amanda
Aussie Rat Owner 
Posts: 32
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Post by amanda on Feb 28, 2009 16:32:35 GMT 10
Hi everyone, I have just joined this forum.
I am looking at getting 2 rats, I can't wait!!!
is it best to keep them in a tank or in a cage? I am having trouble finding a cage that is for rats and to be quite honest I don't really know what to look for. Also, is it best to get 2 females or 2 males?
They will be living in the lounge room.
Thanks,
Amanda
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Post by Leeann on Feb 28, 2009 20:08:18 GMT 10
Hi Amanda, welcome to the forum  Personally I prefer a cage as air can flow through and I find it easier to interact with my gang through bars. It is also easier to open a door on a wire cage than lift the lid on a tank. Tanks will also hold smells more than cages. After you have done 10 posts, you will have access to the whole forum and there is more information there about cages. You could also look at websites like ebay, the main thing you need to remember is not to get a cage that is to small for a cpl of rats and that the bar width is close enough so the rats can not get out of the cage, when your not there. |
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Post by alissadee on Mar 1, 2009 18:19:30 GMT 10
I keep my girls in a really big bird cage. But be careful with wire floors though as apparently it can cause a condition called bumblefoot (i think) cages provide ventilation whereas tanks dont unless they have a wire lid. ;D
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Post by tigergrrrrl on Mar 1, 2009 23:28:01 GMT 10
Even with a wire lid you won't get much air flow in a tank and in Summer they are especially bad as they act like a glasshouse and really trap the heat inside. Not good for furry little ratties.  |
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Post by chelleyau on Mar 2, 2009 10:19:45 GMT 10
I was looking on ebay at one that was 3 levels that didn't look to bad...
the house that it came with looked a little small.
It was a cage with tunnels coming out one side and going back in to the next level...
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amanda
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 32
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Post by amanda on Mar 6, 2009 22:47:21 GMT 10
Thanks for the welcome and the replies I will look into getting a cage then, My cousin gave me a 4ft tank, so I will get some lizards too. |
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Post by vandemanrats on Mar 16, 2009 15:29:16 GMT 10
I was looking on ebay at one that was 3 levels that didn't look to bad... the house that it came with looked a little small. It was a cage with tunnels coming out one side and going back in to the next level... These cages look really good but i actually took gizmo to the store and we put him in there and it was way to small for him, he had a lot of trouble getting through the tunnels and in the end he gave up. very pricey too. |
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Post by ithinkismellarat on Jul 16, 2009 14:22:35 GMT 10
a cage sounds like the way to go.
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Post by mariposa0283 on Jul 28, 2009 23:13:19 GMT 10
cage is always the way you want to go with any rodent, be it rabbit, ferret, rat, mouse, guinea pig, etc. tanks are smelly, very little airflow at all. cages give the rats something to climb.
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Post by redraven on Aug 5, 2009 19:34:06 GMT 10
Another vote here for cages, the bars are great for climbing & hanging upside down & its easy to wedge bits of fruit in to keep them a bit busy rather than just eating everything from a bowl.
My last rat kept getting out of his tank & I had to move him into a cage & he was sooo much happier & more social too.
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skitch
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 42
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Post by skitch on Aug 9, 2009 0:49:37 GMT 10
Cages are definitely the best way to go with rats. They allow for better airflow, ventilation and also provide somewhat of a bonus enrichment tool in allowing the rats to climb up the bars . Rats' excrement is pretty concentrated and contains alot of ammonia. Their respiratory systems are quite delicate and can be susceptible to ammonia build up in their environment. Keeping rats in a tank means that the ammonia can build up to dangerous levels and cause them to become sick, even if you clean it out regularly! Keeping them in a cage means that they have constant airflow and the ammonia levels are greatly reduced and not dangerous . Rats are also very susceptible to heat and keeping them in cage will help to keep them cooler in hot weather. |
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cassie
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 21
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Post by cassie on Aug 13, 2009 15:00:26 GMT 10
Glad this thread is here, as I was wondering the same thing myself A cage it is then! |
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Post by chocrats on Sept 19, 2009 12:42:40 GMT 10
There is actually some good cages on ebay.. next week I'll be getting two cages off ebay that I find are a really good price! I would not house your rats in a tank...In most petshops there is a cage that I'm pretty sure is called a Rat Starter Kit (RSK), but It's called a 'rat cage' in the petshops here, lol. That cage is good for 2-3 rats, right now I have 4 females in that cage, but next week I'm upgrading so they'll have heaps and heaps more room |
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Post by rattitats on Oct 11, 2009 20:34:42 GMT 10
Mine is kept in a tank, with a home made air flowable lid at the top of it, my rats are out for 6 - 7 hours a day as well so they aren't trapped in there all the time.
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jude
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 22
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Post by jude on Oct 22, 2009 14:08:56 GMT 10
so glad to read this thread was wondering about all this. Off to ebay to have a looky.
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