sunlight danger?

[RatsDrawBlood]

I read rats can die from being outside ten minutes. Is that just due to forced direct sunlight? So if their cage has shelves/tunnels/houses to hang out under, it can be kept by a sunny window (that's only open when it's cool enough out)? My housemate will be taking care of them when I'm away.

 

[SQ]

Rats will not die from being outdoors for 10 mins unless something kills them.
Drafts blowing on them can cause illness, and being in direct sunlight can cause them to get too hot .... so I would suggest not putting them directly in front of a window

btw, rats need 8 hrs/day of complete darkness

 

[RatsDrawBlood]

rats need 8 hrs/day of complete darkness

Thanks for bringing that up too - since there're street lights, I guess the cage should be covered with thick dark cloth overnight.

 

[SqueakingJellybean]

Blinds or curtains would work as well, assuming you don't sleep with the lights on.

 

[SQ]

Thanks for bringing that up too - since there're street
lights, I guess the cage should be covered with thick dark cloth overnight.

Or just use heavy drapes or blinds on the window at night ...... just mentioned it because most people are not aware that rats need 8 hrs or darkness

 

[RatsDrawBlood]

Blinds or curtains would work as well, assuming you don't sleep with the lights on.

Actually I don't know which is worse, the strong light coming in at the edges of the shades (since it'll be a while till I can get black-out blinds) or not having fresh air (since covering it well enough to block light gives it the ventilation of an aquarium at best).

 

[SqueakingJellybean]

You don't have to remove all vestiges of light from the room. We have opaque curtains, and we leave a window opened under the curtains (because ours is the warmest room in the house and air circulation is a needed thing). We also have an oscillating fan going to provide air movement and white noise.

 

[lilspaz68]

Having a house they can sleeping to get away from the light should be fine.