Cages for rats
The Savic Freddy 2
The Freddy 2 is a plastic bottomed cage with horizontal, narrow, coated bars. It measures L80 X W50 X H63cm which is about the minimal cage size needed for housing a pair of rats. It is a sound, basic cage which is quite robust and wears well. It is easy to clean out and suitable for supervised cleaning by a child. If using this cage I would recommend removing the shelf and ramp that come with the cage, as these are is flimsy and difficult to keep clean. they also take up a lot of the cage space and more imaginative arrangements are possible without them.
Because the Freddy 2 is not a particularly large cage a lot of thought is needed when planning the cage layout to make the best possible us of the available space.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 2 to 3.
The Savic Freddy Max
The Freddy Max is a recently developed cage from Savic and combines the positive features of the Freddy 2 with extra height. It measures L80cm x W50cm x H80cm and gives more scope for cage design and climbing opportunities. The shelves remain rather flimsy and I would personally not use them, but with the extra room you may wish to leave one in place, perhaps with a corner litter tray attached to help to prevent soiling. I would personally remove all ramps though, as these will discourage climbing, which is the best 'in cage' behaviour for maintaining fitness. They are unecessary (except for old, less mobile rats) and just take up cage space.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 4.
The Critter 2
People either love or loathe the Critter/Terenziani style cages. The Critter 2 is a cheap, all metal cage with 2cm wire mesh. the whole cage is powder coated, and easily washable until the metal begins to corrode. If you decide to use this cage I would definitely remove the base mesh and the ramps. Personally, I would also remove the middle shelf as this makes the cage very difficult to keep clean, and also reduces its flexibility regarding imaginitive set ups. A good tip is to invest in a deep cat litter tray form Wilkinsons, as these fit exactly accross the width of the cage and rest happily on the middle rim. This creates a half level and can be filled with substrate as a second living area. Without the ramps and shelves I find the cage bearable, but limited by it's size. It measures L70cm x W42cm x 68cm.
It's most redeeming feature is its fully opening top, which does make it an ideal cage for scared or reluctant rats where you need good access for handling.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 2.
The Tom Rat Cage
The Tom is a superior version of the Jenny Rat Cage (Ferplast), being around the same size but with much better access and powder coated bars. It measures L82cm x W51cm x H80cm and is a wire framed, narrow bar spacing top that clips onto a deep plastic base. There is a really large door to the centre front. This cage comes with shelves, ramps (again I would not recommend these for fit rats), tubes and a small house. A good all round cage for someone with just a few rats.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 3 to 4.
The Ferplast Jenny Rat Cage
I didn't like the old style Jenny because of problems with access and uncoated bars which aged quickly and held smell, but the Jenny has now had a complete makeover and, whilst i haven't owned one, on paper at least it looks great. It is a similar size to the Tom (W80cm x D50cm x H79.5cm), and now has a large front door as well as a good sized opening in the roof. The chrome frame improves it's robustness and the bars are now powder coated, making them easier to clean thoroughlly. It is the same style as the Tom, a narrow barred wire frame top and a deep plastic base. Accessories are similar too - shelves, ramps, tubes, food bowls and a bottle. Both cages retail for about 115-130 pounds, new.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 3 to 4.
The Ferplast Furet XL
This is a bigger cage, L80cm x W75cm x H86.5cm, but for someone with a short arm reach like me, its extra width can become a bit of a problem. However, the two doors (one in the roof and one centre front) are a really good size and with a bit of maneuvering it is possible to get in there to reach the far corners and back wall. The extra width can pose a problem with getting equipment that will fit right accross the cage but some hammock sellers are now making hammocks specifically for this cage. Interestingly (if you can get hold of them), the shelves from a Superpet ferret kingdom fit exactly across this cage, and are much more robust than the two corner shelves that come with it. The cage comes with shelves, ramps, tubes, a small hammock and a corner litter tray. The wire frame is powder coated, but a bit flimsy and the bars are usefully narrow. The base is plastic.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 6 to 7.
The Ferplast Furet XL Tower
The tower is basically two furet XL one on top of the other with a hole cut into the base of the top one to allow access. This makes a large cage (which can also be divided into two). I have never owned one, as I found the single XL unmanageable because of its width, but some people love them and they do offer versatility. Size works out at W80cm x D75cm x H161cm.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be around 12.
The Ferplast Duetto
This cage is an aviary style cage and for anyone with the space and two groups of rats it is my cage of choice. The RRP is high, but it's fairly easy to pick them up second hand for less than �100. They are all metal, powder coated cages with coated metal trays as bases. The whole cage overall is split into two completely independant layers. Access is good, especially to the bottom level which has two large doors. The unit is on wheels for ease of movement. I use these with card bedding and rather than removing the trays at cleaning time I sweep out the cage via the door using a small bin which fits through the door. This means that you can use a deep layer of litter (the cage doesn't shed as there is a solid metal edge around the cage before the bars start). The bars are narrow and horizontal (which makes climbing much easier for the rats) and gives more options for hanging cage furniture. Wear and tear is good. Mine are all quite a few years old and have minimal paint damage. Size of the base section is W100cm x D55cm x H60cm - the top section also has the extra roof space if this is utilised.
Ideal maximum number of rats would probably be 4 or 5 per section.
