New cage for the rattie babies

[Ly&Pigs]

Went out today and got materials to build a new rat cage. It's going to be built out of wood and hardware cloth because my one rat Gray can slip right through the wire grids and she chews through mesh.

I got the materials but am making my dad build it for me. I could build it myself as I like doing those kinds of things but he often gets bored so it will be a nice project for him although he's getting a lot of input from me on how I'd like it to be. It will be 3 feet long and about 2 feet high when completed and be two levels with mini levels between. The flooring will be real tongue and groove laminate flooring (got some on clearance at one of the hardware stores for $1 a strip) but there will be coroplast to cover the floors of both levels.

The cage I have now consists of an old superpet cage with my old rats cage (made from 2 pet playpens I took apart and reconfigured) ziptied to the top. It's currently 3 levels but they hardly use the top level. The main reason for the new cage is because Gray can slip through the bars of the superpet cage. Normally she doesn't go anywhere but on top or behind the cage but last night she managed to get off the table and down to the floor. We have an 8 year old cat so I don't want Sassy eating Gray or chasing her.

I will post photos when it's done.

[Ly&Pigs]

The cage is almost completed. It's looking ok. I wasn't thoroughly happy with the way the front doors turned out but they open the full width of the cage which is what I wanted. I hope when I post photos that you all don't laugh.

It should be done tomorrow and hoping to have the ratties moved in their new home tomorrow evening.

[envisionary333]

Good luck with the move! Having two ratties myself, I can appreciate how hard they are to contain. They are smart little things, and boy can they chew! I'll be excited to see some pictures. Maybe I can steal some of your cage ideas...

[Piggersrule]

I would love to see your new rat cage.

[Ly&Pigs]

Here are some preliminary photos of the cage. If you laugh, it's ok but please give me honest opinions of what you think. If you think it's horrid then you can feel free to say so. Please bear in mind that it's not quite completely finished. It's missing the rest of the outside trim that will cover the edges of the hardware cloth and the hooks to secure the front doors.

This one is of the front doors open


This one is of the front doors closed. If you can see the purple dot I added near the top left of the cage. That piece of wood that goes across the front is very bowed and offsets the doors. By the time my dad realized how bowed it really was, he already had the top mesh on, the bracing in and it would have been a pain to replace. I told him to go ahead an leave it but in my own opinion that one piece makes it look weird.


This one is a side view.


As you can see, I have a rope hanging from one side to the other. I was testing to see what I could do. I think it would have looked a bit better painted but I don't want rats trying to chew on painted wood.

Also I have 3 new additions to my rattie family. I had seen an ad in the paper for "free baby rats". I called and asked a lot of questions. The couple had gotten their son a couple female rats as pets from the petstore and got a surprise one day. There were 3 left and I said I'd take them all. I was told one was the runt, one had an eye problem and the other was fine.

There are 2 boys and one girl. The boys will be temporarily living in the top level of this cage until they get their own cage and the girls will live on the bottom until the boys move out. The runt is very tiny and he looks very skinny. I don't think he got as much time nursing as the others. He's a bit shy. He has been named Striped Sam.

The one with the eye problem, well it looks as though he was born with only one eye. The other eye socket is closed and if there is an eye there, it isn't usable. He is a scrappy little fellow though. He gets around fine, eats fine, plays fine and can climb fine. He was named Popeye. And he is bonding himself to me quite well. Shhhhh- don't tell my other ratties but he's quickly becoming my favorite.

The other is a little girl and she's been named Salana Markie. She's outgoing but a bit reserved too.

[wickedrodent]

The cage looks brilliant, and I would love to see pictures of your new additions. =)

[Piggersrule]

I think you new cage looks great, do you think you could get your father to make me one I would love to see it when the ratties are in it. Pictures of them would be great aslo.

[envisionary333]

I think the cage looks quite nice! Lucky you to have your dad around to help. My dad would scoff if I asked him to help out with a rat cage! He doesn't think they are worth it.

I would likes to see some pictures of your new ratties as well! How exciting! Sounds like you have quite the little family now.

[VoodooJoint]

Great cage Ly!

[samoews]

Your cage is really nice. I have my two rats in a big aviary cage, and I love it, but just thought I'd let you know that I made coroplast sides all the way around the bottom, and they promptly chewed them to shreds! It's no big deal now, because I stopped using wood shavings in their cage, so they can't really make a big mess like they used to. Let us know how your rats like their new home!

[Ly&Pigs]

Yeah, it's done! Here are pictures of the newly decorated cage. I need to add some more fun things on the bottom for Markie to play with. The boys are having a blast up top.

[Ly&Pigs]

Here are my babies. We didn't get any good full shots of Popeye. He would not sit still.

This is Popeye's bad eye.


This is Popeye from the front. His one good eye is Ruby in color.


Here are the rest. They all have dark eyes but the flash gave them red eyes.

[diane]

I have never personally owned rats as a pet but have always thought they were very neat. And I love your cage setup. Just curious when the boys move out if you are going to make it where the girls can use both levels? And your rats are all beautiful by the way.

[Piggersrule]

Your ratties are so beautiful. I love the grey and white one. My Hyde(the one I am fostering) looks like your Izzy, but mine is 10x fatter. I got the Harlan blocks you sent, that's a big bag you sent me, thanks. That should last awhile. How many should they eat in a day? Here are pictures of my three ratties. Sorry about the blurry pictures, I couldn't get my camera to focus right.

Kelso&Fez

Kelso&Fez are about 7 months old and are both Albino's

Hyde

Hyde is about 2 years old and very over weight. You can see the fat hanging over his side.


Here is Hyde sleeping on his back. Again, you can see the fat hanging over. Hyde has an eye problem. He has that Porphyrin(sp?) which flares up alot. In the pictures you can sort of see the swelling around his eyes from it. He also has a mass on his back that is benign. The vet feel that it is not worth surgery. It hasn't grown in size and doesn't seem to bother him. I feel so bad for him, he looks miserable. He doesn't do anything but sleep and eat. I don't think he can see very well. If we try to pet him, he bites us to the point of bleeding. I can't handle him at all. I wish there was something I can do for him to make him feel better, poor guy.

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by diane

Just curious when the boys move out if you are going to make it where the girls can use both levels?

Yes, the girls will have full run of the cage once the boys move out. I am planning on taking out the first strip of flooring on the upper level out and running their large ladder up to the 2nd floor. My next project is getting the pigs cage remodeled and then my dad will start on a boys rattie cage for me. The boys cage probably won't be as large as the girls cage due to space restrictions but it will be similar to the girls cage. It will be 2-3 weeks before they get their own cage.

Originally Posted by Piggersrule

I love the grey and white one.

Which grey and white one?

Hyde is one quite fat rat. I have some suggestions and will post them later tonight when I get home. I have to get going for now.

[Ly&Pigs]

Piggersrule, I sent you a pm.

[Piggersrule]

I like Gray, but they are all beautiful and healthy looking. I got your PM, I'm reading it now.

[Ly&Pigs]

Thanks. They are all quite spoiled. The new babies have been with me for a week now.

They seem to like the new cage although my older girls are now not coming to the side of the cage to see me as much as they used to. They also like to hide/sleep under the towel that I have down over the flooring. The babies are learning to use the litter pans.

I don't know whether to make shallow coroplast trays to put in there, to just cut pieces of coro and lay it over the flooring to protect it or to just make pads from fleece/mattress pads and lay down. I know my older girls only chew things up they don't like. They have never chewed their hammock except to chew the ties off but I replaced the ties with grommets and chains. On the top level, you'll notice a yellow tube that is crocheted. They've never chewed it either. I have noticed they like to have two entrances in about anything they have. This past winter they had a thick oven mit to snuggle in and they chewed a second entrance into it. And PM had sent me a couple of really cute hanging cubes but they chewed all the ties off and chewed holes all over them.

[Ly&Pigs]

The boys now have their own cage and the girls cage has been somewhat redecorated and they now have access to both levels. I still have to find/make things to put downstairs for them to have more to play with/on/in, etc.

Here is an updated pic of the girls cage. I am going to make a new thread for the boys cage.

[Piggersrule]

Great cage, I love it. I see you are using fleece, your rats don't chew it to pieces? I want to use the fleece for my ratties but I am afraid they will chew it ans possibly ingest it. I see you have rope going across the top, do they actually use the rope? Your father does beautiful work!