Fancy Rat FAQs How should I set up their cage? For more cage information, including photos of my own, click here. Cage: For two rats, I recommend a wire cage no smaller than 24 in. However, you should buy the largest cage that you can afford. Make sure it is powder coated and not bare wire. Galvanized wire can cause poisoning in rats. No larger than 1 in. between wires, and a solid bottom, not wire, if you have rats that are prone to bumblefoot which are basically open sores on the bottoms of their feet. Wire floors and shelves can aggravate bumble foot. They can also get their feet caught in wire floors, so if you choose to have wire floors, you need to be sure that the grid is very small. No larger than 1/2 in. by 1/2 in. Obviously, if you have more than two rats, you will need a bigger cage. Do not set their cage up next to a heater or air conditioner or a drafty window. Also be sure to turn off all of the lights around the rats cage at night. Female rats need a period of darkness every day. Constant light can cause tumors. Bedding: Do not use cedar or pine bedding. Softwoods such as cedar and pine are both very bad for rats because of the phenols (oils) in them. They can cause liver damage and make rats more susceptible to respiratory diseases. Hardwoods such as Aspen chips are a safe alternative if you prefer wood bedding. Other safe alternatives: CareFresh, Biocatolet, EcoBedding, CellSorb, Yesterday's News, Sani-Chips, paper towels, shredded newspaper, clean rags, etc. Be sure to completely change the bedding every week. Empty the old bedding, clean the cage with a disinfectant, rinse and dry the cage and add new bedding. Sometimes, especially in hot weather, you may need to change the bedding a bit more often. If you can smell the bedding, it needs to be changed.  Here is an extensive list of safe beddings: Safe Beddings Water Bottle: Make sure you purchase a water bottle that does not leak, or you will be changing your bedding constantly. Good choices are Lixit or Oasis. Nest: Rats like to have a safe place to sleep. I provide my rats with a nest such as the Baby Giant Roll A Nest by Super Pet, or the Super Pet Playhouse hammock. Both are favorites of my rats and give them a secure place to escape to. You can also use cardboard boxes or plastic cartons like clean milk containers. You'll need to make sure that whatever you choose is large enough for at least 2 rats to snuggle in comfortably. If you have more rats, use a larger nesting box. Or, alternatively, if you have more rats, use more than one box. Just be sure that the opening is large enough that they won't get stuck in it. You can either leave it as is, or put fabric (something without loops that they could get caught in) or paper towels in it for nesting material. Food Dish: I recommend a heavy ceramic food dish or a dish that screws onto the side of the cage (my preference). Toys: Rats love to have ropes, ladders, wooden bird toys, etc. to play with and climb on in their cage. Not all rats will use a wheel, but if they do it's great exercise. It's a good idea to provide a safe wheel right from the beginning because young rats are more likely to start using a wheel. Do not use wire wheels and never force your rat into the wheel. Let them figure it out for themselves. Also, be sure to have a nest or other bed available or they may use their wheel for sleeping instead of running. Here is a SAFE rat wheel: Wodent Wheels by Transoniq ahead to next FAQ, "What should I feed my rats?" back to main FAQ page