If you do want to let your pet out for play time or give them their own room; make sure the room is “rat proofed” first. Rats love to explore and they can be rather destructive in the course of that exploring. When you let your rat run around, they can, do, and will find a way to get into something they shouldn’t be getting into. In order to keep your rat safe from household toxins, niches s/he can get stuck in and various other rattie crisises, you need to rat-proof your home. There are several items that you may find you need to make this easier, most of which you either already have in your home or can find at the local pet store. The only things you might want to buy are some toys, like ladders and tubing. So much fun! Okay, let's go.
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- Round One: What do we have here?
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Find the room you want to rat-proof..or on a larger scale, focus on the whole house. Look at places the rat could go -- obvious and the not so obvious places. Pay particular attention to; Closets
Cupboards
Dressers
Beds
Heater Vents
Couches
Arm Chairs
Holes (under the sinks, in the wall, etc.)
Windows -- screens are easy to chew through!
Doors with large gaps at the bottom or doors likely to be left open..
Do you like the furniture in here? Can they be chewed on? (Easy answer... YES!) Do you mind that it gets chewed on and most likely destroyed? If not, is it necessary to keep these items in here? Think about... Couches
Dressers
Blankets, sheets
Books
Anything made out of wood
Important papers
Chairs -- arm chairs, etc.
Carpet (some rats can and do chew on carpet).
Look for electrical hazards like... Cords from window blinds
Lamps
Computer stuff
Electric Clocks
Stereo equipment and other items
Phones
Phone Jacks
Electrical outlets (I recommend using kid covers).
Is there any place in the room you don’t want the rat to go? Things like... Bed
Couch
Desk
Behind the wall
In a cupboardIs there anything else that looks dangerous? Kitchen Supplies
Toxins (including house plants!)
Bathroom Cleansers
Paints
Old Foods
Plants (silk, real, etc.)
SoapsNow that you’ve covered most of the basics, it’s time to think about how to fix this stuff. .
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Round Two: I have some minor problems...
Cupboards and Doors
On cupboards, you can either tape them shut, or buy latches to put on them. Keep in mind, even though they are heavy, if they stay ajar when closed or are accidentally left open, there could be a major problem. Build a guard to set up around doors when the ratties are playing (in case someone accidentally leaves a door open), at least a foot and a half tall. It should be made out of something non-chewable, such as Plexiglas or metal sheets. Wood is okay, because even though it can be chewed, it can’t to the extent that a rat could get out in any short length of time. Put up signs you printed out on your computer to make sure that other people don’t leave windows and doors open. Make sure people who enter the room take their shoes off at the door -- to avoid first and foremost stepping on your pet, and secondly to remind them to shut the door on their way out.Under the Furniture
Put up guards around the bottoms of furniture that your rat could get under if you don’t want them under there. If you don't care -- don't worry about it.Holes and Protecting Beds (from rat urine, mostly)
Put up guards over holes and heater vents (Try to screw them on, if possible. Rats can be VERY sneaky). If you’ve got a bed in the room, put an old blanket over it and then put a fitted sheet over that to protect it from urine.Electrical Wires and other not-so-cool stuff
ANYTHING ELECTRICAL SHOULD BE REMOVED IF POSSIBLE. Wires should be covered and hung above the floor, attached to the wall securely and there should be NO WAY for the rat to get at it AT ALL. Electrical and phone jacks should be covered with covers made for babies, toddlers and suicidal teenagers with paperclips. Remove anything you think is harmful. Make sure the toilet lid is closed if the rat has access to a bathroom, because he or she could fall in and drown..
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Round Three: Major Problems now.
There are several major problems that you need to look for before letting your rat loose.
Windows, ledges, and any way to get outside
There should be NO WAY for your rat to get outside.Other animals you have as pets or other people’s pets, or wild animals
There should be no other animals in the room. Make sure that you check the room for your cats, dogs, birds, reptiles other creatures that may eat or may be eaten before even putting your rat down.People coming into the room and stepping on your rat
Make sure there is a guard around the door, and a sign that tells people to take off their shoes before entering.Garbage Cans and Laundry Dryers, etc.
Make sure all garbage cans are removed or covered, and don’t have your rats running loose if you are doing the laundry, as they can get lost in the laundry, thrown in the dryer or washer, and killed accidentally.Couch cushions and box springs
Make sure the rat is not in the couch, behind the cushions, or somehow in the box springs. They can suffocate when you either sit down or get up. - Added 08/14/09 - Visitor Suggestion: Access to a freestanding oven/stove must be blocked off! I once had a rat that, the first day I brought him home, ran behind my stove and wouldn't come out for three months! I tried to lure him out with treats, but he'd wait til we were asleep before coming out to grab them. My daughter and I had to eat microwave meals for three months! Finally, I got the idea to let one of my older rats go try to retrieve him. Sure enough, a few minutes later they both came out! This was a very frustrating and expensive (had to buy a new stove) lesson that I would hate for anyone else to experience. Thanks Juliet, I appreciate the addition!
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Round Four: Protecting the room and caring for the rat
Beds and Furniture
Cover all beds and furniture you don’t want peed on with a sheet. For beds, rats like to burrow in the sheets and leave bits of food, poop, and other “fun” items in there. This is not appreciated by most sane people, so get an old blanket and put it over the bed, and then cover that with a fitted sheet.Chewable items (which is most items, actually)
To keep your rat from chewing on items, wait until you see where the rat is chewing, and then put some “Bitter Apple” on the place. Bitter Apple is a nontoxic juice kind of stuff that tastes very bad. Rats will not chew on the place anymore if they hate how it tastes. Bitter Apple must be reapplied daily until your rat learns to leave this stuff alone.Going to the bathroom
Rats urine mark. Males do it more than females, and if your male does it a lot, you might consider getting him neutered before letting him run free, because their pee tends to stink more than the female’s. As far as REALLY having to go to the bathroom, you should strategically place small litter boxes around the room. An alternative is to leave their cage in the room. Often, the rat will go back to his cage to relieve himself. Litter training rats is actually fairly easy, as well.Food and water
It is a good idea to leave the cage in the room so that Ratster can go and get food and water when he or she pleases, but you can also find a place to hang a water bottle and leave a food dish. Make sure its not where someone might step on it, though.A nest
Lots of rats like to sleep in tight spots. It is a good idea to have a nest in case your rat gets tired. I suggest getting a fish bowl and filling it with shredded paper. Your rat can make a nest, and when he’s tired, take a nap. -
Round Five: Check Your Work!Before
You are going to need to check the room, and possibly vacuum every time you let your rat loose, to make sure there’s nothing icky in the carpet. Also check for any spider webs, bugs, open cupboards, etc. Just do a basic ground check.
After
Check for any chewed spots, and apply Bitter Apple if needed. Empty any very dirty litter boxes, replace food and water, etc. -- you now have a very big cage! Now that the room is safe, your job is to keep it that way, making sure it’s always clean, and fun to be in for the ratties. Have fun decorating!
