All living things rat starter kit

[Geminibutts]

Hello all!
I'm getting my first pair of rats and a friend of mine who has kept rats for years is giving me one of her old cages (link at bottom). She says it is fine for two males or three females but I just want to make sure! I put the dimensions into a cage calculator but it says it could house four... that doesn't SEEM correct? Maybe I put the dimensions in wrong somehow? Idk.

The rats are two males for reference, from the same person. They say they're under six months old and very friendly.

I also have a prevue 528 from when I had a hamster which is obviously too small for rats of ANY kind.... but maybe as a play spot? Any ideas?

Thanks guys!! <3

https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/starter-kits/all-living-things-rat-starter-kit-5201419.html

 

[Nataly]

I got the same results

 

[ViciousCurse]

I personally think the shelves look to be too small for rats. Rats in close quarters can get crabby.

 

[Geminibutts]

I personally think the shelves look to be too small for rats. Rats in close quarters can get crabby.

Tbh i was thinking about just taking those out and putting baskets and stuff like i saw on the rat guru YouTube channel!!

 

[SQ]

The cage is a starter cage ……. that means it is too small for rats and is only a temporary cage …… if it is free and if you are unable to purchase a good cage right now then use it and get a good cage (such as a martins powder coated R695 with flip top lid martinscages.com or a critter nation cage) as soon as possible

The base of that cage is too small for rats and the sides of the base have a small ledge that is perfect for chewing an escape hole.

Rats need a lot of horizontal space. Height with large levels is important but horizontal space is most important.

While hammocks are important, imo baskets etc would be a mistake.
If you do have to use that cage, I would suggest creating a second full level using 2 very strong large baking cooling racks covered with a piece of coroplast or a thick piece of linoleum cut to fit, leaving space at one end for the rats to go down to the other full level …………………. then use one of the shelves in each section of the cage - put a corner litter box on each shelf and the rats will use the shelves to sit on - you can also place a water dish attached to the side of the cage on each of the shelves - and hang a hammock against each shelf so that they can be entered and exited from the shelves - position the second full level so that it is just below the upper side door so that there is a door in the side of both full levels………………… a solid 12 inch diameter wheel can be attached to the side of the cage on the bottom level and houses and boxes can be placed on both full levels and tubes can be hung on the sides of the cage or placed on the full levels (but not on the upper level if they can roll).

Play areas are important as rats need to run, climb, explore and interact with you ….. so a small cage can be placed into a play are but would not be a pay area - see examples in the Reference Thread https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/

Picture below is the bottom section of that cage, set up for a rescued mama and her young babies - a hammock or second level are not included and imo they would have been too dangerous for babies that young. You can see the wheel, corner litter box and water dish in the picture as well as the second level they could not access

I hope this information helps