Just a quick note: I would not recommend Rat Manor cage, while it is affordable the mesh coming together at the corners can trap rats fingers. We had to amputate a finger of one of our boys because his finger stuck and snapped when he tried to jump down :( please be aware
Thanks for sharing I really want a rat so I'm obviously spending my time doing lots of research so I can make sure I know how to take care of them well and was unsure of good cages definitely wont be buying this one 😊
I have 5 girls and since I live in Ecuador, there aren’t really that many rat products in the market. In fact there are none since rats aren’t even sold in petstores. Your videos have been incredibly helpful!
In regards to clipping my rats nails, sometimes I let them crawl around under my shirt and when their nail points stick through the fabric, I give it a lil clip so they aren't as scratchy. Its not fool proof but its less stressful on both me and the rats and I don't worry about taking off too much as their whole nails don't stick through.
I love the video! I have 4 male rats in a triple critter nation. It is huge and takes hours to clean, but it is so worth it getting to see them explore and climb all over.
I have never seen a energetic rat before. It’s not like a 16month hyper demon. Humps everything. But she is a still so snuggling as she is slowing down. She acts all soft and sweet then boom she has gone hyper and is running laps around you.
There's a bittersweetness to knowing that my exuberant little troublemakers will likely mellow out as they get older. On the one hand, I may eventually be able to just hang out with them somewhere other than their cage or their playroom. On the other, I'll know they're mellowing out because they're getting old, and knowing how short a time they're with us can be such a curse.
When my first pet died, I was told "Hellos are simple but goodbyes are complicated." . Once you say hello to something or someone, you'll always have to say goodbye. The good news is, there are plenty of other animals that can benefit from the love and experience that a humans lifespan can attain. So much opportunity for new, precious memories. "The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye."
I love this video! Especially, the vet part. I rely on ratguide so much and always bring videos and close up pick to the vet which is so useful as well as their weight over weeks. Rats and kids are the same when you go to doctors, they are so sick at home but bounce happily as if nothing was wrong at dr. You and your vet should be a team, vet job is really hard as he has a patient who can't speak and will hide it's symptoms so it is up to the owner to provide the medical history which is extremely important for a correct diagnoses!
Thank you so much for all this. I’ve had my boys for a month now and I have two more coming home in a week. I’m absolutely in love with them and your videos really help me make sure they live their best life 💛
And they now have set up roadblocks and use pitch forks and you need a travel visa to enter and leave the room? Do they check entrance and exit stamps?
I really appreciate your compassion towards your rats and the responsibility you take in owning them. You have taught me most of what I know but having read around you really go above and beyond. So thank you. I have purchased 16 items from your affiliate links as a sign of appreciation :)
I found the magic of empty cheerios boxes and tissue boxes (from plain tissues- no lotions or scents added) for my little girls! In fact, if it's something that can be recycled, think about using it for rat fun before discarding.
That bird water bowl is nice. I used to do both the water bottle and the small bowl too. Some of the rats used to dip their paws in the water and wash their faces. They amazed me.
I rewatch this video often when I'm planning for the rats I never thought I would get. I researched them for two years, and yesterday I was finally granted permission as a present. I have very fond memories watching this for the first time, planning off of this video, and finding cute rats I didn't think I would get. I'm re-planning off of this video, and my little rats will be spoiled for life. I'm beyond excited. :D
love your warmhearted videos and they are so detailled too. We just let our white albino mices have a walk in the garden grass this afternoon. :) And we probably crafted them the biggest mice cage in the whole city of Berlin hahahaha :D
Oh my gosh!! I'm so happy right now!! My mother doesn't really care about needed cage size (I know, I hate it too.) But we got the Kaytee rat cage mentioned here: 4:35 for our rats and it's acceptable!! YAY!!
I have 7 currently but I have had up to 12 in the past. It’s interesting going from a small group of rats (2-4) to a larger group for sure, actually I’m honking of making a video on that eventually as I went from 3-4 rats to 12 within just a few months, then back down to 7 fairly quickly as well
i just got two baby boys and ive been learning so much from your videos!! ive never had rats before and your vids have really reassured me and taught me a lot so i can give them the best care they deserve!
They really do so much better when living with other rats, its incredible how much they interact with each other and once you see it its difficult to imagine keeping them alone.
Shadow The Rat yeah I can see that now, my rat always did seem a bit lonely and every time I went to my room he was so happy to see me and be next to me.
@@ShadowTheRat I love rodents....lol...I haven’t had a rat but I held two hairless ones once and oh my they were so warm and cute...I’ve had many other Rodents.
rats make u happy, thats a good thing, as long as it makes u happy, u have changed my perspective on rats, i do remember feeling very bad when i had to dispose of them when i found some in my house, for fear that it turns into an infestation, i felt bad having to get rid of the little creatures looking at their tiny faces they must have been afraid looking at me a towering creature trying to rid of them, it wasnt really their fault hunger drove them to my place, and its mostly wintry in my area.
I have a double critter nation cage and I have 4 rats in there, they LOVE the extra space and that they have so much space to climb and play. I love it and would recommend to anyone
Mines a lil smaller than the double critter nation cage but i only have 2 boys. They get critter care and kaytee paper bending mixed together never had a prob with smell a just got a 4 week old. My 1yo loves cuddling
This is an extremely well done video . This could be used as a resource for humane societies or other rescues to give to potential adopters to they know what’s involved in providing for your rat with a wonderful life .
Thanks for letting me know about the hamster ball! Thank goodness I heard this before putting my rats on there 😅 it’s good that they can be used as a hammock instead 😌
Great and informative video! Regarding fleece, it’s actually really easy to keep clean but you do have to stay on top of it. I use thick fleece pads with U-haul material sewn in the middle, and I have two sets so there is always a clean set ready. Each Friday I put in fresh pads and clean both the cages (a Double Critter Nation as the main cage and a Single Critter Nation for a spare/play cage). Then I spot clean several times every day (removing any droppings from fleece surfaces and litter boxes), which only takes a few minutes each time. On Tuesdays I do the spot cleaning and then flip the fleece pads over, so the clean side is up, plus I change all the paper nesting materials. Then Friday I take out the used fleece pads and throw them in the wash, and I put the second set of clean fleece pads in their place. I put in new clean paper nesting material, wash and replace any fleece hammocks or snuggle sacks, and wipe down all surfaces. I have five rats sharing the cages and the room and and there is never any odor to deal with, but it does require the daily removal of “messes,” the once-per-week flipping of fleece and the weekly laundering. Still, except for the weekly deep clean it all only takes a few minutes each day.
I think one of my issues is I have to hand wash everything so its hard to clean it well enough for frequent use. I also really like floor toys which would be more of a pain if I had to spot clean more. Overall I'm glad it works for some people and it seems like quite a few people have made it work, but in my case I think i'll stick to bedding since it fits my schedule better.
Shadow The Rat I certainly wasn’t claiming anyone should use fleece over any other method! I’ve used paper bedding (made by Teklad for lab rats) and it was excellent, but became too cumbersome to scoop out and got everywhere, whereas fleece is easy for me because I have a washer and dryer handy. I know that many folks are concerned about the tendency for fleece to become smelly (it definitely can), which is why I mentioned my personal experience with fleece. But definitely, without access to an in home/in unit washing machine, I would never consider using fleece! And my cages are both on the original stands with wheels, but if they were on the ground my back would never let me do the several-times-daily spot cleaning. Personally I think what you do with your rats’ cage and their play area is amazing! Anyone who wants to question your knowledge and devotion to your rats is obviously either jealous or trolling...
I've been keeping rats for 5-6 years and I can tell you that this is one of the best guides out there, it's very thorough and I stand by the recommendations! I also recommend Isamu Rats for more information. Both have been very helpful to me and my rat babies.
@Shadow The Rat.. I've watched your channel for probably about a year now, or pretty close to it. I've learned a ton and finally went and got myself a couple Dumbo rats, female both, siblings about 7 weeks old. They are both incredibly friendly and affectionate, as well as super playful and obviously full of energy lol. I wanted your opinion on something tho. So i got my ratties about a month ago. They both instantly bonded with me A LOT and they're incredibly well mannered, i began free range time within 48 hours of acquiring them. And they do so well out of the cage, i ended up rodent proofing my bedroom and... Well now they're pretty much 100% free range. I think the only time they spend in the cage now is if people come over, and that's basically for the rats safety. ( avoid any accidents with guests that way, no tiny furries getting stepped or sat on, etc. ) But otherwise they get full domain in my bedroom. They made a little bed inside a empty large wooden speaker box i use for a nightstand, that's where they sleep together. I clean it out about every 5-7 days, and I'm constantly visually scanning my room for anything that might be dangerous or toxic to them. Anyway.. They really super enjoy the freedom and i love seeing them run around so happy. But these really are the first rats I've owned, and i was wondering.. Is it OK to let them run free in my room like this? Or is it best to be in a cage? I live in an rv, so my bedroom is actually really small (8' x 10' roughly) which makes it very easy to keep an eye on them and very easy to see if they happen to get into anything ( only thing for them to get into tho is my rock and crystals collection, which they love to play with lol ) Oh wow, i just wrote you a whole book.. Yeah i think I'll just end this here. Lol
Ok, so I read the whole thing and, I think as long as it's just your bedroom, it should be fine :) Oh jeez, this is so short compared to what you wrote...
My oldest boy rn is the last of a litter of 3. He had 2 cage mates until he was 2.5 years old, he now lives alone because my two younger boys are extremely aggressive towards him and he’s very scared of other rats now. He lives above them so it helps to smell other rats, and at his age he sleeps a lot anyway, but I still give him all the company I can and he’s as happy as he could be with the current situation
We actually got the younger two to keep the eldest company when his brothers died, we even got them at a month old so they’d have a better chance of bonding, but for whatever reason the older one’s didn’t accept them
I need a better playing situation. I have a carpeted floor, so i don’t want to just let them run in my room bc it’s too hard to clean. Currently, it’s not that big. It’s only about 3ft by 3ft, so there’s not a lot of space for them to run around outside of their cage. I really need to be able to give them an amazing life, I love my boys so much and I want to give them the best life I can during their short lifespan. Pls give me tips on how I could make the space bigger, and how to diy toys bc I’m a teenager without a job and my parents aren’t going to pay for lots of toys, so they currently don’t have many. (Just fyi, a friend needed us to take our two boys so that they wouldn’t have to die, so my sister took them but didn’t want to care for them anymore, and I had always wanted to care for them. So, I did hours of research but I still don’t feel like I can provide, but I am trying)
Awwww, I used to have a lot of pet Rats and in my future I want more in my life, but won't be able to get down on the floor like you do. Is there a way I could create a free-range play area and training area raised onto tables?
Rat Manor cages have really gone down in quality I've noticed. The first rat manor I had warped pretty badly and the bottom rusted out, even with a wee-wee pad down there to absorb any pee that made it past the bedding. I had to hold it together with zip ties. The second one I got a few years later, I zipped tied down to prevent the inserts from constantly unhooking around the bars when in use or when cleaning, but the bottom of the cage had uneven rests, so the top part kept wobbling really badly. Then, one of the rests broke off completely, and I just drilled thick screws through the corners so I wouldn't have to deal with it...
I used to have rats, a few years back (from 2007 to 2017)... And my biggest mischief was two large ferret cages each containing about 7 males each.... Free range time was.... interesting.....
despite the breakdown of costs, rats are much cheaper than what I spend monthly for my two huskies, one of which is elderly and a money sink, 400-500 monthly for the both of them for food and vet and pet insurance costs >.< The initial cost was nearly 1500, and that was just to start them out.
Oh yeah, I don't think rats are too pricey once you have their initial setup. Vet bills are the main issue with rats, because many non-exotic vets both don't know much about rats and also charge a crap ton more than they do for other animals (not sure if its due to the different sized equipment or what, but my local general vet charges 10x more for any procedures on rats vs dogs/cats). But if you find a good exotics vet you can usually find a good balance of knowledgable + good prices (which is what my current vet does, and I'm so thankful for them!) Otherwise rat food/toys/etc. is all pretty inexpensive - you can make it expensive by insisting on fancy toys that the rats will shred, but they are just as happy with cheaper toys and at least in my experience the more they have to do, the less destructive they are.
when i was researching on how big of a cage i should get i though at max 3-4 rats i’d be able to care for and i got the kaytee cage i was so scared she was gonna say i shouldn’t get it
I just got 2 males and the dominant one sits in the mouse house but the other is so close to walking to me. Like in your video he puts his front claws on me but wont commit with his hind legs. I'm so close to full committal lol
There is a fantastic place we have in the UK and it is a big help for People who don't have a lot of money and they will help you if you need it the P.D.S.A if anyone is in need they can help you but only in the UK sorry
hey shadow I loved this vid and you are forever my best teacher on rats♡ I have a question, what do you think about using fine sandpaper in the cage to wear down rats' nails? Would it chaf their feet much? I use fleece bedding everywhere so they don't have anything for their claws to grind on.. I kinda don't want giant bricks in the cage.... Ps. I free-range my rats in my room and I modified your handling methods and it worked wonders for my tiny three rats and they started to like me(for food but anyways) I appreciate your vids so much ❤
Oh another question......my rats' fur is getting evenly sparse is it because it's getting hotter? Hehe it doesn't seem like a problem but i was just wondering
@@silas.t. no i don't think so...rex is rare in korea and my rat's whiskers aren't curled.....and three of them are all from a different family and the two older ones are both losing fur.......maybe the are shedding baby fur... I don't really know :( they are two months old
Sandpaper works well but I wouldn’t keep it in the cage all the time. Instead you could use it on a wheel or highly trafficked shelf for 2-3 days a week and otherwise keep it out. I’ve found sandpaper is a lot quicker to wear their nails down than pumice or bricks so this should be sufficient to keep them fairly short. As for the fur loss if they aren’t Rex rats then it could be something like parasites or too much protein. Rats fur does thin down a tad with age even for standard fur rats however it shouldn’t be super noticeably. If the hair loss seems concentrated in one area and especially if you see nicks and cuts on their back it’s worth treating for parasites - otherwise you can try reducing protein treats because some rats react very strongly to too much protein (I had one girl that would get super itchy and loose fur when she had too many protein treats and she wasn’t a special fur variety, just a standard fur rat with low tolerance for excess protein)
@@ShadowTheRat wow thanks I will go out and buy sandpaper The hair loss isn't concentrated and my girls don't seem itchy but i will cut down protein!! Thank you so much ♡
I've just bought two baby rats and one of them won't move around much unless it's night, and won't come near me unless I've got food and it's in the downstairs part of their cage. Any advice?
Im saving to get 2 rats and im planning on getting a cage for £200. Its 90 x 60 x 160 but im taking the stairs and platforms out and replacing then with ropes and stuff. Its my first time having rats so i just want to know if thats suitable
I feel so bad right now because my new Rats have a small cage but in about 2 days I'm gonna get my Cousin's old Rat cage so they got a big cage. Edit: Also I've been struggling the first few days with the Rats' out of Cage time and seeing this relieved me so now I can Rat proof a room and get them to explore!
You don’t need anything really rat specific, I just mention them because most of my audience is in the US and I am as well and so it’s easiest to talk about what I’ve used myself. But with that being said it’s perfectly fine to use a bird cage, make your own food, use diy toys or thinks like boxes and baskets and blankets, and pretty much cover what they need without anything super rat specific. The only thing I’d try to do is see if you can find a vet with rat experience - honestly I didn’t luck out there for a good few years and even a more cat/dog based vet was able to treat the most common issues especially with the help of the rat guide so you even have a fair bit of leeway with vets.
Usually it’s whatever we have around the house. My family seems to favor dasini but I doubt there’s a big difference between the brands (mostly I think they like the thicker bottles lol)
Just a quick note: I would not recommend Rat Manor cage, while it is affordable the mesh coming together at the corners can trap rats fingers. We had to amputate a finger of one of our boys because his finger stuck and snapped when he tried to jump down :( please be aware
Thanks for sharing I really want a rat so I'm obviously spending my time doing lots of research so I can make sure I know how to take care of them well and was unsure of good cages definitely wont be buying this one 😊
How sad 😞
Agreed and anything with wired levels I strongly suggest otherwise
Dmitrii Mudrechenko awww sorry for ur boy and thanks for sharing
Lily Rodrigues OMG SAME
I have 5 girls and since I live in Ecuador, there aren’t really that many rat products in the market. In fact there are none since rats aren’t even sold in petstores. Your videos have been incredibly helpful!
POOOg, how does living in the high ground feel like?
In regards to clipping my rats nails, sometimes I let them crawl around under my shirt and when their nail points stick through the fabric, I give it a lil clip so they aren't as scratchy. Its not fool proof but its less stressful on both me and the rats and I don't worry about taking off too much as their whole nails don't stick through.
That's so smart!
I love the video! I have 4 male rats in a triple critter nation. It is huge and takes hours to clean, but it is so worth it getting to see them explore and climb all over.
Is it better to keep 3 or 4 rats? If 3 then will 1 get left out?
I have never seen a energetic rat before. It’s not like a 16month hyper demon. Humps everything. But she is a still so snuggling as she is slowing down. She acts all soft and sweet then boom she has gone hyper and is running laps around you.
There's a bittersweetness to knowing that my exuberant little troublemakers will likely mellow out as they get older. On the one hand, I may eventually be able to just hang out with them somewhere other than their cage or their playroom. On the other, I'll know they're mellowing out because they're getting old, and knowing how short a time they're with us can be such a curse.
When my first pet died, I was told "Hellos are simple but goodbyes are complicated." . Once you say hello to something or someone, you'll always have to say goodbye. The good news is, there are plenty of other animals that can benefit from the love and experience that a humans lifespan can attain. So much opportunity for new, precious memories. "The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye."
@@eschcal1619 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
There will always be animals who need adopting though!
I love this video! Especially, the vet part. I rely on ratguide so much and always bring videos and close up pick to the vet which is so useful as well as their weight over weeks. Rats and kids are the same when you go to doctors, they are so sick at home but bounce happily as if nothing was wrong at dr. You and your vet should be a team, vet job is really hard as he has a patient who can't speak and will hide it's symptoms so it is up to the owner to provide the medical history which is extremely important for a correct diagnoses!
Thank you so much for all this. I’ve had my boys for a month now and I have two more coming home in a week. I’m absolutely in love with them and your videos really help me make sure they live their best life 💛
My free range area is my bedroom. The rats have claimed it for themselves.
And they now have set up roadblocks and use pitch forks and you need a travel visa to enter and leave the room? Do they check entrance and exit stamps?
literally my new rat bible
and no ads? wow.
I'm gonna get my rats next week so I'm going to spend all my week watching your videos because I want the best for my little bbys.🖤
so... how are the rats doing?
I really appreciate your compassion towards your rats and the responsibility you take in owning them. You have taught me most of what I know but having read around you really go above and beyond. So thank you. I have purchased 16 items from your affiliate links as a sign of appreciation :)
I found the magic of empty cheerios boxes and tissue boxes (from plain tissues- no lotions or scents added) for my little girls! In fact, if it's something that can be recycled, think about using it for rat fun before discarding.
That bird water bowl is nice. I used to do both the water bottle and the small bowl too. Some of the rats used to dip their paws in the water and wash their faces. They amazed me.
Omgggg baby rats okay just like kittens😂 so adorable
Great tutorial!👍Greetings from Norway
I rewatch this video often when I'm planning for the rats I never thought I would get. I researched them for two years, and yesterday I was finally granted permission as a present. I have very fond memories watching this for the first time, planning off of this video, and finding cute rats I didn't think I would get. I'm re-planning off of this video, and my little rats will be spoiled for life. I'm beyond excited. :D
This was an amazing and informative video. I can’t wait to get my little fur babies one day. Thank you for your care and love.
Brilliant Video!!!! This is an outstanding resource for adding Ratties to your family. Thank you for your invested time in this video.
A very good video, with lots of good info.
love your warmhearted videos and they are so detailled too. We just let our white albino mices have a walk in the garden grass this afternoon. :) And we probably crafted them the biggest mice cage in the whole city of Berlin hahahaha :D
This was a very informative video and your rats ae lucky to have you love them and take care of them
Oh my gosh!! I'm so happy right now!! My mother doesn't really care about needed cage size (I know, I hate it too.) But we got the Kaytee rat cage mentioned here: 4:35 for our rats and it's acceptable!! YAY!!
The rat doing Basketball is so sweet 💕The Agility course is SUPERB! clever rats!
This has been so helpful. Thank you so much being a rat mom gets easier with some help!
Rats are so cute lol
I only have 3 rats-
You have 11 or more-
I have 7 currently but I have had up to 12 in the past. It’s interesting going from a small group of rats (2-4) to a larger group for sure, actually I’m honking of making a video on that eventually as I went from 3-4 rats to 12 within just a few months, then back down to 7 fairly quickly as well
I'm going to be getting 3 boys soon in late April/early May. I have never been more excited for anything ever!
Ahh that's awesome, congRATs!
@@ShadowTheRat Haha! Nice pun. :)
Your rats are adorable! I wish I could have a rat, but sadly my family doesn’t
Really fantastic work.
Those are the luckiest rats in the world for sure.
... I feel bad, being a snake owner. Lol
This is So helpful! I might be getting two girls soon! I'm just waiting on the breeder to lmk if they're available
CongRATs on your soon to be new ratties!
Getting my boy a cage mate this week!
This is so good!
Thank you for this! I'm finally in a place that I can get a smaller pet and this video is so helpful with my research.
i just got two baby boys and ive been learning so much from your videos!! ive never had rats before and your vids have really reassured me and taught me a lot so i can give them the best care they deserve!
CongRATs on your new ratties!
My fiance turned the cage from my cockatiel that passed away into a good rat cage.
I absolutely love your dedication xx
I’m sorry when that one rat fell 16:39 I couldn’t help but laugh 😂 😂😂 awesome video by the way I love it
What an informative video! Thank you very much for the hard work. I love my rats!!!!
I REALLY needed this💯 thank you so much! I did not know we have to keep rats in pairs or groups
They really do so much better when living with other rats, its incredible how much they interact with each other and once you see it its difficult to imagine keeping them alone.
Shadow The Rat yeah I can see that now, my rat always did seem a bit lonely and every time I went to my room he was so happy to see me and be next to me.
I'm really jealous of the relationship you have with your rats.. hopefully one mine will get like this
Wow.. look of that baby go through the obstacle course
Rats have amazing spacial memory and really exel at learning agility courses!
@@ShadowTheRat I love rodents....lol...I haven’t had a rat but I held two hairless ones once and oh my they were so warm and cute...I’ve had many other Rodents.
Your videos are so well made! But in some more ads!!!! I’ll watch them 💖
My rat babies have a double ferret nation cage
What a great video! I'm looking forward to own a rat for the first time and I'm glad to find this useful video. Thanks 🙂
rats make u happy, thats a good thing, as long as it makes u happy, u have changed my perspective on rats, i do remember feeling very bad when i had to dispose of them when i found some in my house, for fear that it turns into an infestation, i felt bad having to get rid of the little creatures looking at their tiny faces they must have been afraid looking at me a towering creature trying to rid of them, it wasnt really their fault hunger drove them to my place, and its mostly wintry in my area.
I have a double critter nation cage and I have 4 rats in there, they LOVE the extra space and that they have so much space to climb and play. I love it and would recommend to anyone
Mines a lil smaller than the double critter nation cage but i only have 2 boys. They get critter care and kaytee paper bending mixed together never had a prob with smell a just got a 4 week old. My 1yo loves cuddling
Они замечательные!!!!
I love your Ratt Team they are so cute 🤗🥺🐀💜
Happy World Rat Day. 🐀♥️
This is an extremely well done video . This could be used as a resource for humane societies or other rescues to give to potential adopters to they know what’s involved in providing for your rat with a wonderful life .
Thank you! This was so helpful!
Excellent care video.best ice seen on rats
The rats are cute
Thanks for letting me know about the hamster ball! Thank goodness I heard this before putting my rats on there 😅 it’s good that they can be used as a hammock instead 😌
thanks for this awesome video
Glad it helped!
Great and informative video! Regarding fleece, it’s actually really easy to keep clean but you do have to stay on top of it. I use thick fleece pads with U-haul material sewn in the middle, and I have two sets so there is always a clean set ready. Each Friday I put in fresh pads and clean both the cages (a Double Critter Nation as the main cage and a Single Critter Nation for a spare/play cage). Then I spot clean several times every day (removing any droppings from fleece surfaces and litter boxes), which only takes a few minutes each time. On Tuesdays I do the spot cleaning and then flip the fleece pads over, so the clean side is up, plus I change all the paper nesting materials. Then Friday I take out the used fleece pads and throw them in the wash, and I put the second set of clean fleece pads in their place. I put in new clean paper nesting material, wash and replace any fleece hammocks or snuggle sacks, and wipe down all surfaces. I have five rats sharing the cages and the room and and there is never any odor to deal with, but it does require the daily removal of “messes,” the once-per-week flipping of fleece and the weekly laundering. Still, except for the weekly deep clean it all only takes a few minutes each day.
I think one of my issues is I have to hand wash everything so its hard to clean it well enough for frequent use. I also really like floor toys which would be more of a pain if I had to spot clean more. Overall I'm glad it works for some people and it seems like quite a few people have made it work, but in my case I think i'll stick to bedding since it fits my schedule better.
Shadow The Rat I certainly wasn’t claiming anyone should use fleece over any other method! I’ve used paper bedding (made by Teklad for lab rats) and it was excellent, but became too cumbersome to scoop out and got everywhere, whereas fleece is easy for me because I have a washer and dryer handy. I know that many folks are concerned about the tendency for fleece to become smelly (it definitely can), which is why I mentioned my personal experience with fleece. But definitely, without access to an in home/in unit washing machine, I would never consider using fleece! And my cages are both on the original stands with wheels, but if they were on the ground my back would never let me do the several-times-daily spot cleaning. Personally I think what you do with your rats’ cage and their play area is amazing! Anyone who wants to question your knowledge and devotion to your rats is obviously either jealous or trolling...
Thank you for making me know about rats-! As soon IL get two rats!
Thank you so much for this video !! I just got baby rats and this helps a lot ❤️
Glad to hear - and congRATs on your new baby ratties!
I've been keeping rats for 5-6 years and I can tell you that this is one of the best guides out there, it's very thorough and I stand by the recommendations! I also recommend Isamu Rats for more information. Both have been very helpful to me and my rat babies.
When i brought my rat to the vet, i was told the tests to determine her breathing problems would cost $1500-3000 ...
Thank you so much! Amazing video! Super informative! 100%
I did chicken and =egg for young rats, it worked.
I love rats to
This helped a lot
Very informative video! I don't own any rats, but this is all useful information if I ever consider having rats as pets!
@Shadow The Rat..
I've watched your channel for probably about a year now, or pretty close to it. I've learned a ton and finally went and got myself a couple Dumbo rats, female both, siblings about 7 weeks old. They are both incredibly friendly and affectionate, as well as super playful and obviously full of energy lol.
I wanted your opinion on something tho. So i got my ratties about a month ago. They both instantly bonded with me A LOT and they're incredibly well mannered, i began free range time within 48 hours of acquiring them. And they do so well out of the cage, i ended up rodent proofing my bedroom and... Well now they're pretty much 100% free range. I think the only time they spend in the cage now is if people come over, and that's basically for the rats safety. ( avoid any accidents with guests that way, no tiny furries getting stepped or sat on, etc. ) But otherwise they get full domain in my bedroom. They made a little bed inside a empty large wooden speaker box i use for a nightstand, that's where they sleep together. I clean it out about every 5-7 days, and I'm constantly visually scanning my room for anything that might be dangerous or toxic to them. Anyway.. They really super enjoy the freedom and i love seeing them run around so happy. But these really are the first rats I've owned, and i was wondering.. Is it OK to let them run free in my room like this? Or is it best to be in a cage? I live in an rv, so my bedroom is actually really small (8' x 10' roughly) which makes it very easy to keep an eye on them and very easy to see if they happen to get into anything ( only thing for them to get into tho is my rock and crystals collection, which they love to play with lol )
Oh wow, i just wrote you a whole book.. Yeah i think I'll just end this here. Lol
Ok, so I read the whole thing and, I think as long as it's just your bedroom, it should be fine :)
Oh jeez, this is so short compared to what you wrote...
One of my guinea pigs had a $200 surgery to remove a tumor!
Since I had rats, going on 3 years now, I have spent about $3,000 on those lil buggers.
My oldest boy rn is the last of a litter of 3. He had 2 cage mates until he was 2.5 years old, he now lives alone because my two younger boys are extremely aggressive towards him and he’s very scared of other rats now. He lives above them so it helps to smell other rats, and at his age he sleeps a lot anyway, but I still give him all the company I can and he’s as happy as he could be with the current situation
We actually got the younger two to keep the eldest company when his brothers died, we even got them at a month old so they’d have a better chance of bonding, but for whatever reason the older one’s didn’t accept them
Great tutorial!
I need a better playing situation. I have a carpeted floor, so i don’t want to just let them run in my room bc it’s too hard to clean. Currently, it’s not that big. It’s only about 3ft by 3ft, so there’s not a lot of space for them to run around outside of their cage. I really need to be able to give them an amazing life, I love my boys so much and I want to give them the best life I can during their short lifespan. Pls give me tips on how I could make the space bigger, and how to diy toys bc I’m a teenager without a job and my parents aren’t going to pay for lots of toys, so they currently don’t have many. (Just fyi, a friend needed us to take our two boys so that they wouldn’t have to die, so my sister took them but didn’t want to care for them anymore, and I had always wanted to care for them. So, I did hours of research but I still don’t feel like I can provide, but I am trying)
Awwww, I used to have a lot of pet Rats and in my future I want more in my life, but won't be able to get down on the floor like you do. Is there a way I could create a free-range play area and training area raised onto tables?
Do you have any suggestions on playpens that they can run in but not climb out of
Oh wow!!! Pretty early!!!
Rat Manor cages have really gone down in quality I've noticed. The first rat manor I had warped pretty badly and the bottom rusted out, even with a wee-wee pad down there to absorb any pee that made it past the bedding. I had to hold it together with zip ties. The second one I got a few years later, I zipped tied down to prevent the inserts from constantly unhooking around the bars when in use or when cleaning, but the bottom of the cage had uneven rests, so the top part kept wobbling really badly. Then, one of the rests broke off completely, and I just drilled thick screws through the corners so I wouldn't have to deal with it...
You can also use dog pee pads for absorpent
I used to have rats, a few years back (from 2007 to 2017)... And my biggest mischief was two large ferret cages each containing about 7 males each.... Free range time was.... interesting.....
Damm you had alot of rats! You were really lucky to have all of those floof balls🐀🐀🐀
despite the breakdown of costs, rats are much cheaper than what I spend monthly for my two huskies, one of which is elderly and a money sink, 400-500 monthly for the both of them for food and vet and pet insurance costs >.< The initial cost was nearly 1500, and that was just to start them out.
Oh yeah, I don't think rats are too pricey once you have their initial setup. Vet bills are the main issue with rats, because many non-exotic vets both don't know much about rats and also charge a crap ton more than they do for other animals (not sure if its due to the different sized equipment or what, but my local general vet charges 10x more for any procedures on rats vs dogs/cats). But if you find a good exotics vet you can usually find a good balance of knowledgable + good prices (which is what my current vet does, and I'm so thankful for them!)
Otherwise rat food/toys/etc. is all pretty inexpensive - you can make it expensive by insisting on fancy toys that the rats will shred, but they are just as happy with cheaper toys and at least in my experience the more they have to do, the less destructive they are.
Silly Q maybe. But vacuuming right. They're sensitive to noise, so what do we do to vacuum the room they're in and not stress them out?
when i was researching on how big of a cage i should get i though at max 3-4 rats i’d be able to care for and i got the kaytee cage i was so scared she was gonna say i shouldn’t get it
I just got 2 males and the dominant one sits in the mouse house but the other is so close to walking to me. Like in your video he puts his front claws on me but wont commit with his hind legs. I'm so close to full committal lol
Alr bois, should i get myself fourth rattie?
my rats sadly passed away from a respiratory illness. I had everything perfect and I miss them so much. but my boys are ok up in heaven
I would give my rats a bigger cage we do not have room but they like it they are fine with it
There is a fantastic place we have in the UK and it is a big help for People who don't have a lot of money and they will help you if you need it the P.D.S.A if anyone is in need they can help you but only in the UK sorry
can you do a video of commercial (Toys, feed and cages) good vs bad?
I’m getting a rat this summer :D
Make sure to get at least a same sex pair - otherwise congRATs on your future ratties!
hey shadow I loved this vid and you are forever my best teacher on rats♡
I have a question, what do you think about using fine sandpaper in the cage to wear down rats' nails? Would it chaf their feet much? I use fleece bedding everywhere so they don't have anything for their claws to grind on.. I kinda don't want giant bricks in the cage....
Ps. I free-range my rats in my room and I modified your handling methods and it worked wonders for my tiny three rats and they started to like me(for food but anyways) I appreciate your vids so much ❤
Oh another question......my rats' fur is getting evenly sparse
is it because it's getting hotter? Hehe it doesn't seem like a problem but i was just wondering
If your rat’s fur is sparse they could have a rex fur type. My rat’s fur was like that.
@@silas.t. no i don't think so...rex is rare in korea and my rat's whiskers aren't curled.....and three of them are all from a different family and the two older ones are both losing fur.......maybe the are shedding baby fur... I don't really know :( they are two months old
Sandpaper works well but I wouldn’t keep it in the cage all the time. Instead you could use it on a wheel or highly trafficked shelf for 2-3 days a week and otherwise keep it out. I’ve found sandpaper is a lot quicker to wear their nails down than pumice or bricks so this should be sufficient to keep them fairly short.
As for the fur loss if they aren’t Rex rats then it could be something like parasites or too much protein. Rats fur does thin down a tad with age even for standard fur rats however it shouldn’t be super noticeably. If the hair loss seems concentrated in one area and especially if you see nicks and cuts on their back it’s worth treating for parasites - otherwise you can try reducing protein treats because some rats react very strongly to too much protein (I had one girl that would get super itchy and loose fur when she had too many protein treats and she wasn’t a special fur variety, just a standard fur rat with low tolerance for excess protein)
@@ShadowTheRat wow thanks I will go out and buy sandpaper
The hair loss isn't concentrated and my girls don't seem itchy but i will cut down protein!! Thank you so much ♡
My friend had rats. Not anymore, so she gave me her cage witch saved me a lot of money.
sorry for my english
That’s sweet of her, definitely a huge help!
I've just bought two baby rats and one of them won't move around much unless it's night, and won't come near me unless I've got food and it's in the downstairs part of their cage. Any advice?
Im saving to get 2 rats and im planning on getting a cage for £200. Its 90 x 60 x 160 but im taking the stairs and platforms out and replacing then with ropes and stuff. Its my first time having rats so i just want to know if thats suitable
My rats daily diet is
30% rat nuggets from a pet store
20% treats
50% carbohydrate/vegetables
Is that OK
I feel so bad right now because my new Rats have a small cage but in about 2 days I'm gonna get my Cousin's old Rat cage so they got a big cage.
Edit: Also I've been struggling the first few days with the Rats' out of Cage time and seeing this relieved me so now I can Rat proof a room and get them to explore!
We don't have all those products were in South America.
You don’t need anything really rat specific, I just mention them because most of my audience is in the US and I am as well and so it’s easiest to talk about what I’ve used myself. But with that being said it’s perfectly fine to use a bird cage, make your own food, use diy toys or thinks like boxes and baskets and blankets, and pretty much cover what they need without anything super rat specific. The only thing I’d try to do is see if you can find a vet with rat experience - honestly I didn’t luck out there for a good few years and even a more cat/dog based vet was able to treat the most common issues especially with the help of the rat guide so you even have a fair bit of leeway with vets.
I have the prevue cage and then a home made cage
What bottled water do you use?
Usually it’s whatever we have around the house. My family seems to favor dasini but I doubt there’s a big difference between the brands (mostly I think they like the thicker bottles lol)
@@ShadowTheRat ok thank you Ps. Subscribed!
I know I should start out with as many as I want but I want to start with 4 minimum