chew proof. Plastic bases often offer better tray depth, however some rats will chew through them. Wooden cages are not chew proof, though some people have had success with wooden cages with perspex bases inserted. Note that tanks are not suitable for rats due to the lack of ventilation.
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Below are some cage suggestions provided by @realratresources. These are not the only suitable cages on the market, but they are really good options. When searching for other options, bear in mind the above criteria and use this calculator to gauge how many rats the cage is suitable for. The maximum number of rats that a cage can hold is not mandatory. If you feel that you would only be comfortable housing a lower number of rats in a cage, that is okay. You may stretch to or come close to this maximum for a variety of reasons, including ensuring that you maintain a rolling group or if a rat has a health issue, such as hind leg degeneration or recovering from an ear infection, where keeping the group in a smaller space is beneficial.​​​
Substrate, Litter & Bedding​​​​
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Substrate
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Substrate is what will cover most of the cage floor. You want to aim for a substrate that is unscented, as dust-free as possible, absorbant and good for digging around in.
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GOOD EXAMPLES:
- Kiln-dried and dust-extracted shavings, such as bedmax, littlemax, pureflake extra, snowflake supreme and aubiose.
- Dust-extracted shredded cardboard, such as green mile, ecobale and shredbed.
- "Bioactive" soil, made up of coco fibre soil and/or top soil and Clean Up Crew like springtails. Should not be mixed with more traditional substrates.
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BAD EXAMPLES:
- Carefresh, as it is dusty and sometimes scented. It is also very expensive.
- Fleece, as it doesn't provide digging opportunities, isn't very absorbant, doesn't always stay in place, and often needs to be replaced due to chewing.
- Litter, as it doesn't provide digging opportunities and can be a bit hard underfoot.
Litter
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Litter should only be used in litter trays. You want litter that is highly absorbant without disintegrating.
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GOOD EXAMPLES:
- Paper-based cat litter, such as breeder celect and back 2 nature.
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BAD EXAMPLES:
- Any wood-based cat litter (disintegrates).
- Biocatolet (contains insect repellent).
Bedding
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Bedding offers nesting opportunities and keeps them warmer in winter. It needs to be changed more frequently than substrate.
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GOOD EXAMPLES:
- Kitchen/toilet roll - hang in the cage with some natural string for extra enrichment!)
- Dust-extracted hay or straw
- Newspaper strips
- Teabag bedding
- Fabric strips. I prefer to only use these in carriers or hospital cage set ups
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BAD EXAMPLES:
- Anything that is very dusty
Enrichment
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Now that you have the bare basics of your set up, your next focus should be on filling the cage with enrichment that allows your rats to exhibit their natural behaviours. Enrichment is key as it keeps your rats occupied, lowers stress, and it's good fun making layouts then watching them interact with their environment. As you read this guide, you will see that offering choice and variety is key for making a great home for your rats.
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Enrichment can come from a variety of sources:
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There are some fantastic small businesses that sell products that are perfect for rats such as rat rations, ratcessories, minipetz and more. Rat Care UK on facebook has a thread of small businesses.
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As soon as something is marketed for pets, the price does tend to go up by quite a bit! So consider items that aren't "meant" for rats. Many people use tie holders from IKEA, wine racks from Amazon, and ropes from B&Q or similar.
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You can also make enrichment items yourself! See this section for ideas.
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If you choose to purchase enrichment from pet stores, please be aware that a lot of items sold for rats aren't actually all that suitable for rats. This can be because they are unsafe (for example: exercise balls, wheels that are too small, some chew toys) or they are too small (many people think rats are smaller than they actually are). Instead, look at the bird section as they often have bridges, toys and perches that are great for rats.
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Click on the buttons below to take you to enrichment ideas for each natural behaviour, or scroll through for all of them! Try to do at least one thing from each section. Some enrichment items, like foraging toys, meet several behavioural needs!​​​​​
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Climbing, Balancing & Jumping
Providing enrichment that allows climbing, balancing and jumping helps to challenge your rats physically so that they maintain a good level of fitness and mobility. You can offer items that are made from different materials for sensory benefits, or use items which move a bit when interacted with to make balancing more of a challenge. Hanging items at different angles can also make climbing more interesting for your rats, though bear in mind that they rarely use vertical items. Aim to create multiple ways to get to a place within the cage with varying difficulty.
Here are some ideas for items that can promote climbing, balancing and jumping:
- Ropes. Dog toys, DIY store ropes, strips of old clothing plaited together.
- Nets. Ready-made nets, multiple ropes tied together.
- Tie holders. Try to avoid ones with metal in the middle. The ones from Ikea are popular.
- Large toys. These can act as climbing frames.
- Ladders. Bird toy ladders are easily accessible.
- Perches. Bird perches are a nice size. Lava ledges and wooden ledges are also popular.
- Wine racks. I usually attach these to the door of the cage as they are a great way to use the space.
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You can attach these items to the cage using shower curtain hooks, pear clips (ensure that the large end is at the bottom in case someone gets something stuck), cable ties, or similar. Bear in mind that all hanging toys should be secure and able to hold multiple rats' weight.
If one of your rats is getting older and is struggling, it is important not to completely remove all physical challenges as this will actually lead to a more rapid decline in mobility and condition. After all, if you don't use it, you lose it! Instead, switch to items that they find accessible such as thicker ropes or tunnels. Cork bark slabs and tubes work nicely as they have an uneven surface that the rat can use to grip onto. Ensure that there are enough fall-breakers. Depending on their capability, you could also add in more items to help them navigate their environment more confidently.​​
Digging & Burrowing
Offering digging and burrowing opportunities is valuable for rats as it keeps them fit, enriches their mind, and can provide them with a safe and secure place to retreat to if they are startled by something. Providing at least 3 inches of substrate allows some digging opportunities, but if you are able to provide a deeper base filled with substrate then their ability to burrow will be unlocked! It also has the added benefit of holding in their substrate so there is less mess outside of the cage to clean up.
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You can make a deeper base for your cage using:
- Cardboard. This is cheap and easy to do, but will need replacing regularly.
- A large box sitting inside the cage. Another cheaper alternative, though ensure that the existing base can support the additional weight. I have seen owners with large cages use the middle insert that has a hole in it on the bottom with the dig box snugly fitting underneath, almost like a digging basement!
- Plastic sheets. If you have songmics shoe holder panels or similar for your play pen and have some spare, you can use the spare panels to make a deeper base. Note that these too may also be chewed and require replacing.
- Perspex base. If you would like something more permanent, a perspex base is perfect for creating a nice deep layer of substrate. You can find out more about building a perspex base on the bioactive section of my website.
Using more than one substrate type is a great idea if you have a deep base as this often gives more structure to burrows so that they hold better. You can also add fibrous materials such as hay to help with burrow structure. Half submerged items like a hide or a tube can encourage burrowing.
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If you use a dig box with coco fibre soil, you can sow seeds and allow them to sprout or plant herbs before providing it to the rats. This is a fabulous enrichment activity for them. Just bear in mind that if left it may develop mould.​
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Foraging
Making your rats work for their food may seem cruel, but foraging is important for mental stimulation and can help your rats to have healthy eating habits.
The easiest way to encourage foraging behaviour is to scatter feed. This means that, instead of providing their food in a bowl, you sprinkle it around the cage. You can also mix the food into their substrate (multiple substrate types also allows food items to fall through) and scatter across different levels of the cage to make it more challenging to find. Rats who are scatter-fed are more likely to eat the item that they have found instead of discarding it and only eating "the good bits", and rats who are possessive over food are less likely to be aggravated at meal times. It also helps them to pace themselves so that they are less likely to choke.
Another way to encourage foraging is through toys, which has been covered in more detail in the problem-solving section of this article.​​​​
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Different food items can also provide enrichment, such as dog chews (eg. fish skins), items such as millet sprays, or table scraps.​​​
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The use of water bowls can also be enriching. This provides the rats with another means of drinking and washing, and you can add items like peas into the water for them to fish out.
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Gnawing
While rats' teeth are constantly growing, it is worth noting that rats do not need to gnaw on items to keep their teeth down as they can grind them down themselves by rubbing them together. Gnawing is still a natural behaviour, though, and can provide mental stimulation as well as stress relief. Rats will chew on all sorts of items, not just the ones you want them to chew, so remember to keep them away from items that you don't want to have customised such as curtains! Rats appreciate a variety of textures, so choose some durable toys as well as less durable toys.
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Here are some ideas for items for gnawing:
- Hard food items such as nuts in shells, fresh vegetables such as carrot, or pasta. Feed in moderation according to their dietary needs.
- Toys made from wood, seagrass, banana leaf, etc.
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Ideally, the toys you purchase should come with a metal wire or little chain down the middle so that they don't fall apart with one unlucky chew. You can also then remake the toys by using the refills sold by some pet suppliers such as minipetz and rat rations.
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Be wary of toys that are made of sawdust or "finely ground" wood, which can be glued together by a sugary adhesive. These toys can be mistakenly eaten by rats.
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Nesting
Fostering the ability to nest allows rats to regulate their temperature and create a safe space for them to retreat to if they're unsure and/or if they want to sleep or rest. Consider providing a few different materials so that they have choice and can make a more intricate nest.
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Aim to provide at least two sleeping areas that will fit all of your rats. These could be hammocks, a nest box, or somewhere to shelter under after burrowing.
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You can provide nesting materials in a few enriching ways:
- In a foraging/gnawing toy
- Scattered around the cage
- A toilet roll or kitchen roll hanging in the cage. If it is fed through the cage makes them feel cheeky as they grab through the bars to pull it in​
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Problem Solving
Rats are very intelligent so love having puzzles to solve. Incorporating food is a key way to keep them occupied, though also bear in mind that when you first change their layout and they're working out how to navigate through the ropes, toys etc, that also counts as problem-solving! So monthly layout changes are a great way to enrich your rats.
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1. Purchase foraging toys. Parrot foraging toys tend to have a wide range of variety, though bear in mind the suitability for rats in terms of potential for toes or heads getting stuck.
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2. Make your own. It can be as simple as putting food in an egg box, pasta on a string tied up, or a boiled egg still in its shell. You could also hide items in existing toys using shredded bedding.
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Not all rats are bright sparks, plus if they've never been challenged before they may struggle to problem-solve. If your rats are struggling to work out a foraging toy even after some time, consider making it slightly easier by showing them how it's done then closing the toy again or by starting with simpler toys. For example, if they are struggling to crack a boiled egg, make a few cracks yourself in front of them then give them the egg back to interact with. The next time, only slightly crack the egg, and once they understand the game go back to providing a whole egg.
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Running
Running helps to keep rats fit, and they will often play and show other behaviours while running. The main way that you can offer rats running opportunities is by having a cage that has adequate floorspace. Avoid filling the floor with too many items so that they can pick up speed.
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If you would like to provide your rats with a wheel, then the wheel should be 12" in diameter as a minimum. 14" is often recommended for does, and 16" for bucks to ensure that rats of all sizes can comfortably use the wheel. My wheels are from Tic Tac as they are very high quality. Speedyhog is another brand I've seen recommended often.​Unfortunately, a lot of items marketed for rats in pet shops are not suitable.
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Note that exercise balls are not suitable for rats, or any small pet, as they deprive rats of their senses (they don't have fantastic eyesight and that is all they can really use when inside an exercise ball) and these balls are too small regardless.​
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Socialising
Rats are a social species so require same-species company. There are very few exceptional circumstances where keeping a rat on their own is the best course of action and even this comes with a major caveat in terms of quality of life. Rats enjoy sleeping together, playing, grooming, and more! Rats can also form fantastic bonds with their keepers, so fostering opportunities to socialise with people should also be given consideration.
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Providing a nest box or adequately sized hammock allows them to nest together. Also provide an additional sleeping spot in case they become too warm or just fancy snoozing on their own for a change. Sometimes rats will split into different sub-groups and share out the sleeping spots between them too, so offering choice is important. These are also the places where rats will usually groom each other.
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Having a cage with adequate space allows for a group of rats, which offers them more opportunities for a range of social interactions and relationships than if they only live in a pair. Adding a pair of rats every 12 months usually results in a group of 3-7 rats. Having adequate floorspace in a cage also allows rats to play wrestle with each other and jump and bounce around while running. Foraging toys can also be fun to share.
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Rats will often run up to say hello to their keepers. Provide perches for them so they can sit and watch what you're doing (I call this gargoyling) and ensure that they have something secure to stand on near the door so that they can safely interact with you. For example, with large cages I will have a large hammock across the middle of the cage by the door so that when I open the top door they can go onto the top of that hammock to come say hello. That way they're not climbing over each other while balancing on something like a rope or tie holder, where their enthusiasm could result in accidental falls.
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You can also make a play pen or have free roam time to interact with your rats.
Creating an Active Layout
An active layout is a cage set up which has a variety of activities for the rat to do and enjoy along with various engaging ways to move between them all. Active layouts are incredibly important for keeping your rats happy and healthy for as long as possible, and they are lots of fun to make even if it does seem a bit of a daunting task when you first start out.
Here are a few 'rules' for filling up your cage:
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1. Your ultimate aim is to take out all levels, bar litter trays, to free up more space and produce a layout where the rats can use their bodies more. Fill up the space you have with the levels in first, then take out the levels once you have enough enrichment to fill the space. Use half of a larger cage if you need to (which is a good idea anyway with new rats so that you can build your confidence with each other).
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2. Pick different points in your cage. If a rat was to fall, how far would they fall before reaching something? Would they safely land on it or bounce off of it? If the latter, at what point will they be caught by something? If it’s a landing point, how soft is that landing point after how big of a fall? You will want to fill space so that your rats won’t have far to fall without a fall breaker.
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3. Fill the space in a variety of ways instead of using lots of the same items.
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4. Have the sleeping space next to/above the litter tray helps to encourage them to use it.
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Adaptations
Rats are highly adaptable animals; it's one of the things that makes them so incredible! But how can we support them when...
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They are getting old and their mobility is getting worse?
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If they don't use it, they lost it! Try to avoid making adaptations for as long as possible. Once you do have to make changes, switch items for ones that are easier for them to navigate. For example, exchange thin ropes for thicker ones or use tunnels. Add more fall breakers and split a tall cage so that if they fall they have more items to catch them. Continue using substrate so that they have some cushioning, plus any digging that they can do will help them to use their muscles.
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There is an example of a cage set up for a rat with decreased mobility at the bottom of this article.
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They are blind?
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Rats don't have the best eyesight, so they have other senses that they can rely on if they become/are born blind. The main senses that they will use if they are blind are their ears, nose and their whiskers, and these are the senses we should focus on when making a layout for a blind rat.
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Keep the important items, their water and bed, in the same area. If they lack confidence, keep their food in a smaller area too. That way they know where to find them and they will be less anxious. You can change their layout, but do this more gradually, and ensure that there are plenty of fall breakers. Follow the rat's lead; if they are confident then feel free to make a number of changes at once but if they aren't then change very little. Oftentimes the blind rat will gain confidence with time and it is a case of just making them feel at ease while fostering their curiosity.
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Rats who are blind in one eye have no need for adaptations, however initially they may struggle with adapting and depth perception. If you notice that they are falling or are more cautious then add in some more fallbreakers to help with their confidence.
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Easily spooked/bothered by layout changes?
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If you have a rat who is very nervous and becomes stressed when they are cleaned out, ensure that there is a clear place to retreat to and clean things in stages. If they are scent marking copiously, monitor for other undesirable behaviours over time as they may benefit from neutering.
Homemade Toy Ideas
Rats don't care how their toys look, they care about how fun they are! You can make all sorts of enrichment from household 'waste' items, which is a great way to give old items a new lease of life. Old clothes or tea towels can be used as hammocks, or even cut into strips then plaited together to make ropes! If you are particularly crafty you could sew a 'proper' hammock from scrap material.
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You can purchase toy refills from shops to remake toys that have been chewed, or even use scraps from old toys to make a new one.
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Below are some collages with ideas for rats toys that you can make using household 'waste' items. You can fill foraging toys with mix, fruit, vegetables, scrambled egg or similar. It can also be nice to incorporate nesting materials so that the rats have to dig through it to find their treats but can then use it to build a nest.
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Layout Examples
Below are some examples of my set ups for inspiration. You'll notice that I have preferences (wine racks, tray for litter, big hammock and tie holders across the middle), so it is a good idea to look at other keepers for inspiration too. Rat Care UK on facebook has a thread of set ups that can be valuable to look at. Sometimes buying things secondhand can act as inspiration too as the seller may have a different approach to enrichment than you.
The black hanging box in the left hand photo above is a shower storage tub from the supermarket. I used this as a mini dig box or as a mini pool. I hung it at an angle so that there would be a deep and shallow end for the water. I had a rat who would lean over the edge of the litter tray and pee into it, though, so consider where you put water bowls etc carefully!
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I also use the middle tray on top of the cage for storage as it helps to keep everything contained and avoids things being nibbled on/pulled through the bars.
The above set up was for a 2yr8mo doe with mobility issues (the marten on the bamboo toy) and her friends/relatives. She was able to use the whole cage and if she lost her balance there were plenty of items to hang onto or catch her. Note the perspex base on the litter tray - this is a great option to avoid litter being kicked out and onto the floor, but it can get a bit grubby come clean out time!
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