It's not that bad really! I use the top door and just lie on it whilst tying hammocks in/keeping my girls from escaping If I need to mess with the shelves, I do it during muckout time, and tip the cage bit on its side to work from underneath.

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RIP - Marsh, Hugo, Mako, Rufus, Seamus, Lavender, BigBoy, Tetley and Fitch <3

Haha I suppose it's one of those cages! You either love it or hate it

For comparisons sake this was my Jenny when I first got it



When I modded it for three rats, Im a bit of a cage size freak! ETA: Older picture so you will see 4 lovelies in this shot!


(Was in the process of filling the cage so please excuse bareness of lowerhalf!

And my furet tower, which is split into the boys and girls half. Three boys and four girls.

top half



bottom half

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Love those cages!

I would never get any from a pet shop, that's for sure. I've actually found a breeder very close, which is amazing considering I live in the Highlands of 'Nowhere' LOL. I've got to stop getting excited

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When you have this to look forward to?



annnd



I mean, best not to get to excited

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Awww they are gorgeous! If I get too excited, I will want them NOW!

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Oh you should get rats! they are the best pets. In my opinion (although Ive never had hamsters myself) they are a better pet - but you will most probably think different being a previous hamster owner lol
They are intelligent, clean, friendly animals. And make GREAT additions to any household. Mine can keep me amused for hours just watching their funny antics! lol You'll also get a REALLY close bond with a rat.

Firstly, what cage is the best for a pair, and am I right in thinking a pair does best? I've seen several rat cages, but are they actually big enough? Jenny's are great for 2/3 rats - I have a Tommy which is pretty similar, just with a bigger door really. Its 3 storey and has lived 4 rats quite happily so will give plenty room for levels (I have 3 atm), toys ladder, climbing things etc.
More than 1 rat is best definitely! Although you could get 3? it will show more dynamics in the group and give them a chance for their individual characters to flourish Plus its not really any extra work than 2.

Could I have a female pair (as I don't much like the male 'view' lol)? Yes. Although females are less chilled than males - they are more likely to be pinging around exploring and sniffing rather than stopping for cuddles. So if you want a 'lap rat' that will come and sit and chill with you, then I'd maybe re-think getting males - my girls were forever running about like crazy people! haha

Roughly how long do they live? Well I think the stated average is about 2 years, although they can live to 3/3 and a half - you need to be prepared for any vet trips though (im not sure about hamsters but rats can need quite abit of vet treatment if your unlucky - females if you are planning on getting them are especially prone to lumps and cancer, also they may also get resp problems, obesity etc so you need to be prepared)

And can they be litter trained like hamsters? Yes. Although it can take some persistence if you have a lazy rat! lol just need a litter tray for the cage and pop their poos in whenever you see any and soon enough they will start using it (although one of my boys is particularly keen on doing his business on the top landing just outside his bed atm if he is half asleep and cant be bothered climbing down to the bottom :/ ) lol

How hard are they to tame? Not hard at all. If you get them from a reputable breeder (which I knw as a fellow Scot can be hard to find here) then they will be handled from a young age anyway and will only really need to be left for the first 24 hours to get used to their new surroundings - after that just sitting with your arm in the cage, talking to them, saying their names and giving them treats thy will be used to you in absolutely no time.
If you get from a pet shop however they will not be handled as much and will take abit more time - but will get there in the end.
As a first time rat owner I would really try and go to breeder - so you get a first positive experience of rats and eventually want more of course

Do they actually use rat sized wheels, or is it like hamsters and rat wheels aren't actually big enough? I find my rats have never really been all that interested in wheels - although you can get them. But there are plenty other toys etc that are great for them if they arent wheel interested. Although I wouldnt think a wheel would be too good for their back (running at a curve) so I tend to avoid them :/


Does one sex smell more than the other? Well people say boys are smellier cos of scent marking etc - but I have to disagree. I think it depends on the individual rat to be honest. Some are messy, others are clean. Personally, my last 3 girls were pretty stinky wee lassies! But my 2 boys just now I cant smell at all (unless I stick my head right in their poo corner :/ which I must admit im not all that inclined on doing! lol)

Where's the best place to get them from? Breeder/Rescue. I have had rats from pet shops and although I've had no trouble with them health wise (apart from taking longer to tame them) I dont really agree with rat farms etc - Its kinna like battery hens but with rats. Getting kept and bred in horrible conditions and then killed when too old/for snake food. So am not planning on any more pet shop rats.
There are quite a lot of SSPCA centres around the country (they always have rats from babies to adults) so you could check out their website...or do some searching (it will be hard!) to find a breeder in a reasonable distance from you

And is it easy to find ones with black eyes (not so keen on the red ones!)? Yes. There are many different coloured & marked rats as Im sure there are with hamsters...eye colour is generally specific to the colouring of the rat - and unless the breeder is only doing red/pink eyed litters then you should get one no problem.
Rescues will have plenty to choose from.
And pet shops usually have a mix of back and red/pink eyes in one tank - so wouldnt be too good if your looking for only black eyes.

Do they need any special care? Im not sure what you mean by 'special'? They are generally pretty easy to care for:
A good varied diet with fresh fruit/veges/meat/carbs and the seeds/nuts etc of a rat mix or something as a base to keep their mind stimulated with diff foods etc.
A large cage where they can climb about with toys etc.
Other rats friends (2 is fine, but you could get 3? its not really any more work than 2 and if you get a Jenny or something of a similar size then you will have room. It will add more dynamics to the group and stop one maybe getting picked on by the alpha all the time...although if you just get 2 they will still be happy - sorry, i realise i have stated this point twice, didnt mean to. )
Plenty of out of cage time so they get to explore new surroundings and you get your ratty cuddles
Also, Dusty bedding is a no-no for rat keeping, they have really sensitive lungs so keeping them on a dusty base is really just asking for trouble lol
Although people have done it without problems I wouldnt risk it

Hope I helped - and let us know if you convince her to let you get spme cute little ratties

Thanks, lots of info! I have decided not to get any for now though, they are just too unhealthy compared to hamsters, and the reason I was wanting to move on was because my hamsters weren't living long enough (and rats tend to live even less!).
I am sure rats will be in my future though, and I will dig out this thread again then.

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I'll tell you something extra about rats.....that siggy needs some ratty faces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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MY ZOO-LET
Syrian: Dini
Winter Whites: Alaska, Apollo, Hero and Ares
Bunnies: Saffy, Gus, Cookie and Cream and 5 babies!!
Piggies: Bubble and Squeak

RIP Tilly, Thom, Tiny, Cassius, Stuart Little, George, Baby Pom (Mice), Melvin (Chameleon) Harry (Cambells Russian) Charlie and Roma (Syrians) Eros (Winter White) Jet, Rainbow and Angel (Rabbits) Neva (Ratty girl)

I sort of disagree, if you source rats from a good line, from a decent breeder, quite alot of the time they are very healthy, and some lines are quite long lived

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Well I have found a good breeder, but all the same, they still don't tend to live as long as hamsters. I had it in my head rats lived long lives, sort of guinea pig lengthed lives!

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