i haven't tried this myself, its just an idea if you need a temp cage for babies that are too small for a big cage and you don't want to use a tank, or it could easily be expanded into a cheap alternative for a couple of rats.
here's the idea. we've all seen the storage bin cages (commonly used for travel cages) with a hole cut in the top and replaced with hardware cloth. well i've been seeing these HUGE bins and i was thinking, cut windows in the sides as well and replace with the hardware cloth. there's one i saw that fit a regular sized horse sadle, so as a temp cage for babies this would work great. you could attach water bottles and hammocks to the mesh in the sides and everything. then the whole top can lift off for easy cleaning and such.
if you wanted to you could get two of the huge bins and attach one on top of the other. simply cut a hole in the bottom of one and the lid of the other to let the rats get in and out through there. then attach the lid to the bottom of the one your going to use on top. do the same thing to sides as before and of course to the top lid. theoretically you could continue doing that until the cows came home if you could find a way to secure it from toppling over.
the only thing is you'll want to make sure you get a bin with hard or firm plastic so th weight of the hardware cloth doesn't crumple it. i think this is a better alternative to tanks as there is better air flow and are cheaper to come by. also, i think if you got a big enough enough bin(s) it would be a better alternative to some bookshelf or grotto cages because the plastic won't hold odor like wood would.
anyway, that's my idea. perhaps others have had it before, but in case you haven't here it is. if anyone tries it please post pictures and a story of how it worked out.
here's the idea. we've all seen the storage bin cages (commonly used for travel cages) with a hole cut in the top and replaced with hardware cloth. well i've been seeing these HUGE bins and i was thinking, cut windows in the sides as well and replace with the hardware cloth. there's one i saw that fit a regular sized horse sadle, so as a temp cage for babies this would work great. you could attach water bottles and hammocks to the mesh in the sides and everything. then the whole top can lift off for easy cleaning and such.
if you wanted to you could get two of the huge bins and attach one on top of the other. simply cut a hole in the bottom of one and the lid of the other to let the rats get in and out through there. then attach the lid to the bottom of the one your going to use on top. do the same thing to sides as before and of course to the top lid. theoretically you could continue doing that until the cows came home if you could find a way to secure it from toppling over.
the only thing is you'll want to make sure you get a bin with hard or firm plastic so th weight of the hardware cloth doesn't crumple it. i think this is a better alternative to tanks as there is better air flow and are cheaper to come by. also, i think if you got a big enough enough bin(s) it would be a better alternative to some bookshelf or grotto cages because the plastic won't hold odor like wood would.
anyway, that's my idea. perhaps others have had it before, but in case you haven't here it is. if anyone tries it please post pictures and a story of how it worked out.