Buying Guide for Rat Cages
There is a good number of people who keep rats as pets in their homes. Rats are quite intelligent, adorable, and easy to care for, which is perhaps the reason as to why they are popular as pets. If you intend to keep one, you have to invest in good cages. There are many rat cage options to choose from. To help you select the most suitable one, you should consider the following factors.
Size
This will mainly be informed by the number of rat pets that you intend to keep. It is recommended that you have an area of about eight cubic feet for each rat, which should be more if your rats are of a larger or sensitive breed. The pets will spend nearly all their time in the cage, which makes it essential that you provide them with enough room to move around and exercise. Large cage size also reduces chances of ammonia build-up, which can be harmful to the rodents.
Material Composition
Ideal rat cages are made using plastic or metal. For both cases, wire bars are used to keep the rats from escaping. Using other materials such as glass, as in the case of a glass cage, is not a good idea. This is because the enclosure is prone to keeping dust and ammonia, which can irritate the rat’s respiratory system.
For a cage made of plastic or metal, the base should be a solid surface. Wire floors may seem like a better option as the rats’ droppings can fall through, but it can potentially cause injury to the feet of your rats. If your desired cage has wire ramps as the floor, you can cover it using another solid surface made of suitable material such as plastic laminate. You can also add a soft cloth on top to make cleaning easier.
Ease of Access
You will probably want to take your pets out of the cage every once in a while, perhaps to play with them or clean the cages. The cage should make the process of getting the rats out easy. For example, the doors should be large enough and well positioned to allow an adult hand to fit in and get the rats. The placement of the ramps should also be in such a way that no rat can get trapped anywhere in the cage. A cage that opens only from the top might be a good idea as in addition to easier access; it will also be difficult for the rats to escape.
Design
This depends on your preferences. It has everything to do with the shape, partitioning, ramps placement and color among other things. Some cages can also be disassembled and assembled at any time, which comes in quite handy for those who travel a lot due to their portability. For such, check the ease of assembly and disassembly. The design should also make cleaning the cage very easy.
