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My Rat Manor, critique my set up and shw yours off

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Caitih92 
#1 ·
Cage Degu Rat Muridae Pet supply


I'm a new rat owner and this is my 2 female rats cage. By removing the levels and instead adding baskets, I have increased the square feet of floor space from 3.4-6.248.

There are numerous levels to be on.
3 enclosed hides
3 hanging hammocks
2 tunnels
a rope and wooden ladder to go between levels
a cat ball toy
a litter box
a ball bit on the 3rd circular hanging level

All of the hides and basket levels are lined with fleece.

What would you change? What does your rat manor or other small cage look like?
 
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#2 ·
Hi Caitlyn, welcome! The cage looks great! I'm sure it's very fun for your ladies. I love how many different spots you've created for them. They can cuddle up together or they can be alone if they want. I also think it's great how you staggered all of the baskets and hammocks. If your girls get a little clumsy, there's plenty of stuff to grab onto to break their fall. Perhaps it's just hidden from view but I'm not seeing a water bottle?

I have increased the square feet of floor space from 3.4-6.248.
Getting rid of the shelves and levels in a cage is really popular right now and I think I sorta understand the reasoning but it does actually decrease the amount of usable floor space in a cage. The shelves and mid-level in the Rat Manor add a total of about 4 square feet of floor space to the cage. The total amount of floor space in a Rat Manor (including all levels as well as the bottom floor) is about 6.5 square feet. Even with the shelves and mid-level in the cage, there's still enough room to add a couple hammocks/baskets to increase that figure. Estimating the dimensions of the three main baskets and the turquoise shelf, I'm guessing that they only total in at about 2.5 square feet of floor space. These types of items also must be removed from the cage more often for cleaning so they add a little bit of extra work as well.

I'm not saying that floor space is everything. There's definitely something to be said for the extra exercise this type of layout encourages. But leaving the levels in and adding a just a few baskets and hammocks would actually provide for more square footage of floor space and would cut down on the cleaning time a little. I'm not saying that it would be better, though. Your cage looks absolutely wonderful just the way it is.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have the calculations on my phone I can show when I'm on my computer next since I can't seem to add pictures from my phone, I don't think I missed adding anything in. I'll redo it when I get a chance next to see what I may have missed. The calculations for the majors levels are without the ramps, just the floor and levels and it came out to 3.4 square feet. The calculations for the space they have now is the addition of all of their levels excluding the hammocks, and wooden bridge. They will not drink from a water bottle. It took me about a day to notice they had not touched their water. Their water is in the white dish. Their food is in the top circular level. Even without comparing space, my two prefer to climb than to walk up the ramps. They bounce and play for hours when they can easily access the whole cage. Since the middle level prevents easy climbing, 85 made them much less active. I'm sure when they are older they will appreciate an easier way to access each level but for now they like to be able to go straight from the bottom to the top if they want to. I clean the cage once a week, spot cleaning every day. I did the same when I had the levels. Although I'm not sure if I am cleaning too much too frequently or not enough. I had a discussion on facebook the other day and discovered my cage may be a bit off. In order for any of my levels to stay secure, it takes quite a few pipe cleaners. Everyday exercise and my levels come unclipped to the side and fall down. One of the first days I had my cage Max became sandwiched between the middle level and the top shelf when carolines antics ended up with her and the shelf falling on top of her... I fixed it of course but I felt terrible and it's one reason I switched to baskets.

And I just realized my dumb blonde moment. When I was adding up baskets, I shoved the bottom floor space in the middle of everything and I simply forgot to add it in with levels in the second calculation with the cage levels. The correct calculation is 5.97. Without you saying something I never would have realized my error.
 
#5 ·
Square inches of space with baskets Rectangle baskets 295.625Foam level 97.5White House 44Floor space 371.25Large circle basket 44.196Small circle baskets 47.534Total899.7456.248 square feetRat manor level 290.5Small levels195.125Total 489.625Square feet 3.4Plus floor I somehow forgot5.97
 
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