| There are many options for
housing small mammals such as mice, rats, hamsters, and
gerbils. Enclosure types include glass aquariums, wire cages,
and fancy plastic cages with "additions" that can be
purchased separately. Regardless of caging, hamsters and
gerbils are best caged alone but female mice and rats will
live together with other female or male rats and mice quite
happily (although you may have more babies than you know what
to do with!). It is best to house males separately from other
males.
Cage Types
The advantages of glass tanks include
safety - no sharp edges, easy to disinfect, less likely to be
escaped from with a sturdy screen top lid. Downsides of
aquariums include weight if you opt for a tank larger than 10
gallons (which you would definitely need to house a rat) and
poor ventilation. A special bracket will need to be purchased
to allow the use of a water bottle.
Colored wire cages come in many
variations and are often quite inexpensive. Down sides of
these cages are that litter will be kicked out of the cage,
they quickly rust, animals can potentially get stuck or
injured, and they offer little protection from other pets in
the house. Advantages are good ventilation and many rodents
like to climb the sides of the cages. They are also very easy
to hang a water bottle on without any special hangers. Cages
designed for rabbits, guinea pigs or ferrets may be suitable
for rats if the bar spacing is such that they cannot
escape.
Plastic cages with tubes and hideaway
rooms are very appealing aesthetically. They are often made in
bright colors and just look "fun". They can be quite
expensive and many provide little or no ventilation. Hamsters
seem to appreciate these cages more than gerbils which are
less likely to climb up tubes and more likely to just chew on
them. It is not unheard of for a persistent animal to chew its
way out of these types of cages. The exercise wheels that go
with these cages tend to be quieter than many, however, and
risks of injury may be less than with wire cages.
Bedding
There are many choices of
bedding for small rodents. All of these animals are burrowing
animals and will appreciate deep bedding to tunnel through.
Although cedar and pine were traditionally used and are readily
available and very cheap, these beddings are less than ideal.
Cedar especially has very strong aromatic oils which can cause
serious health problems in some small rodents. Pine also has
oils and can cause allergies and other problems. Hardwoods such
as aspen offer a better option as they contain no oils.
The best beddings for small
rodents are arguably the recycled paper products. These products
come in pellets or flakes and are absorbent, safe, and available
in most large pet stores. Examples include Carefresh® and
Yesterday's News®. These products are more expensive than wood
beddings, but highly recommended.
Plain newsprint or even
shredded office paper can also be used as bedding for more
budget conscious pet owners.
Bedding should be changed
weekly, or more often if it looks or SMELLS dirty. Put your nose
right up to it, and if it stinks, it is time to be changed -
your pets have to live an inch from that smell all day! Gerbils,
who produce much less urine than other rodents, may not need
their cages changed as frequently.
Toys and Cage
Furnishings
Small rodents should be
offered a hiding spot. This place can be a little plastic house,
a toilet paper roll, a little wood house, etc. An exercise wheel
can be included but there is some risk of injury,
especially from metal wheels. Exercise balls for use outside of
the cage seem to be very popular with hamsters and some rats.
They look like clear plastic balls with an doorway that can be
opened. The animal walks inside, causing the ball to roll. These
balls should only be used under supervision, and all stairways
and other hazards should be gated.
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