{"id":84021,"date":"2022-04-22T11:59:35","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T11:59:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/"},"modified":"2022-04-22T11:59:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T11:59:35","slug":"how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you make a rat play pen?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_rat_play_pen\" title=\"How do you make a rat play pen?\">How do you make a rat play pen?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_I_make_a_rat_play_area\" title=\"How do I make a rat play area?\">How do I make a rat play area?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_rats_live_in_playpens\" title=\"Can rats live in playpens?\">Can rats live in playpens?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_rat_pen\" title=\"How do you make a rat pen?\">How do you make a rat pen?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_I_build_a_play_area_for_my_rat\" title=\"How do I build a play area for my rat?\">How do I build a play area for my rat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#What_can_I_give_my_rats_to_play_with\" title=\"What can I give my rats to play with?\">What can I give my rats to play with?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_set_a_rat_free_roam\" title=\"How do you set a rat free roam?\">How do you set a rat free roam?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_tall_should_a_rat_playpen_be\" title=\"How tall should a rat playpen be?\">How tall should a rat playpen be?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_safe_play_area_for_a_rat\" title=\"How do you make a safe play area for a rat?\">How do you make a safe play area for a rat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_rats_live_outside_in_a_cage\" title=\"Can rats live outside in a cage?\">Can rats live outside in a cage?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_homemade_rat_cage\" title=\"How do you make a homemade rat cage?\">How do you make a homemade rat cage?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_rat_free_roam\" title=\"How do you make a rat free roam?\">How do you make a rat free roam?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_can_I_make_my_rat_cage_more_fun\" title=\"How can I make my rat cage more fun?\">How can I make my rat cage more fun?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_I_entertain_my_rat\" title=\"How do I entertain my rat?\">How do I entertain my rat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_often_should_rats_free_roam\" title=\"How often should rats free roam?\">How often should rats free roam?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_pet_rats_be_set_free\" title=\"Can pet rats be set free?\">Can pet rats be set free?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Do_rats_roam_alone\" title=\"Do rats roam alone?\">Do rats roam alone?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#What_do_you_put_in_a_rat_play_pen\" title=\"What do you put in a rat play pen?\">What do you put in a rat play pen?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_do_you_make_a_rat_cardboard_playpen\" title=\"How do you make a rat cardboard playpen?\">How do you make a rat cardboard playpen?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#What_is_safe_for_rats_to_play_with\" title=\"What is safe for rats to play with?\">What is safe for rats to play with?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_domesticated_rats_survive_outside\" title=\"Can domesticated rats survive outside?\">Can domesticated rats survive outside?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_long_can_a_rat_live_in_a_cage\" title=\"How long can a rat live in a cage?\">How long can a rat live in a cage?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_you_let_pet_rats_go_in_the_wild\" title=\"Can you let pet rats go in the wild?\">Can you let pet rats go in the wild?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#How_can_I_make_a_cheap_rat_cage\" title=\"How can I make a cheap rat cage?\">How can I make a cheap rat cage?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/how-do-you-make-a-rat-play-pen\/#Can_you_free_range_a_rat\" title=\"Can you free range a rat?\">Can you free range a rat?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_rat_play_pen\"><\/span>How do you make a rat play pen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Place a blanket or tarp over a flat surface to protect it from damage. It&#8217;s best to plan a play area on a raised surface, but you can set one up on the floor if you don&#8217;t have space. Rats instinctively like to chew things up, so protect your floor or table with a plastic tarp or blanket before you add anything else.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_make_a_rat_play_area\"><\/span>How do I make a rat play area?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since rats have a playful nature, <b>a playpen may be a good idea for them as it may allow them to fulfill their need to be the curious little animals that they are.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_rats_live_in_playpens\"><\/span>Can rats live in playpens?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>4 feet high<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_rat_pen\"><\/span>How do you make a rat pen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Build a cardboard rat fort inside the play area.<\/b> Cut out some rat-sized holes in a few small boxes, such as shoe boxes, and arrange them on top of each other randomly to create a tall structure for your rats to explore. Cut some holes in the tops of the boxes too so your rats can crawl around inside the fort.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_build_a_play_area_for_my_rat\"><\/span>How do I build a play area for my rat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Rats enjoy playing in cardboard boxes with holes cut in them, toilet paper tubes stuffed with shredded paper or hay, small pieces of apple branches cut from a pesticide-free tree in the yard, ping-pong balls and paper bags from the grocery store.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_can_I_give_my_rats_to_play_with\"><\/span>What can I give my rats to play with?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>4 feet high<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_set_a_rat_free_roam\"><\/span>How do you set a rat free roam?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Rats enjoy playing in cardboard boxes with holes cut in them, toilet paper tubes stuffed with shredded paper or hay, small pieces of apple branches cut from a pesticide-free tree in the yard, ping-pong balls and paper bags from the grocery store.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_tall_should_a_rat_playpen_be\"><\/span>How tall should a rat playpen be?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>4 feet high<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_safe_play_area_for_a_rat\"><\/span>How do you make a safe play area for a rat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Place a blanket or tarp over a flat surface to protect it from damage. It&#8217;s best to plan a play area on a raised surface, but you can set one up on the floor if you don&#8217;t have space. Rats instinctively like to chew things up, so protect your floor or table with a plastic tarp or blanket before you add anything else.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_rats_live_outside_in_a_cage\"><\/span>Can rats live outside in a cage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Keeping Rats Outdoors <b>Pet rats are not well-suited to life outdoors, but if it&#8217;s impossible to keep your rat inside the house, find an warm, well-ventilated shelter with lots of natural light to place her cage in. An outbuilding or shed will do if you live in a mild climate, as long as it&#8217;s kept clean and hygienic.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_homemade_rat_cage\"><\/span>How do you make a homemade rat cage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>4 feet high<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_rat_free_roam\"><\/span>How do you make a rat free roam?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cardboard. <b>The simplest rat bedding is just plain cardboard. Old cartons, egg boxes and the tubes from toilet paper are all perfect. Tear the cardboard into one or two-inch diameter pieces and store in a plastic bag until needed.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_I_make_my_rat_cage_more_fun\"><\/span>How can I make my rat cage more fun?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Rats enjoy playing in cardboard boxes with holes cut in them, toilet paper tubes stuffed with shredded paper or hay, small pieces of apple branches cut from a pesticide-free tree in the yard, ping-pong balls and paper bags from the grocery store.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_entertain_my_rat\"><\/span>How do I entertain my rat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Here are some store-bought toy ideas you may want to add to your rat&#8217;s cage.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1. Rat Tunnels.<\/li>\n<li>Exercise Wheels.<\/li>\n<li>3. Rat Hammocks.<\/li>\n<li>Rawhide or Apple Stick Chews.<\/li>\n<li>Toilet Roll Chew Box.<\/li>\n<li>DIY Tunnel.<\/li>\n<li>DIY Foraging Center.<\/li>\n<li>Hanging Chew Toy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_often_should_rats_free_roam\"><\/span>How often should rats free roam?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a general rule, pet rats need to spend a minimum of 30 minutes but ideally <b>1-2 hours outside of their cage each day. This will help prevent boredom and stereotypical behavior and helps to keep them fit and prevent obesity. Of course, time outside of their cage should always be in a safe and rat-proof environment.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_pet_rats_be_set_free\"><\/span>Can pet rats be set free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Be under no illusion: <b>Pet rats should never, ever be released into the wild. The domestic rat is exactly that; domestic. They have been bred in captivity since the 18th century, and many of their wild traits have been bred out of them.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_rats_roam_alone\"><\/span>Do rats roam alone?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Overall, <b>rats live to forage and mate. Most rats are nocturnal, though the brown rat is often awake day or night. Rats usually stick together in groups called packs. New packs are formed when a male and female go off on their own and nest in an area that doesn&#8217;t already contain a pack.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_put_in_a_rat_play_pen\"><\/span>What do you put in a rat play pen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since rats have a playful nature, <b>a playpen may be a good idea for them as it may allow them to fulfill their need to be the curious little animals that they are.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_make_a_rat_cardboard_playpen\"><\/span>How do you make a rat cardboard playpen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Place a blanket or tarp over a flat surface to protect it from damage. It&#8217;s best to plan a play area on a raised surface, but you can set one up on the floor if you don&#8217;t have space. Rats instinctively like to chew things up, so protect your floor or table with a plastic tarp or blanket before you add anything else.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_safe_for_rats_to_play_with\"><\/span>What is safe for rats to play with?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Rats enjoy playing in cardboard boxes with holes cut in them, toilet paper tubes stuffed with shredded paper or hay, small pieces of apple branches cut from a pesticide-free tree in the yard, ping-pong balls and paper bags from the grocery store.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_domesticated_rats_survive_outside\"><\/span>Can domesticated rats survive outside?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Domesticated rats introduced into the wild struggle with adapting to life in the wild. These rats usually lack the behavioral skills and physical stamina require for wild rats to survive. <b>When domesticated rats survive in the wild, is is usually under human-controlled circumstances<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_can_a_rat_live_in_a_cage\"><\/span>How long can a rat live in a cage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>How long can a rat live in a cage? Well cared for rats typically live <b>2-u20103 years. Rats are very social with people and other rats. To keep them mentally stimulated and physically fit they should be allowed out of the cage daily for at least 1-u20102 hours of play-u2010time.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_let_pet_rats_go_in_the_wild\"><\/span>Can you let pet rats go in the wild?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Domesticated rats are as vulnerable as babies. Be under no illusion: <b>Pet rats should never, ever be released into the wild. The domestic rat is exactly that; domestic. They have been bred in captivity since the 18th century, and many of their wild traits have been bred out of them.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_I_make_a_cheap_rat_cage\"><\/span>How can I make a cheap rat cage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>The cage floor should be:<\/b><\/p>\n<li>Covered with non-toxic wood chips or paper-based rat bedding.  <\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t use cedar or pine wood chips as these are toxic for small pets like rats.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t use dusty materials such as wood shavings or sawdust.<\/li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_free_range_a_rat\"><\/span>Can you free range a rat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a general rule, pet rats need to spend a minimum of 30 minutes but ideally <b>1-2 hours outside of their cage each day. This will help prevent boredom and stereotypical behavior and helps to keep them fit and prevent obesity. Of course, time outside of their cage should always be in a safe and rat-proof environment.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents How do you make a rat play pen?How do I make a rat play area?Can rats live in playpens?How do you make a rat pen?How do I build a play area for my rat?What can I give my rats to play with?How do you set a rat free roam?How tall should a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84021"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84021\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}