Did you know that giving proper space for your pet rats is important? Actually, giving proper space for any pets is important, for that matter. They need to go outside and explore, interact with people and the environment. Change of scenery is good for your pet’s mental health. That said, your home might not be safe for your rats. So as a responsible pet owner, you need to manage your home to make sure your pet rats are safe and happy. Let’s see what we can do in order to make your little rodents’ environment as safe as possible.
What stuff in your home could be a danger to your rats?
There are many things in your home that could harm your rats. Here are some examples and how to deal with them:
Electrical Cords
Some rats like to chew on electrical cords. If the cords are plugged in, your pet can get electrocuted and die. But even if it’s not plugged in, the electrical cords that got chewed on will be damaged and potentially become a hazard to anyone who touches them when they are plugged in later. Also, the materials the cords are made of are not suitable for rat’s consumption and can harm the rat’s internal organs.
The solution to this problem is to make sure the electrical cords are out of reach at all times, and that your nearby cords are unplugged. If that is not possible, then you can cover the cords with metal or plastic tubes. Anyhow, you will still need to always keep an eye out to make sure your rats are not also trying to chew through the covered cords as well.
Gaps, cracks, and crevices in your furniture or your room
Rats love to crawl into tight spaces to play, hide, or build a nest. These tight spaces could be under the sofa, underneath your wardrobe, between your shelves, or even under the doors. And when they do, they are at risk of getting stuck, crushed, or injured with no way for you to reach them. There are so many places in your room that could be dangerous for your pet rats, such as;
Cushioned sofas and chairs: The rats can get under the cushion and accidentally get sat on and crushed by someone who does not realize they are there. Also, they could crawl in and hide between the cushions or get stuck under the sofa. To prevent this, you can wrap some corrugated cardboard around the base of the sofas, and check your cushions every time you’re about to sit down.
Rocking chair: This type of chair can easily crush and kill your rats if they were to get underneath it. Remove the chair from the room before letting your rats out of the cage to avoid this tragedy.
Mattresses: The rats can chew into the mattresses and crawl inside to build their own nest in there, and then you will not be able to get them out. Cover your mattress with a bedspread or a blanket to prevent them from being damaged, and if your rats love to gnaw on things then keep your eyes on them at all times.
Cabinets and drawers: Usually, there are gaps or openings underneath almost all built-in cabinets and drawers, which your rats can crawl inside and find wires to gnaw on or wander around and get lost. Check for the gaps with your fingers and if you find any then find something to block them.
Gaps underneath the doors: People usually don’t think their rats can escape from under the doors, but rats are able to flatten themselves and crawl under what seems impossible at a first glance. If the gap underneath your door in the rats’ playroom is wider than 0.25 inches (6.25 millimeters), then you need to block it by installing a door sweep at the bottom of the door.
Open sliding glass doors and windows with closed blinds: Even with the blinds closed, your rats can escape through the open glass doors or windows by climbing the blinds and squeezing themselves out at the edge! Always keep your glass doors and windows closed when you let your rats out.
Things with string or fringe
Many rats enjoy playing with strings but they can get tangled, strangled, choked, or constrict their limbs. Examples of these items are window blinds cords, door bead curtains, or knitting yarns. That is why you should remove anything with strings or fringe from the room, or put them out of reach from your rats.
Toilets and aquarium
Rats can climb onto furniture and if there is something that contains a large amount of water such as a toilet bowl or a fish tank, the rat might fall into it. Always keep the toilet lid and the aquarium lid closed when you let your rats out to play.
Trash cans
Rats explore and get into trash cans, they might even eat the trash inside then get sick and/or get stuck inside the trash can, unable to get out by themselves. To prevent this, remove trash cans from the room while rats roam around, or keep their lids close.
Also, you should always keep their playroom clean. Do not let any dust, garbage, or crumbs of food accumulate on the floor as your rats will eat almost anything they can find on the floor. Despite all of this, it is always a fun time to have your little pets roam around the house, as long as it’s safe.
