How I keep my rats
Olivia Redgrave

I became the proud owner of my first fancy rats just over a year ago – and have managed to GMR up to 12 now (how did that happen?!). Over that time I have become fascinated with how other people keep their rats, what they feed, how they free range, what toys they use and so on. I ruthlessly steal their ideas and top tips – anything to make the ratties happier! On the basis that if I’m interested in something, at least one other person must be I thought I’d write an article for Rattitude on how I keep my 12 rats hopefully happy and healthy. Please note that the photographs are all while the cages are very much in use – so they’re not pristinely clean! You can see that the shredded paper goes everywhere, and while they mostly use their toilet trays they still have the odd corner that they use for pooping in!

Although my rats all free range together they are split into two cages – the five dominant ones together (where they’ve settled into a nice stable hierarchy), then the others, who for one reason or another like a quieter life. I have two large cages, which I built myself from the IKEA IVAR shelving system. The biggest being 2m x 1.6m x 0.5m, and the smaller 1.6m x 1.6m x 0.5m. This was surprisingly easy – I used a staple gun to attach the wire and the doors were a simple square held using one screw and lots of “No More Nails” at each corner. I’ve covered the shelves with cheap adhesive vinyl tiles which means they’re very easy to wipe down and the pee doesn’t soak into the wooden shelves. The one thing I wish I had done (and is planned as a future upgrade!) is to have made the back from plywood, not wire. This is for two reasons. Firstly, my lot have an irritating habit of kicking their poo and litter out from the litter trays and out the back of the cage – making the sweeping and hoovering out from underneath a regular necessity. Secondly, the rats have discovered that by climbing up the back of the cages (on the outside) it’s extremely difficult for me to catch the blighters at bedtime– I swear I can hear them laughing!

I am very keen on environmental enrichment so try to give the rats things to do during the time when they’re not out and about. The climbing frame made of apple tree branches has been a great hit, they’ve steadily stripped the bark off, and use them to climb from level to level. By hanging treats and their rattic near the topmost branches they are encouraged to climb and use this area.

Another top toy is their digging box. This is a large Tupperware box filled with sterile topsoil (from the garden centre), plus a few pebbles, which stay nice and cool in the heat. I also bury a range of small seeds (such as hemp, safflower, linseed, pinhead oats) in this soil and throughout the day you’ll see at least one rat having a good root around to see what they can find.

They also have a range of wooden chew toys – which are used in different amounts by different rats – some are confirmed chewers, others just have the occasional nibble – and others seem to only want to chew if it’s my best coffee table!

They have a choice of nest boxes, which I fill with shredded paper that I get free from work (my colleagues are very good about not putting staples through the shredder). My favourite boxes at the moment are wooden ones made by Superpet. The rats get the enjoyment of being able to chew them, and they come in big enough sizes for seven large rats to wedge themselves in.

I find the shredded paper gives them endless fun – moving it from nest to nest, tidying it up if it’s in the wrong place, nibbling it, snoozing on it, snoozing in it – they can’t get enough! Downside is it does get everywhere – even places the rats never go; I’m sure it grows legs and walks round my house! In the litter trays I’ve used a range of materials. I started off with hemp, which I found very effective, but there were some worries about the safeness of it. So I’m now using Bob Martins 100% paper cat litter, which is great.

The rats get about 3-4 hours of free range time each night, although they normally head home to bed after about 3 hours, and some only come out for a short half an hour wander. They have totally free access to my sitting room, which is now basically the rat room (luckily I live on my own, so can be totally selfish). They soon destroyed my fabric sofa, so it’s been replaced by a metal futon and no more chewing – hurrah! They are also doing a good job stripping the wallpaper, but as the room needs decorating I don’t worry too much. And of course I have miles of cable tidy preventing any wire chewing. I got through 4 telephones before I discovered this wonderful invention. During the summer months they have access to a large under bed storage container that I have converted to a ratty swimming pool. I always chuck in a handful of frozen peas and they all enjoy a good splash around to cool off.

I have always fed my rats the Shunamite Diet – which has been great. It took a few months to find the best dog kibble for my rats (they’re very fussy – it’s Burns Chicken and Rice) and the cereals that they’ll eat (shredded wheat bite size and corn flakes – occasionally shredded wheat fruitful when I’m feeling naughty (it’s not a recommended cereal). I also found it very hard to be strict with the quantities they ate giving them completely free access. This meant that they ate far too much pasta, and not enough Alpha Herbal. A couple also got far too tubby. I’m now much stricter and they only get enough to last them about 22hours. This means they eat everything and they are staying at a nice weight. They also get a bowl of soya milk and a bottle full of Dr Squiggles Daily Essentials – in addition to a bottle of plain water. Whilst the rats don’t need either of these, it makes me happier to know they get them.

So that’s it – how I look after my rats. Hopefully there’s an idea or two in there you can steal – and I’d love to read how you manage your rats so that I can borrow yours!