My BB Rattery Set Ups
This page is a collection of pictures of my ratty set ups here at BB Rattery. In my rat room now it’s all built and complete (just tiny finishing touches remaining) I have my males and females in two separate very large metal cages in their groups. Around the rat room I have toys and most recently i have added the kittens cat tree which is no longer in use, for the ratties to play on in their free play time.
The best cage I have is the huge pet planet cage which fully opens the whole cage up on two floors. This allows ultimate access to rats and cage. Fantastic! The rats love it too and I can fill it with lots of silly toys and Even fit dig buckets inside to provide the rats with a way to dig and forage as they love to get messy!!! I also hide various foods in this including mealworms 🤢😂
Currently, I am really getting into DIY rattie furniture (after completing the boys “thrift cage” which I loved doing) so I am adding lots of bits to the girls cage now too seeing how much the boys LOVE their new cage.
Any suggestions of things you would like to see please let me know ❤️
The best cage I have is the huge pet planet cage which fully opens the whole cage up on two floors. This allows ultimate access to rats and cage. Fantastic! The rats love it too and I can fill it with lots of silly toys and Even fit dig buckets inside to provide the rats with a way to dig and forage as they love to get messy!!! I also hide various foods in this including mealworms 🤢😂
Currently, I am really getting into DIY rattie furniture (after completing the boys “thrift cage” which I loved doing) so I am adding lots of bits to the girls cage now too seeing how much the boys LOVE their new cage.
Any suggestions of things you would like to see please let me know ❤️
BB Rats; The Girls
I constantly change up the cages to keep the ratties minds active and prevent boredom. The longer I have the cage, the more I’m getting used to it and the more I’m adding! See the following photos for some of the different ways I set up the cage (I will constantly add to this);
BB Rats: The Boys
The boys are currently in very large converted bird cage. I am hoping to add some levels in the middle and my lovely partner will be doing that for me soon 🥰
*update 02.08.19*
The boys “thrift cage” 😂 is complete!!! Its a bird cage (which I originally bought very cheaply from amazon for £52!) and was just a shell of a cage. Unsuitable really for rats but I thought maybe I could fix it up rather than throw it out or sell it. Take a look at the photos below of the cage when it’s all been built. Note that none of their plastics (Sputniks, wheel etc) or soft furnishings (hammocks, fleeces etc) are in the cage for the photo as I am trying to show the cage itself in this pic. If I added all that stuff to the pic you won’t see any of the cage itself lol.
The boys “thrift cage” 😂 is complete!!! Its a bird cage (which I originally bought very cheaply from amazon for £52!) and was just a shell of a cage. Unsuitable really for rats but I thought maybe I could fix it up rather than throw it out or sell it. Take a look at the photos below of the cage when it’s all been built. Note that none of their plastics (Sputniks, wheel etc) or soft furnishings (hammocks, fleeces etc) are in the cage for the photo as I am trying to show the cage itself in this pic. If I added all that stuff to the pic you won’t see any of the cage itself lol.
Click on the photos below for much more detail.
I’m very proud of this cage as I am a self professed DIY dodger! This was honestly the first time I have ever used a drill or a saw 😅 (although I think I did woodwork at school but apparently can’t remember a thing of it, it was a very long time ago 😂). I had a little bit of guidance from my man as to how to screw in the wood to metal screws to make the floating shelves but that’s about it (and the odd “you’re doing that wrong” comment 😂) but that’s it!
My faves are the floating shelves (which the rats love) and the wooden bridge I made from the old bird perches. Also the hanging shelves fixed with natural rope are kind of cool too!
Nothing is fixed in the cage either, so everything can be moved which is important as rats love variety and really enjoy themselves checking out new surroundings.
When it comes to cleaning time the cage will be emptied and I will clean it like I do all the cages, jet spray and bleach in the garden! Although, I won’t bleach the wood (natural wood is permeable and the bleach will rot the wood), I will use antibacterial spray which I will leave to soak then rinse. I also use detol spray to finish.
My faves are the floating shelves (which the rats love) and the wooden bridge I made from the old bird perches. Also the hanging shelves fixed with natural rope are kind of cool too!
Nothing is fixed in the cage either, so everything can be moved which is important as rats love variety and really enjoy themselves checking out new surroundings.
When it comes to cleaning time the cage will be emptied and I will clean it like I do all the cages, jet spray and bleach in the garden! Although, I won’t bleach the wood (natural wood is permeable and the bleach will rot the wood), I will use antibacterial spray which I will leave to soak then rinse. I also use detol spray to finish.
Rattie Play Ground
I wanted somewhere where the rats could play while the weather is nice, we’re all in the garden pottering and while I clean their cages (it takes me a fair amount of time so can’t trust the children not to forget they’re holding the rats 😩😂).
So I bought a cheap wooden rabbit run which folds up and has a lid from petplanet.com for approx £50. We bought 4 rolls of wire mesh from wilkos (which has a 6mm gap I think from memory) which were approx £3.75 a roll.
My partner spent all afternoon stapling and cutting the wire to make it secure for the rats. He had to ensure he covered all the wood with the wire (of course rats would quickly chew thru wood). His hands hurt for days after, poor bloke 😬🙈
My partner did a fantastic job and I finished it by filling it with lots of ratty toys and yummy treats. Here are some pics of the ratty playground...
So I bought a cheap wooden rabbit run which folds up and has a lid from petplanet.com for approx £50. We bought 4 rolls of wire mesh from wilkos (which has a 6mm gap I think from memory) which were approx £3.75 a roll.
My partner spent all afternoon stapling and cutting the wire to make it secure for the rats. He had to ensure he covered all the wood with the wire (of course rats would quickly chew thru wood). His hands hurt for days after, poor bloke 😬🙈
My partner did a fantastic job and I finished it by filling it with lots of ratty toys and yummy treats. Here are some pics of the ratty playground...
Future Plans ☺️
*Update May 2019***
So I recently purchased a very large shed for my rabbits and now have the building free at the side of my house for the ratty crew ❤️ As a breeder, I have large female and Male groups in huge cages, lots of spare cages, lots of food and bedding, boxes and our new ratty playground, which is all too much for my little three bed house to hold alone 😅. The building is ideal as my Rattery as I can also store all of this equipment and give the rats the space they deserve. Under no circumstances will I hold nursing mothers or pregnant females in tiny cages just because I’m a breeder. I have respect for my rats as well as lots of love and time spent on them (not to mention a ton of money 😭😂). Having the ratty room is the best way to be able to provide them all with this space, plus I’m going to love tarting it up for them 😂
It is a big project and will take plenty of time and money. It is a work in progress while I am a mummy and student. I will update with our progress on the ratty room ☺️🌹🖤🐀
So I recently purchased a very large shed for my rabbits and now have the building free at the side of my house for the ratty crew ❤️ As a breeder, I have large female and Male groups in huge cages, lots of spare cages, lots of food and bedding, boxes and our new ratty playground, which is all too much for my little three bed house to hold alone 😅. The building is ideal as my Rattery as I can also store all of this equipment and give the rats the space they deserve. Under no circumstances will I hold nursing mothers or pregnant females in tiny cages just because I’m a breeder. I have respect for my rats as well as lots of love and time spent on them (not to mention a ton of money 😭😂). Having the ratty room is the best way to be able to provide them all with this space, plus I’m going to love tarting it up for them 😂
It is a big project and will take plenty of time and money. It is a work in progress while I am a mummy and student. I will update with our progress on the ratty room ☺️🌹🖤🐀