Rat Question for Rat owners?

Question

Serious anwers only pls!

I live in a small 1 room apartment, so there isn't much room for my 2 rats to just run around freely and im scared to put them on the floor because of cords and things they can get underneath like the frig and stove. I have so many cords hooked up to the computers that i can't even tie up neatly. The only place they can play on when out of the cage is the couch and the bed. Do you have any ideas what i could put up around those areas so they can play more and i can put away when companys over? Thanks

my couch is a little love seat so its isnt alot of room for them to run around on and they get realy bored with it. The bathtub all they want to do is to get out.

Answer 1

I actually let mine run around on the floor. Yes they get under some stuff but I don't really worry about them falling asleep or anything while they are under there. They are too excited and busy checking everything out to sleep. And they always come back out to find new stuff to investigate. As long as you keep an eye on them and learn how they interact with stuff you should be fine. I donno about the chords... Try wrapping them in heavy tape maybe, or just some kind of plastic. Mine don't chew on chords, they like things like wood, paper, or cloth... unfortunately, lol. But if you feel like you need some kind of play pen, I know at pet stores they sell long flexible ones that you can fold up and put away. But I think they are mainly for ferrets and rabbits, a rat could probably squeeze through the holes. But you might be able to find something, maybe they make them without holes. If not, a child's pool would actually probably work great! Those ones with the tall plastic sides, and the rubber like bottom. You would be able to fold that up and store it out of the way too. And it would protect your carpet. You might just need to figure something out so the sides will stay up. and wash it if it gets dirty..... I donno, maybe it's dumb, lol, it was just a thought..... Well good luck.

Answer 2

This is what I do:

Put a sheet or some old rag over the bed/couch.

Cover it with boxes, toys, digging boxes etc.

Add rats.

They don't need too much space, and if you change it around often (like, each time you put them there) it will be interesting and new. They won't mind.

Otherwise, you could put up barriers around your computer, but rats are quite adept at getting through them. Cardboard works well as a temporary barrier, but it only lasts as long as a rat takes to realise it is chewable.

Have fun, love the rats!

*I don't own rats, they own me*

Answer 3

I have never heard of a rat that died from just loneliness, but I have had single rats before and they were CRAZY. They were just neurotic and wanted to be with me every second of every day, and would start nipping if they didnt get their way. It was crazy. It was completely remedied by getting them a same sex friend. Single rats tend to get sicker easier and that can cause them to die young. I suppose you could sort of classify that as dying because of loneliness. Having a second rat is even easier than having just one. You wont regret it.

Answer 4

You can take some plastic hose, make a slit down the middle, and then put that around your cords to keep the rats from chewing on them. Usually it is best to take out all things that you don't want your rat to chew, because they probably will, hehe. Remember to take out house-plants as well, because most are dangerous. But if you could put any of the cords out of their reach, then it should be fine. Good-luck!

Answer 5

You can buy thin hardboard sheets from a DIY store, and use gaffa/fabric tape to tape them together to make a pen. You could make a pen, or just block off dangerous areas.

The pens they sell for small animals are usually too small for rats - they can jump quite high!

An old blanket makes a cosy cover to protect beds and couches.

Answer 6

if you keep an eye out for them you should have no problem you could make some sort of play pen for them to play in the living room they really dont need that much excercise

Answer 7

I let my rats scamper around in my bathtub! They love it! Then, if they poop in there, all I have to do is wash it down the drain when I put them back in their cage.

Answer 8

They make "play pens" for little animals.
They are flexible, solid sheets of light weight plastic.

Get them at pet stores.

I think this might be it, but the picture is bad, I can't be sure, I'll keep looking.
http://www.petco.com/product/10792/Marshall-Pet-Small-Animal-Pen.aspx