Can rats live in a converted garage?

[TheFatRatGirl]

Hi there.

So basically, I'm in my third year of Uni and moving back home after to save money. Because my room at home is so small, my family are helping me convert our garage into an office space (i'm going to be a teacher so lots of work at home!). I'd really like for my rats to have a bigger cage (something like the savic royal suite/critter nation type) but it wouldn't fit in my room. Would it be possible for the rats to live in my garage/office?

It will have a raised floor and insulated ceiling and walls. There will be one small window and a glass panel in the door for natural light. There will be no heating (but I grew up without any heating in my house and the rats I had then were okay) and obviously no air conditioning as I live in England and we don't really have that here. It'll have electricity so i could plug an electric heater in if needs be, though i'd be wary about leaving it on over night without me there just in case.

They'd have so much more room there, cage-wise as well as when it comes to freeranging so I'd really like it to work. What do you think? Anyone done anything similar?

 

[SQ]

I wouldn't unless I lived in there with them.

From 2004 through 2007/8 I lived with pet rats in my tiny apartment which was a converted single garage.
I had heat (I live in Canada) but no thermostat, and a window that opened. It was a bit on the cool side as I got whatever heat was left over from the rest of the house - but was within the acceptable temperature range for rats.

Make sure you have a very strong sturdy cage with very small bar spacing, because small weasels do get into homes in search of small rodents to eat …. and converted garages may be easier to get into.

 

[TheFatRatGirl]

Make sure you have a very strong sturdy cage with very small bar spacing, because small weasels do get into homes in search of small rodents to eat …. and converted garages may be easier to get into.

Thanks for your response. All four walls are solid brick and the door and window are being properly installed so I doubt anything could get in, not that we have much wildlife here anyway. Can I ask why it would be better to live there with them? I'd be using the room the majority of the time that I'm home, but not sleeping there, so they'd have a lot of company. Thanks again!

 

[jorats]

If it's comfortable for you, it's comfy for them.