RAT HOUSES
Rats love BIG cages - the bigger, the better.
Wire cages are best, but be certain you don't buy one with a wire floor.
Rats left on wire floors can get something called "bumblefoot" which
at present, is incurable. It is also very painful for a rat to get this condition.
If you buy a cage with a wire floor, make a solid floor for it.
Formica or wood (if you don't mind making a couple of these a year) is fine
for this. Any shelves or platforms that are wire-bottomed should also be covered
in this manner. Formica is preferred because it's easy to clean, and won't absorb
urine and odors like wood will.

Fishtanks can also be a suitable substitute, for those who don't have the space
for a large wire cage. Don't buy a tank any smaller than 10 gallons, or else
your rats will suffer. I've rescued a rat that lived its life in a 3.5 gallon tank,
and boy was he a sorry sight the day I got him out of that house.





WHERE DOES MY RAT SLEEP AND EAT AND PEE?



Of course, in their bedding!
Although wood is the most common bedding in use, most kinds of bedding
made of it can cause some health problems for rats and other small animals.
Respiratory problems in rats is often traced back to the wood shavings
used in their cages; because of oils (particularly cedar and pine) in the
wood, and due to the dust present in high levels in some kinds of
wood litter. Cedar can also cause other health problems, and should
be avoided like the plague.

Several brands of unbleached or recycled paper bedding is available,
although many users complain that it does not control urine odor well,
and causes an unpleasant odor of its own when peed on.
But these are generally much healthier for your rats than any kind
of wood bedding is.
One popular brand, Care-Fresh, is available in most pet stores.
I've tried a similar product myself, and it stunk up the house
not an hour after changing a tank with the stuff.
Many pet stores also sell paper-based litter in bulk,
meaning you can bag up your own and save a substantial amount
of money.

If you don't HAVE money, and you're facing a stinky pissy cage,
you can use shredded paper towels as a suitable temporary bedding.
Never, ever be tempted by common cat litter. It's very dusty, and
can be eaten and cause a potentially deadly bowel obstruction in
your precious pet.



RATTY PLAYTHINGS



Rats REQUIRE something to play with, especially when they're still
babies. Adults find toys entertaining to play with, sleep in or on,
pee in or on, chew on, and hide treats in.
Because a rat's teeth are constantly growing, you MUST provide
him or her something to chew on. Small wooden blocks, cut up dowels,
and even a bountiful supply of empty tubes from kitchen towels or toilet
paper are welcomed by your rat for this purpose.
Other toys that are cheap and enjoyed by rats are pieces of toilet pipe,
old towels, cardboard boxes, plastic bottle caps, and other small
objects that can be chewed, run through, hidden in or slept in.

Do not give your rat pieces of hamster pipe (commonly known
as Habitrail), as rats have been known to get stuck inside when their
toes got caught in the pipe's ventilation holes.
Some rawhide chewtoys sold for dogs are also suspect for containing
such "additives" as urine, arsenic, and other chemicals; and should not
be given to your rats unless you know the company who made it as a reputable
supplier of quality pet products.

Many rats won't run on wheels - but if you do buy one for your rat, please
buy the kind without spokes and without an exposed axle. Many a rat
tail, rat foot, and sometimes, even rat head get caught in these evil
contraptions. They now make spokeless, axle-less wheels just for rats.
They clip onto the side of the cage; and as such do not require a stand.