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Ratz
Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:53 pm
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I have been given a massive cage my my boyf which belonged to his beloved rats merlin and arther, sadly no longer with us 
It's a good size but the bars are too far apart and louise can get out very easily. For now thelma and louise, mother and daughter are in a small cage which they are happy in but it is far too small.
My local pet shop has been searching for a cage for me that will be big with plenty of room for climbing etc. He called me in today and has found a cage that is 27 inches wide, 16 deep and 27 tall. it has two slopes and two plantforms. Is this big enough for a pair????
here is ther catch... it is really for a chinchilla so has wire platforms and bottom. I really like this cage and the pet guy really did his home work getting it for me. (I'm really picky and had a list of requirements such as removable top and three doors!!!!)
the bottom wire is removable and there is a tray, what can I do about the wire platforms? I want to put something on them that will last, be easily cleaned and won't be chewed too much??? HELP??? 
I know how much my ratties are going to love the new found space 
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Isla
Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:34 pm
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Sounds like it would be a decent size for two rats (infact if you input those dimensions into the cage calculator it says it can comfortably hold 3 rats).
I know plenty people who keep their ratties in cages with wire floors and have no problems. I think as long as the spacing between the wire mesh is small enough to stop little ratty feets getting trapped then it is perfectly ok.
However I'm with you on this one and I just don't like the idea of them walking on wire mesh all the time, can't imagine it would be very comfortable. So I cover the wire shelves in my cage with bits of lino cut to fit. You can also use the stick on lino tiles from DIY shops. I just went into my local carpet shop and asked if they had any offcuts left. Expect funny looks if you choose to reveal what you want it for!  Lino is easily washable and can be replaced if it gets chewed (My girls are quite good and only chewed the corners when they were young, they mostly ignore it now.) If you have cover the floors with lino then you have to be extra careful about cleaning up any puddles of pee or drips from the waterbottleto prevent the rats having to slosh about in it. I give the lino in my cage a quick wipe with some kitchen roll and a small animal disinfectant spray every evening as well as wiping up any puddles as and when I notice them.
You could also use cardboard from broken down boxes as a more disposable floor covering but expect it to get soggy and smelly after only a day or two. However if you have a plentiful source of boxes then that might be a plan.
Hope some of this is useful.
I'm sure Thelma and Louise will be thrilled to bits with their new home.
_________________
Isla
Beanie & Meg
RIP Marmite, Treacle, Pepper & Pickles (we all miss you) |
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Debbie
MODERATOR & RP Supporter
Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:34 pm
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I use plastic carpet runner on my cage floors. It's very easy to cut/fit to the appropriate size. It's also easy to remove and wash up. I also cover the carpet runner with fabric (fleece) so if there are spills or pee, it will soak into that rather than leave a puddle on the carpet runner.
I hope that helps.
_________________
Debbie and the gang of spoiled furries |
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Pete_A
Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:30 am
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Why don't you take the big cage and buy some sheets of 1cm squared wire mesh to tie to the walls with cable ties - it's not ideal but it's cheap and you can take the mesh off when both rats are big enough.
Pete A.
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Ratz
Fri Sep 19, 2003 1:31 am
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Why don't you take the big cage and buy some sheets of 1cm squared wire mesh to tie to the walls with cable ties - it's not ideal but it's cheap and you can take the mesh off when both rats are big enough.
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I don't think the cage my other half gave me is suitable for my rats. His rats were really homely and you could leave the doors open all day and they would never come out on their own!!!!
My rats are extremely adventurous and i'm guessing that they would prob never get out of the habbit of trying to escape. even when they are fully grown they could prob get through if they wanted to.
also his cage is long rather than tall and there's not much space for climbing. I did think about putting mesh round though and if the shop cage doesn't work out that woul  d be a solution.
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Ratz
Fri Sep 19, 2003 1:35 am
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Expect funny looks if you choose to reveal what you want it for!
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i'm getting used to funny looks like when I went to the hardware shop and asked for some drain pipe and when they asked how much I wanted I said long enough that my two rats can fit in and he looked at me like I was loony 
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lizzibeff
Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:24 pm
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hey ratz. The cage your boyf gave you sounds like it might be an indoor rabbit cage.
The chinchilla cage that your petshop found for you will probably be fine, it's what i keep my girls in and what i intend to keep my new boys in 
As for the wire floors, i took my wire floors out and replaced them with hammocks and bits of rope and swingy things, so the girls can still manouevre about easily, but don't pee on with wire (which makes a mingy mess) and also doesn't trap their feet! The top perch floor i cover with towel and secure with safety pins. All the hammocks and towel are cheap to replace and machine washable, which is helping Bea with her allergies.
so there 
_________________
Liz & the fatrats, Luka, Bea
Mina and Bridget and baby boys Oscar and Tommy.
and waiting at the bridge, Pepe (sorely missed) |
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Ratz
Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:31 pm
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I( have got a few hammocks but they got chewed to bits straight away and all the bottom is gone now
I'm hoping they wil stop doing that eventually. it's realy annoying coz As soon as I put a new one in (I make them myself) they chew it and chuck the bits out onto the floor. they do seem to like goin in them tho.
Their favouite thing for sitting on and climbing is a chinchilla perch I bought them which are woodern and screw on. They get really messy though and they like to push eachother off. I suddenly hear a squeak and a thud in the night!!!  thanks for all your replies.
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Ratz
Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:35 pm
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As for the wire floors, i took my wire floors out and replaced them with hammocks and bits of rope and swingy things, so the girls can still manouevre about easily, but don't pee on with wire (which makes a mingy mess) and also doesn't trap their feet! The top perch floor i cover with towel and secure with safety pins. All the hammocks and towel are cheap to replace and machine washable, which is helping Bea with her allergies.
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post a picky of your cage? interested to see what you got in there!!
I'm not very inventive with my ideas for climbing stuff.
TA 
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lizzibeff
Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:06 pm
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i'll post pics as soon as i can get the stoopid camera workin, ha ha. If you can use old towels (wash them on high temp) from charity shops and stuff, rip them up and safety pin them to the cage, it's by far the cheapest option for hammocks. Or old babygrows work well too
_________________
Liz & the fatrats, Luka, Bea
Mina and Bridget and baby boys Oscar and Tommy.
and waiting at the bridge, Pepe (sorely missed) |
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Ratz
Sun Sep 21, 2003 11:12 pm
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Towels would prob work... thanks. I'm getting excited now, the new super big cage is coming on tuesday!!!!!
three stories and loads of space 
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lizzibeff
Sun Sep 21, 2003 11:32 pm
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if you wanna see a pc of the cage my boys are in, check out my new post. Click on the link and it's in the sub-directory called "cage.jpg" 
_________________
Liz & the fatrats, Luka, Bea
Mina and Bridget and baby boys Oscar and Tommy.
and waiting at the bridge, Pepe (sorely missed) |
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