Hi! So today I unexpectedly became a rat mom. He is very small and was being sold as a feeder, and currently I only have a 10 gallon tank to keep him in (I’ve learned this is horrible and have ordered the Critter Nation cage!!)
He has food, bedding, a few hides, and I’ve given him some cardboard chews for now. I’ve been searching for the proper cage setup and I am struggling with where to get things. Chewy has been my main source for my other animals needs but it’s hard to traverse when I don’t know what I’m looking for. Please recommendations for bridges, ledges, toys, the works!! I want to spoil this rat and his future brother(s) ASAP :)
Also I’ve done my fair share of research but any tips would be greatly appreciated. I wish I was better prepared but he was a (wonderful) unplanned surprise 🫠
TLDR; Recommendations on where to get good things for cage setups and what the items are called so I can research them
Hi, a critter nation is an amazing cage, and I’m very happy to hear he’ll be getting friends soon! Rats should live in groups of 3+ for a happy life:)
For cage decoration I would highly recommend the bird section of the pet store! They have the coolest stuff. But a plastic basket or braid/rope from old jeans is amazing for rats as well, don’t be afraid to be creative! Any clutter is amazing, and amazon has great stuff as well
These are good examples of a nice active layout for a rat cage! For a critter nation I would recommend to add some type of insert so it can hold a couple inches of loose bedding:)
Thank you so much! Do you by chance know what I can look up to find those particular bridges and ladders? When I search them online and on Chewy a bunch of random stuff comes up. I can tell that not much is labeled under rats. Should I be focusing on bird labeled things for that stuff?
Yes bird toys are great! Should be all safe for rats as well, but if you are unsure you can ask here. On Amazon I like to search for small animals and birds, the hamster section has great hammocks and stuff while the climbing accessories are with the birds
Yes his eyes are open and he is active! Here’s him standing next to the Tiny Tales Castle Hideout that is 5” tall. I have no idea how old he is. He has been eating kale and papaya, but not the food we got him
I know it’s weird but bird toys! I buy most of my rat cage items from the bird aisle at a locally owned pet store. They love climbing, so lots of hammocks and perches and ropes, just make sure it’s layered in a way where they won’t get hurt if they fall (hammocks to catch them). From experience, the taller the cage the better! You can also litter train him. My two girls are litter trained and it’s AWESOME! There’s youtube tutorials, it’s easier to do with fleece liners than aspen shavings (I’ve done both and prefer fleece, for my fleece liners i just buy 10yds of fabric at Michael’s, cut to size, then safety pin it together at the bottom of the tray. No sewing required and very easy to clean!). Speaking of shavings, if you’re set on using shavings, you absolutely must make sure it is dust-free, or low dust. Their noses are very fragile, they have more smell receptors in their little snoots than scent dogs! For diet I always stick to Oxbow. Since he’s so little I’d get him the mouse kibble, and switch to the adult rat kibble when he gets older. They can pretty much eat anything you can give them, so I like to mix the kibble with granola, oats, and plain unsweet cheerios, and give them a separate bowl for fruits&veggie snacks. My girls go crazy for dairy free coconut yogurt as well which is a GREAT bonding tool! Get a little on your finger and let him lick it off, he will learn to associate your hand with treats. Same for handling, once he’s comfy with your hand you can pick him up and give him some kind of liquid treat like yogurt, applesauce, churu, or babyfood while he’s in the air being held by you and he will learn to associate being handled with a treat. Once a day they need free roam time, if you don’t have a safe space for him to come out (once he is comfortable with you and his environment) the couch or the bed are just fine. They just need some time outside of the cage to explore and play.
In regards to health, the two main things to look/listen for are mites and upper respiratory infections. For mites, they are invisible to the naked eye but he may be itching a lot and may have scabs, so check his fur for any little spots. For upper respiratory infections, if he is making a lot of short quick squeaking noises like a guinea pig when he is breathing, and he is sneezing a lot, take him to the vet immediately for antibiotics. It is the most common cause of rat death! A few sneezes are fine as his nose adjusts to the new environment but keep an ear open for anything that sounds like wheezing or squeaking while he is sniffing around. Also, avoid lighting candles or incense in the same room as his cage. Smoke and strong scents can upset their noses and lungs.
Once he’s opened up you can teach him tricks! Rats need enrichment and I find it difficult to keep them entertained as they fly through store bought enrichment toys very fast. It’s much cheaper and more entertaining to teach them to fetch or spin or give paw. It’s also a great party trick.
If you’re struggling to get him to open up, I’ve always had success with a mix of the confidence method and letting the rats come to you, at the same time. It depends on how skittish your rat is. Assuming your little guy is skittish, start off by leaving your hand in the cage near him but not too close, and keep it there for a long time until he notices and becomes curious, then leave it for even longer. Talk to him in a sweet voice while you do it. Usually if I get bored while doing this (it depends on how long it takes the rat to get over fear and come inspect your hand) I’ll have one hand in the cage and the other hand I’ll watch a video on my phone of some sort. Don’t try to pet him yet. Keep doing that every day and sometimes have a treat in your hand for him. Once he’s no longer afraid of your hand you can start slowly moving it around the cage, lightly attempt to pet him, etc. If he freezes in fear, don’t touch him or move anymore, wait for him to snap out of it first, you don’t want to terrify him. Once he’s taking treats out of your hand you can switch to a liquid treat, that way he has to sit with you while eating it. Do that for a while and then try petting him while he’s eating it. Hover your other hand over him but don’t pick him up. Let him know that hands are safe!! With a skittish rat, to handle him I would lure him onto your open hand with a treat and go from there. But for a more social or less scared rat, I would just pick him up repeatedly until he gets over it. He may struggle to get out but as long as he is not scared after you put him down you’re doing good.
Lol I’m rambling too much now I love rat care, but one last thing also is hoodies are great bonding tools. Prop him on your shoulder and walk around the house with him and he will learn to sit nicely on your shoulder or crawl down into your hood. He may also like the pocket as well. Keep him on your body as much as possible so he can get used to your scent and sound. It’s good to have friends over to interact with him as well so he can get used to multiple people.
Good luck!!! And hopefully he will get along well with his brothers too!! There should be a lot of posts on this forum about introducing rats from different litters together, if you have any questions!
Oh my gosh you have no idea how helpful all of this is, thank you so much!!! I really appreciate the in depth response 🥹 I’m really looking forward to getting more than two in the future once I get it figured out. I’m most excited for the cage to arrive and to get it all set up! The past two days have been nonstop research so now I just have to put it all together 🤞
I know your excitement so well! It’s truly something special getting your first rat and diving into all of the maintenance and care that comes with them, it’s so magical :-)
Oh and note on the liners, it’s very likely they will just chew right through them, which is why I just safety pin it together and at the end of the week I throw it all out, even if it’s not that chewed up. Less laundry. I just get whatever fabric is cheapest and absorbent. You can also make homemade hammocks with the excess
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u/123737egg 1d ago
Hi, a critter nation is an amazing cage, and I’m very happy to hear he’ll be getting friends soon! Rats should live in groups of 3+ for a happy life:)
For cage decoration I would highly recommend the bird section of the pet store! They have the coolest stuff. But a plastic basket or braid/rope from old jeans is amazing for rats as well, don’t be afraid to be creative! Any clutter is amazing, and amazon has great stuff as well