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Thread: Space per rat?

  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran BallPythonWannaBe's Avatar
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    Space per rat?

    I'm going to be experimenting with some different types of cages but I can't seem to find a minimum amount of space per rat. Pet sites (blegh) say 2 ft per rat, which seems close but slightly high for feeders. Lab recs say 450 sq cm, but I can't figure out how much space this is. I think it's slightly under 1 ft? My feeders and waterers will be outside of the cages, and I'd be keeping non breeders in these cages (I have separate maturity bins).
    Edit: After some hard thinking it seems closer to 1/2 a foot for 450 cm?
    Last edited by BallPythonWannaBe; 02-23-2022 at 04:04 PM.
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    BPnet Veteran Malum Argenteum's Avatar
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    "After some hard thinking it seems closer to 1/2 a foot for 450 cm?"

    Yes, one sq foot is about 930 sq cm or exactly 144 sq inches. A 10g tank is 200 sq inches/1250cm2, so that lab recommendation puts 3 rats in a 10g. That's a bit snug, IMO. Somewhere in between the lab recommendation and the pet recommendation would be where I'd aim.

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    2 feet is honestly small even by pet standards. But you're not looking to keep a pet, by the sound of it.

    You'll still want to have a decent size for your housing regardless. You would want at least 1.5 square feet to comfortably house 2 rats. This is for the stress reduction and cleanliness factor. Keep in mind that stressed rats will be prone to cannibalism of the offspring as well. It's not as common as mice or hamsters, but a stressed rattie mom with less than healthy offspring won't care.

    Edit: I'm also thinking by floor print, not height. Something like 18x12" for example would be fine at 6" tall. I used to keep a few breeders in a multi-level 24x18x24 at one point though for when I needed some steady rat pups.
    Last edited by Armiyana; 02-23-2022 at 04:29 PM.

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    BPnet Veteran BallPythonWannaBe's Avatar
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    Re: Space per rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Malum Argenteum View Post
    "After some hard thinking it seems closer to 1/2 a foot for 450 cm?"

    Yes, one sq foot is about 930 sq cm or exactly 144 sq inches. A 10g tank is 200 sq inches/1250cm2, so that lab recommendation puts 3 rats in a 10g. That's a bit snug, IMO. Somewhere in between the lab recommendation and the pet recommendation would be where I'd aim.
    That does seem snug, I'll probably allow a minimum of 1 ft per rat and go from there.
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    Re: Space per rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Armiyana View Post
    2 feet is honestly small even by pet standards. But you're not looking to keep a pet, by the sound of it.

    You'll still want to have a decent size for your housing regardless. You would want at least 1.5 square feet to comfortably house 2 rats. This is for the stress reduction and cleanliness factor. Keep in mind that stressed rats will be prone to cannibalism of the offspring as well. It's not as common as mice or hamsters, but a stressed rattie mom with less than healthy offspring won't care.

    Edit: I'm also thinking by floor print, not height. Something like 18x12" for example would be fine at 6" tall. I used to keep a few breeders in a multi-level 24x18x24 at one point though for when I needed some steady rat pups.
    These would be kind of pets. They're for a few purposes, feeders, show and pet breeding. I separate my mum's into maternity bins. I was thinking of doing a 24 x 24 cage but I wanted to get four rats to a cage. I might have to to go a bit larger. I still haven't figured out what height I want yet. Definitely 7 inch at least but maybe taller.
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    BPnet Veteran Malum Argenteum's Avatar
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    "These would be kind of pets."

    When I raised rats for my own feeders, I had a hard time not thinking of them as pets to some degree. If I ever got a small caged mammal for a pet, it would be a rat (well, probably two) -- they're lovely critters. I'm somewhat glad I just buy frozen rats now (I still raise mice, but they're somehow easier to objectify).

    I wouldn't say a person shouldn't feed rats of course, but raising them can bring out complicated feelings and forced me, anyway, to be more clear about my relationship with animals. Which is always a good thing to force.

    Not exactly relevant to your questions, just sympathetic rambling...

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    Re: Space per rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Malum Argenteum View Post
    "These would be kind of pets."

    When I raised rats for my own feeders, I had a hard time not thinking of them as pets to some degree. If I ever got a small caged mammal for a pet, it would be a rat (well, probably two) -- they're lovely critters. I'm somewhat glad I just buy frozen rats now (I still raise mice, but they're somehow easier to objectify).

    I wouldn't say a person shouldn't feed rats of course, but raising them can bring out complicated feelings and forced me, anyway, to be more clear about my relationship with animals. Which is always a good thing to force.

    Not exactly relevant to your questions, just sympathetic rambling...
    Same here. I actually had some pet rats before I ever got into snakes, & it took me a long time to consider any rats as feeders. They're excellent pets- smart & even affectionate- whereas the best I can say about mice is that they have attractive coats & colors (mine are "fancies"). Mice don't seem to relate much to people even when treated as pets- plus they're prone to chewing up their pinkies in a very gruesome manner when they decide they're done being parents. Rats are mostly good parents.
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    BPnet Veteran BallPythonWannaBe's Avatar
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    Re: Space per rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Malum Argenteum View Post
    "These would be kind of pets."

    When I raised rats for my own feeders, I had a hard time not thinking of them as pets to some degree. If I ever got a small caged mammal for a pet, it would be a rat (well, probably two) -- they're lovely critters. I'm somewhat glad I just buy frozen rats now (I still raise mice, but they're somehow easier to objectify).

    I wouldn't say a person shouldn't feed rats of course, but raising them can bring out complicated feelings and forced me, anyway, to be more clear about my relationship with animals. Which is always a good thing to force.

    Not exactly relevant to your questions, just sympathetic rambling...
    I'm honestly not sure why I was replying with future tense, I currently have rats. Close to 30 now I think lol I didn't expect to love them so much, and the first time I fed one off I almost cried actually. They're definitely pets, just not as much as my dogs.
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  15. #9
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    Re: Space per rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe View Post
    These would be kind of pets. They're for a few purposes, feeders, show and pet breeding. I separate my mum's into maternity bins. I was thinking of doing a 24 x 24 cage but I wanted to get four rats to a cage. I might have to to go a bit larger. I still haven't figured out what height I want yet. Definitely 7 inch at least but maybe taller.
    More height (8"+) is desirable for rats, because the adults have a long reach when they stand up, AND because when they get bored, they'll be chewing on the top if they can easily reach it. Not so much if it's awkwardly higher over their heads. It sounds as if you're planning to build these cages? Keep in mind that they need to easily reach the over-head food hopper, IF you're incorporating that design. (& I recommend it- it's the only way to keep their food clean & with less waste.)
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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  16. #10
    BPnet Veteran BallPythonWannaBe's Avatar
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    Re: Space per rat?

    Yes, I'll be building them. They'll be wire with metal pans and 6" bedding guards. I'm just doing one so far to see how I like it compared to my bins. Ideally they'll be stacked with front opening doors, slide out pans, an auto watering system, and feeders that fill from the outside. I'll likely melt holes in some dollar tree sandwich containers and use those as a sort of side hopper.
    "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live"
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