Reddit mentions of Ware Manufacturing Flying Saucer Exercise Wheel for Small Pets, 12-Inch - Colors May Vary

Yesterday I adopted a rat from a friend who works too much to take care of him properly. His name is Francis, isn't he adorable?.

When I first got Francis home, I realized that he was in pretty bad shape, both mentally and physically.
Physically, he is fat (look at that belly), he didn't come with a wheel, or any kind of exercise other than running around in his small cage. He was being fed the wrong kind of food, all around he was in a bad situation.
Mentally, he has been moping around a lot, and I think he is lonely. Rats are very social creatures, and they thrive when they have cagemates. Apparently, Francis used to have a brother, but his brother died a few months ago. I would love to get Francis a new friend, but the cage is simply not big enough for two rats.

I guess what I'm saying is, you can make both mine and Francis's dream come true by getting us this cage. He would have plenty of room to move around in, plenty of room to add a cagemate for him, and I would have all the room I need to put a wheel in his cage (which there is barely enough room for now), and spoil him with toys!

If we win the raffle instead, I would love for Francis to have a wheel, there is a very nice one on my WL

C'mon...gimme a break, you know you both look amazing everyday!

It's important that you get him a wheel that has NO holes or bars! His little feet might get caught and he could easily break his feet/legs. You need to get him a wheel like this: http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/the-carolina-storm-wheel.html or a flying saucer wheel like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ware-Flying-Saucer-Exercise-12-Inch/dp/B001AT62G6

I would line the floor pans with more fleece. One layer will be fine if they aren't heavy chewers. This gives them extra cushion on their feet and makes the whole cage a cozy place to nap.

If you do this, I'd also suggest a slab of some sort. I use countertop samples, but slabs of granite etc. are easy to purchase at a Home Depot or other DIY type store. This will provide a solid, cool surface to lounge on as well as keep the fleece anchored in that corner.

Tunnels! My ratties love their plastic, pvc, and cardboard tunnels. An alternative would be to use an empty tube of Quaker oats and punch out the bottom. Just throw them away after a few days to avoid grossness.

Scrap the wheel. If you can, try to get a solid plastic wheel without any wire. The wire wheels can catch their toes, tails, etc. They're also harsh on the bottoms of their feet.

Hammocks and hanging fleece tubes of all kinds are highly recommended. To name a few:

Pirate Hammock - $14.32

Pyramid Hammock - $10.21

Simple Hanging Tunnel - $7.00

Parrot toys and ladders also work well, just be sure they aren't made of pine. Pine is toxic to rats. Other types of "Soft Wood" are also harmful (softwood trees are cedar, Douglas fir, juniper, pine, redwood, spruce, and yew). Products and tree branches made of these are not safe to use in the cage.

Especially for young rats, it's important to let them climb. A thick rope, such as this parrot perch are excellent climbing toys. The clips attach firmly to any wall of the cage.

You can get as creative or as simple as you like!

See also: "The Grotto"

I use the Flying Saucer wheel. Only one of my girls use it - and I laugh when she does - I have sitting on the floor of the cage in between 2 levels, so she jumps on the wheel to try and get to the next level and ends up running on it for about 5 minutes before she gives up and goes another way. She ends up doing this many times a day.

I like this type of wheel because I don't have to be concerned about spinal damage or tails or toes getting caught on something.

1- Always adopt more than one!

Rats are very social animals, and to prevent undue stress and sadness, they need to have rattie friends with which to spend their time. Also, try to adopt same-sex pairs/groups to avoid accidental litters; if you must adopt rats of different genders, make sure one of them are ‘fixed’ before housing them together. It’s also a good idea to get littermates, as they’ll already be familiar with each other, and they’ll be the same age, which becomes significant as they age and pass on.

Also, I HIGHLY recommend trying to find a reputable rat rescue near you before going to a pet store or breeder. There are SO MANY loveable, beautiful rats out there that were rescued from bad conditions and need loving homes. Breeders often supply reptile owners with feeders, and many don’t keep their rats in good conditions or socialize them properly. Same with pet stores. A lot of times, female pet store rats will even end up pregnant because someone didn’t keep them away from the males. There are several Facebook groups and websites with area-specific rescue groups that can point the way for you to find your babies.

2- Make sure your cage type is right!

Rats, like humans, need their personal space. If you cram too many in too small a space, you’ll get stress and fighting. Use a cage dimension calculator like this one to make sure the cage you’re looking at buying is big enough for the number of fur babies you’re going to get (2-3 is a good starting number.) also important is the distance between the cage bars, especially if you’re going to adopt young rats. Remember, anything they can fit their head through, they can fit the rest of their body through if they really want to. Try to get a cage with no more than 1/3-1/2inch of space between the bars.

Rats are also climbers- while a single-story unit would be fine for a rabbit or guinea pig, it’s important for rats to have multiple levels and platforms on which to live and play.

DO NOT use a glass tank. Rats are prone to upper respiratory infections, and they also pee quite a lot. This wouldn’t be an issue, except rat pee is high in ammonia, which is bad for them to breathe in. Tanks just can’t get the proper level of ventilation to be a good home for rats, even with daily cleanings; they might look cute, but for your babies’ sake, stick with a cage.

Make sure your cage has smooth floors. Rats, like most other pawed animals, have little pads on their feet. They’re also quite sensitive, and prone to getting their toes caught. Make sure that any mesh or wire platforms in your cage are covered with a hard, smooth surface so that your rats can walk/run/jump around comfortably.

3- Essentials

Rats are prey animals, so their instincts drive them to hide and nest; make sure you give them lots of places to hide away, like little houses, nests, baskets, and hammocks. Places up high are a favorite among my girls.

Make sure you have an constant, ample water supply. I recommend having a couple of water bottles, or a bottle and a dish- just in case they finish one off during the day, they’ll have plenty more to make it until you get home and notice that one’s empty. I personally keep a dish with dry rat food full in the cage as well, to make sure they’re never hungry.

Fleece liners or other bedding options are also important- rats aren’t very good at regulating their body temperatures, so giving them a means to keep warm is important. Fleece covers over the trays (I use blankets cut to shape and pinned with binder clips) or bedding spread liberally over the bottom of a deeper pan is important for this.

Exercise wheels are also a good idea; get the biggest one you can- it’s not good for them to have their backs/tails bent at too far an angle. A saucer wheel is perfect, but my girls wouldn’t run on the one I gave them, so I got them this one

Also, not quite essential, but- rats are über smart, and can be litterbox trained! Giving them a litter box and training them to use it will save a lot of time and effort when it comes to cleaning their cage every week.

4- Toys and decorations

Like I said before, rats are smart! They need mental stimulation. Puzzles, toy balls, and hanging bird toys are all great ideas. There are also a ton of diy toy ideas on the Internet in places like Pinterest. A lava rock ledge or a brick in the cage will help them keep their claws trim, and provide a convenient step-up into a hide. Try to stay away from soft woods, and keep with hardwood toys and shelters.
As for decor; they’ll probably regularly chew through the fleece you give them, so it’s easy to switch up the cage aesthetic whenever you want :) you can also cut up the old fleece into bits and give it to them as bedding to nest with, too.

This is my girls’ cage after it was mostly-clean yesterday (I did the top level later on.) I know the image is potato-quality, but you’ll probably be able to see the water bottles, hammocks, hides, and wheel :) their food dish is stashed behind the purple ramp next to the wheel haha

You might also notice the boxes in the top level; cardboard boxes are a great thing to put in their cages; it’s a chew toy and a hide all in one! You’ll need to replace them regularly, of course, but things like soda boxes and tissue boxes are great cage additions.

5- Cleanliness

It’s important to clean your rats’ cage weekly, at least, and twice weekly if they’re hairless (hairless are more prone to uri’s.) Personally, I wipe down the bars with baby wipes (or soap and water if they really need it) and clean the pans with soap and water. As for all of the hammocks and fleece, I toss it in the washing machine with my own clothes (no fabric softener or dryer sheets) and also make sure to beat them out (like a rug) so they’re as clean as possible before putting them in the laundry. I also wash all of their plastic toys, dishes, and wheels with soap and water, making sure to rinse them well so there’s no residue.

It’s rare, but sometimes your rats will need some help getting clean. When my girls were younger, there came a point where they smelled like pee and they had porphyrin all over their fur from their own cleanings; at that point, I prepared a thick towel and some warm water, and washed each of them with oatmeal baby soap, making sure to avoid their faces and ears (as you would with a dog or other pet) and immediately afterward cuddled them in the towel until they were dry enough that I felt like they wouldn’t be too cold in their cage. My SO was a big help with that stage.

6- Nutrition

Rats need a varied diet. Depending on where you look, you get different percentages, but personally what I do is leave a bowl full of dry food in their cage and top it off as needed, and every night (or, being real, every other night) when I get home and make my dinner, I make a plate for them and load it up with a bed of kale, sliced or canned vegetables, berries, a sprinkle of oats or nuts (I have some petite babies and I’m trying to help them gain weight) and some chicken or turkey baby food; sometimes I’ll even put some fruit baby food on there as well- they absolutely love it. For protein I’ll also sometimes do scrambled eggs or chicken that I’ve shredded up post-cooking, instead of poultry baby food (baby food is just the easiest thing for me to do) :) these guys give a comprehensive list of foods that are safe for rats, and when in doubt, google it before feeding it to them. Male rats generally have more dietary rules than females, so watch out for that with them.

7- Playtime!

Every single day, your rats will need at least an hour of playtime with you. Just like we were told as kids “get out and play an hour a day” this is really important for their mental and physical health. This could be anything from a free-roam in a rat-proof room, or just running around on the bed while you watch a movie. This is also a great time for you to teach them some tricks (there are plenty of tutorials on the web for how to train them 😊) or set up a little play area for them complete with toy houses and things to explore and treat-laden puzzles for them to solve. For treats, my girls love yogies, nuts, and dried fruit :)

You'll be surprised how much she'd use a wheel, even if you are playing with her a lot during the day :) I think it's really important that they are able to get exercise at night, since they are nocturnal... I think my Penelope probably runs for an hour a night, and her wheel is covered in poop in the morning- honestly, she goes buck wild for that thing!

I would really recommend it, even if you are playing with her tons during the day :)

This is another one that I've heard is good for hedgehogs!

I found one on amazon.com, lookee here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001AT62G6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1415803313&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40 :)


Disclaimer: I'm from Germany, so I have no clue how amazon works in the US :/ but I think every bigger pet shop will have those things on stock? Oo

Congrats on you new hedgie. I got my first 2 weeks ago. Do some research on your google but here are some of my first impressions and helping ease my Noodles into her new home.

Mealworms are the key to any hedgies heart. Not super mealworms though. These are a nice treat to greet them with on a spoon when you want to take them out. She also loves broccoli but hates apples. Research good foods, go to the store, it is trial and error.

Noodles was pretty shook up when my boyfriend brought her home as a surprise gift. So I set up her cage, food, water, etc and let her chill for 24 hours while she got used to my home. I also keep a thin fleece blanket on her cage except against the wall for fresh air.

To help cut costs I cut the sleeves off some old sweatshirts for her to snuggle in. I keep them on rotation and having 5 or 6 at a time allows for her to get a clean one about 2 times a week.

I found that she likes the Ware Flying Saucer more than a normal wheel. It is a solid base with no holes for toes to get caught in. Go ahead and buy the big one, you will need it.

Probably the most interesting thing I do is when I take her out I put her in the "poop box". I do this so it helps keep the cage bedding clean and so she does not mess on me. It is a high sided plastic container and I line it with paper towels. Makes for easy cleaning and I disinfect with a little Dial hand soap. There is nothing in there for her to hide and and it usually takes her about 10 mins to wake up and do her business. Then its time for for some snuggles... well more pokes, but we are getting there.


Edit: Forgot to mention when I get her out I turn off overhead lighting and fans. I didn't do this the first week and I have seen an improvement in her grumpiness now that I have started making things a little more relaxing for her.

I like these seed-stuffed logs

She needs some kind of wheel. You may want to consider a saucer wheel. It is wider and not as tall so may solve your issue with space in the cage.