Is there a trick to keeping rats on the floor?

Question

I have 2 female baby ( 3 1/2 months ) rats that want to jump everywhere and not stay on the floor, where its safe. I give them safe places to climb but they just use that to jump on the bed and the plant stand. I have the bed blocked off because they used to scale the wall and the bed post to get on it. I forgot how energetic females can be, lol.

I'm just afraid they are going to break a leg falling off something, like one of my males did, though he was 2 years old at the time.

Thanks for any advice

lovemice · Accepted Answer

I realize you are already blocking off certain areas of your room, but if your rats are still finding a way around some items, you can try sheets of Coroplast or sturdy cardboard to keep them from getting into areas where they may get injured. Another option is to use a hallway. In the past I would recommend the RattyRat.com site for finding a play area and rodent-proofing it; however, I have been unable to connect with the site for the last few weeks so instead will suggest the RatGuide pages on free range time and rodent-proofing the room that might be useful to you:

http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/training_playtime.php

http://ratguide.com/care/figures/training_playtime_figure_1.php

You can also use the Coroplast or sturdy cardboard to build a playpen. It will get your rats out of the constraints of the cage where they can interact with their human and safely play with toys/accessories different than from those in their cage. Details on making a playpen follow:

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/housing/6837-playpen-how-make-correx-playpen.html
(Although a hamster site, you can adapt the playpen for use with your rats.)
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm#ratrun

Did you see the page at DapperRat on toys to make for little or no cost and games to play during free range time? If not, link follows:

http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm#ratrun

Besides Y!A, you might try the rat forums for advice. The two I use most for help with our rats are:

http://www.ratforum.com/

http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/

Last, PetInfoPacket does a really good job of compiling useful rat sites that might be of use for interacting with your rats and JoinRats has many articles on socializing that may be of interest even in your case where you already have experience with rats:

http://www.petinfopackets.com/rats/ratinfopacket.html

http://www.joinrats.com/

ADDENDUM: Our dining room ended up being the rats' room by default because we use the room between the family room and kitchen for sit down meals. Since the dining room had zero use for us humans, it only made sense to let my daughter's rats enjoy it. We blocked the two doorways with tall, sturdy sheets of cardboard and completely checked the room for hazards so it was safe. They had a blast with all that space to explore and no bars to confine them. Definitely continue what you are doing by allowing your rats to have free range time out of the cage because it provides mental stimulation for them and is the best way to socialize them; thus, bonding with their human.

Anonymous · Answer

you should put them in a cage its safer there and they can still climb if its a lager cage.

p.s. did you name one rat Templton you know off of charlets web?

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Is there a trick to keeping rats on the floor?

2 Answers