Making a room rat-safe!

[Synnøve]

Quickly after getting the girls, I found out that there was no point in using the card board playpen I made for them. It's about 50 cm tall, and they jump over it in NO time. It's just not exciting enough for them, knowing there is a big (at least for them ) room outside.

So i've decided to let them use the whole room as a playground.
But what should I do to make the room more safe for them? Are elextric wires dangerous when they're not plugged in? Can fabric or plastic that my stuff is made out of be dangerous? What about the paint on shelves and so on..?

 

[jorats]

My main concern would be the wires. They need to be covered or hidden or restrict access to them. Yes, it can be very dangerous especially plugged in.

 

[Synnøve]

I could probably lift the wires up on top shelves, and places like that, where the girls won't reach them.. At least I hope so

 

[user 78]

I think she meant if the appliances aren't plugged in, Jo. No, there's no electric current when something isn't plugged in, but you still need to keep them from chewing on the wires. When there are breaks in the covering is when you can hurt yourself plugging it in, or even start a fire.

You can use cardboard to keep them away from certain areas, like under your desk and such. You may need to get creative, though. You can also buy zip ties, or velcro ties meant for organizing electronic wires, and pin the tie high enough on the wall that the rats can't get to them.

You can look at DapperRat's website, she has alot of good ideas on how to free range rats safely. http://www.dapper.com.au/articles.htm#free

 

[jorats]

:watching: I got to start reading these posts with my eyes open. :lol:

 

[Synnøve]

Hehe

 

[September555]

Synn....

My rats are caged in my bedroom and they have my entire room as a playground. (My old rat used to just play on my bed...that's it...not these two girls..they quickly got down and it was all over then!) I have typical bed and dressers etc in my room...I slipped cardboard under the dressers so they could not get under there....I put them baby safe plug things into outlets that were not in use so little toes couldn't slip in there and for like under my bed and corners that have electrical strips with lots of plug ins, I just set a couple of 2 foot tall piece of flat cardboard up against it and blocked it off so they can not go near it, like corner it off. The rest of the cords I just lay up high like you said...but...if they are like mine...they stand up...look to where to go and jump as high as they can then they go mountian climbing on the wires sometimes and they and the wires fall down...so..just gotta put they way way high. haha...mine like to jump and swing if I am not careful. Oh...and putting a stuffed animal up against somewhere you DONT want them to go...doesnt work...they climb up up and away!

It's just about like baby proffing a room...thats what I did...I thought baby when I rat proofed my room. hehe.

Paula

 

[Synnøve]

Thanks alot!