Hobbies And Interests
Rodent Cages
Hamster, gerbil, rat or rabbit cages are the most obvious choices for your soft-furred rat. They often come with plenty of accessories included, such as water bottles and exercise wheels and are available in a wide array of colors and sizes. Unfortunately, many cages commercially available for small rodents are too small even for the pets for which they are designed, much less a larger species of rodent, such as the African rat. Rabbit cages in general should be avoided, as most have wire floors and bar spacing too large for your rat. When considering other rodent cages, look for models with plenty of open space and few places where your rat could get his teeth into the plastic bottoms. Watch carefully for signs of damage over time.
Aquariums
Aquariums make good utility cages as they are easy to clean and sanitize and prevent your rat from chewing its way out. Aquariums should be at least 20 gallons in size and fitted with a metal mesh reptile lid and cage clips to keep the rats secure. Aquariums can be filled with an extra deep layer of bedding for your rat to dig and burrow through, but because they do not offer the ventilation of a wire cage, more frequent cleaning is required.
Bird Cages
Bird cages are available in much larger sizes than rodent cages and allow ventilation. Wire shelves and ramps can be added to create multilevel rat mansions, and bird-safe wire is often easy to spray clean with a hose as needed. Most bird cages do not inherently lend themselves for rat bedding, though some models are available with extra-deep trays or plexiglass sheets that can be affixed to the side. Alternately, you could provide a sleeping or digging area inside a cat litter pan within the cage, which would cut down on cleaning efforts.
Custom Cages
Since all commercial cages come with drawbacks and benefits, handy rat owners can also consider a DIY custom rat cage to take advantage of the best options. Many websites offer custom cage advice and plans, but keep in mind that the cage must be sanitary, easy to clean and difficult for your rats to escape. Custom cages can be built from scratch or refurbished from old rodent or bird cage parts. Make sure that any material used in a custom rat cage is sanitized and rinsed well before introducing your African soft-furred rat to its new home.