New Cage Questions?

[Ratturtles]

I am buying my two girls a new and much bigger cage. I am wondering if I need to introduce them to the new cage slowly? They've lived in the same cage their whole life so I'm wondering if they'll have a hard time adjusting to their new home?

I am also wondering what the recommended bar spacing is for female rats. One of the reasons Im getting a new cage to begin with is because one of my girls has escaped multiple times in her current cage with a bar space of 1 inch. The cage I am interested in has a bar spacing of 1/2 an inch.

What material would you recommend to make platforms? The cage Im buying is actually a bird cage so I'm going to need to make some platforms with ramps for my girls to climb up and down on. I'm thinking of using acrylic but am wondering if there is anything anyone would recommend

 

[SQ]

Yes, you would not want bar spacing larger then 1/2 inch

You will need a cage that is at least 4 cubic feet in size - bigger is better
with a base/floor space of at least 30 inches by 18 inches - but bigger is better

If you look at the link on bin cages or rabbit cages in the Reference Thread, you will get some ideas for making large solid levels https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/

The cages most often recommended for rats are the midwest critter nation and the martins powder coated R695 with flip top lid (wire levels must be covered) martinscages.com
but some people use bird etc cages and set them up so that they are good for rats

 

[Ratturtles]

Yes, you would not want bar spacing larger then 1/2 inch

You will need a cage that is at least 4 cubic feet in size - bigger is better
with a base/floor space of at least 30 inches by 18 inches - but bigger is better

If you link at the link on bin cages or rabbit cages in the Reference Thread, you will get some ideas for making large solid levels https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/

The cages most often recommended for rats are the midwest critter nation and the martins powder coated R695 with flip top lid (wire levels must be covered) martinscages.com
but many people use bird etc cages and set them up so that they are good for rats

Thank you! Those links were very helpful? Do you think I need to sl0wly transition them into the new cage?

 

[SQ]

I have never slowly transitioned rats to a new cage.
Yu can always let them explore the new cage a few times prior to moving into it, if you are concerned.
I think that moving their familiar things - litter boxes, hammocks, houses, tubes, wheel etc will make them feel safer and more at home.
If you move the reasonably clean items from their old cage into the new cage without first cleaning the items, then the items will smell like your ratties - I am not sure this would be necessary but it would make the new cage smell like them.

 

[jorats]

I've never slowly transitioned rats to a new cage but now that I think about it, if you have the time to let them go explore the new cage a couple of days before moving in might be helpful for those rats who don't like changes. Also, be sure to add familiar smells in the new cage like their toys and boxes and such.