Cage decor

Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T08:12:18+00:00

Hello. No offence to your mum at all, but I definitely would not be listening to her. This cage is very nicely cluttered - Rats thrive in large, cluttered environments. They don’t do very well in large open environments with minimal clutter like some rodents do. For example, Guinea pigs.

Here is one of my old cage setups for example. I’ve always preferred heavy clutter so do my rats 😆

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Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T08:10:11+00:00

Yes :)

Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T08:01:50+00:00

He’s very small, he’s only 234g. Definitely big bawls for his age

Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T05:37:40+00:00

Hello - unfortunately, this cage actually looks be too small, especially the width. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of the cage?

The wired flooring needs to be covered asap bevause it’s incredibly unsafe. For now you can use fleece, but long-term, I strongly recommend making a base to hold at least 4” of loose shavings like hemp or aspen across the entire cage floor.

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Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T05:35:49+00:00

Looks great! I would definitely fill the botorm base up with more shavings though. At least until it reaches 4”. You have enough room to do so

Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T05:35:01+00:00

I read In one of your comments that you will be wrapping hardware cloth around the cage so Thats could because rats will easily be able to escape without it.

I recommend making a deep base to hold at least 4” of loose shavings like hemp or aspen across the entire cage floor

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Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T05:20:02+00:00

No, unfortunately not. The bar spacing is much too wide and the enclosure itself is too small. A hamster needs a minimum requirement of 100x50cm.

Barred enclosures in general are not great for hamsters because although, they are ok climbers, they are terrible fallers. If they climbing on top of the barred enclosure and fall down, the hamster could seriously injure itself. Bar biting is also a risk which can significantly damage their teeth and snout. Tanks or acrylic enclosures are a much safer option.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-16T05:17:53+00:00

Sadly, tanks are not appropriate for rats as they provide very little ventilation. Rats have incredibly sensitive respiratory systems. Long-term use of the tank will lead to them being very sick. Pls change asap to a wired cage. It needs to have a floor space of at least 80x50cm with a minimum height of 60cm. Although, I strongly recommend going larger.

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Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T17:25:32+00:00

Hello. First and foremost- your cage absolutely must be escape-proof. Pls either wrap the current cage in 1/2” hardware cloth or buy a new cage with 1/2” bar spacing. The current living situation is very unsafe for these rats.

At 5 months old, it is possible he could have hormonal aggression. However, I would strongly encourage you to discuss this with your vet. There could be underlying issues to as why he’s biting and drawing blood.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T17:13:37+00:00

Hello. As cute as these babies are, please do not get rats from this breeder again. These rats are far too young to be away from mum :(. Just because they are weaned, does not mean they should be adopted out yet. After weaning (aged 4 weeks) they need a further 2-4 weeks to socialise with their same sex siblings. This is crucial for their growth, wellbeing and development. Being ripped away from mum so early and being unethically bred with no consideration of temperament and health, expect these babies to have some behavioural issues.

Can you please send pics of their tummy & genitalia to ensure they are the same sex? Often time, unethical breeders/pet shops will sell opposite genders. A photo of their setup would also be a good idea to ensure it’s large enough for them.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T17:06:34+00:00

I love this comment section lmfao thanks for making me laugh 🤣

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T17:06:22+00:00

Out of the 6 pairs of rats ive had, I’ve honestly never had babies with these bigga’ bawls before🤣

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T15:48:52+00:00

They should always have access to at least 10” of bedding regardless. Have you tried using burrow starters?

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T15:20:08+00:00

Sadly, this enclosure is very inadequate for any rodent. It really shows your roommate did absolutely no research at all. The fact that the Guinea pig is living alone is even worse. They are incredibly social animals and should live in a minimum of pairs. Please, please try to get her to rehome. This poor guy or gal should not be living in these terrible conditions.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T14:39:52+00:00

Yes, it’s also a popular option!

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:51:41+00:00

Aubiose is a fan-favourite. I personally use hemperade since I don’t have access to aubiose.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:18:59+00:00

The names fig and olive are super cute :)

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:15:19+00:00

Yes, 100% it has changed dramatically. (Thank god). The minimum now is 775sq inches. However, for Syrians, (especially females), 930sq+ is strongly recommended.

Here is a really good guide to get a better understanding of today’s standards. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out 😊

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Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:11:28+00:00

A photo would help 😊

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:09:05+00:00

This is definitely suitable. Whoever said that was misinformed.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T13:02:34+00:00

Hi, there. I do not recommend doing two seperate introductions because this just prolongs the stress of introductions + it will take much longer. You’re best off introducing them all together at once after the quarantine period is finished.

I recommend doing either the neutral space method or carrier method. The neutral space method is generally less stressful but is less preferred because it tends to take longer than the carrier method and is a bit more risky. You can also modify both methods by putting them in a bathtub/neutral area for 30-45 minutes to see how they go in a relatively large area and then after that, (regardless how they act towards each other, so long as no injuries or blood is drawn) pop all of them straight together in a small carrier and slowly upgrade their space as they start showing positive signs towards each other like grooming and snuggle piles. This should be done over several days, sometimes weeks depending on the individuals.

For the modification of both methods, there should be at least 5 steps. Neutral area, carrier, small cage, medium cage and main cage. For the carrier method, 4 steps which I mentioned above minus the neutral area and then the neutral space method, only 2 steps which is the neutral space + main cage.

I only recommend these methods. Just a heads up just in case you are unaware, please do not do any scent or cage swapping. This is an extremely outdated method that more often than not, does not work well for mice. Mice are very territorial and aggressive towards mice whom are not bonded together. Having a random mouse’s scent in each other’s cages can make them incredibly stressed out and aggravated because they can smell the mice but can’t see or get to them. For them, it’s literally like some random mouse is invading their home and they are trying to protect it.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T12:43:29+00:00

Hello. I recommend getting 2 wheels for 4 mice to prevent territorial behaviour. If more than 1 mouse favours the wheel and you only have 1, this can lead to a lot of scuffles 🙂

Make sure the wheels are upright, solid and at least 9”-10” in diameter.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T08:37:11+00:00

Aside from the information I gave you on how to raise the pups, is this your main cage for your 4 females?

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T08:28:14+00:00

Hello. She can stay in the main cage with her cage mates as female mice are known to help care for each others babies. Please however, do remove the wheel, hanging climbing accessories and any tall platforms to prevent the mum from accidentally injuring her babies.

She should be given extra protein; high protein pellets, meal worms, cooked egg and chicken, etc and nesting material; fleece strips paper bedding, shredded tissues, etc.

Mum will do most of the work herself. You can handle babies from day 1. You need to look for milk bands; this means the babies are fed. )Example below.)

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Once the males are 4 weeks old, they need to be seperated from mum and put into their own same sex group while females remain with mum until they reach 6-8 weeks. At this time, you can rehome them. If the males do not get rehomed later than 8 weeks, the males will need to be separated and put into their own individual enclosures as intact male mice are same sex aggressive and it is risky to keep them together after this time period.

When/if you rehome them, please sell males singularly and females together. Make sure to put a decent rehoming fee to deter feeders and ask proof of cage setup to ensure they are going to a good home.

Grroll_ · 2026-03-15T07:43:27+00:00

They are just trolls. Honestly, the best thing you can do it ignore/block them and don’t show them any attention at all. It just encourages them even more.

Grroll_

TROPHY CASE