Wednesday 27 July 2011

Choosing a Rat Cage

Rats are super intelligent, love to cuddle, and make wonderful little pets. Because of their small size, and quiet nature, they are the ideal pet for apartment dwellers, who may not be able to accommodate a dog, or noisy parrot due to the proximity of neighbours.

Rats are fairly active creatures that love to climb and explore, and thus they ideally need a fair size cage. Tall cages, with multiple levels are perfect for rats, just make sure that the bars are vertical to allow your rat to climb upwards. The additional space that a tall cage provides, also allows enough room to add a hammock, which your rat will love to snuggle into when he gets tired of all the activity. Aquariums and enclosed hamster cages are not suitable for rats as ammonia build up from their urine can cause health problems due to poor cage ventilation. Some of the best rat cages on the market are actually ferret cages, however, the bar spacing may be a little wide for young rats, which may be able to squeeze through and escape. If you own a large rat, ferret cages offer fantastic spacious living quarters for your pet rat.

Rats are also very sociable animals, that naturally live in colonies. It is therefore kinder to keep more than one rat housed together, but do keep the sexes apart if you do not want hundreds of rats in no time at all! The size cage that you will require will depend on how many rats you need to house, but you should allow a minimum of 2 square cubic foot per rat. As a guide, the Fop Buddy Delux rat cage will house 3 rats, the Savic Freddy will hold up to 4 rats, the Ferplast Jenny rat cage will comfortably house 5 rats, while the Ferplast Furet Extra Large and Ferplast Furet Tower cages will house 9 rats, and both come fitted with a range of accessories to make their life more stimulating and comfortable. If you really want to house your rats in style, you can opt for the Savic Suite Royal small animal cage (pictured on left), which at 95 x 63 x 159 cm can house 16 rats in luxury accommodation, with all the bells and whistles. This cage comes with its own stand fitted with wheels, so it can easily be moved around, so you can enjoy your little critters wherever you are in the house.

Your choice will largely be determined by how many rats you plan on keeping, but bear in mind that bigger is always better, so purchase the largest cage you can afford. Your rats will thank you for it by providing you with hours of pleasure as you watch them frolic and play.

All the above cages are available from Pet Promenade, as well as cage accessories, toys, and food to keep your pet healthy and happy.

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