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.
Reply With Quote