Rat cages

>>2205178
I don't know if it would work for what you want, but they actually make kitten cages that are pretty fucking big. I imagine original idea was to display kittens at a pet store, but you can get them kinda cheap because no one sells kittens at a store.

Fabrics like that you'd be able to find in an Art's and crafts store. You might also want to put cardboard along the sides if you're worried about mess or privacy.

>>2205196
I would imagine the bar spacing in these types of cages would be too big for young and female rats, or am I wrong? I'm pretty set on the cage above though.

The only craft store near me is Hobby Craft, I can pop over after work - hopefully I can make it before they shut. Thanks for the suggestion!

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Okay another question - how do I get my dog to think of the rats as friends, not food?

Also, are there any dangers (to the dog) with having rats in the room she sleeps in? Ie can they make her sick?

Pic somewhat related I guess, my dog looks like that but with floppy ears.

I see the cage has wire platforms. wire platforms are really bad for the rats' feet, so cover the platforms, or get different ones.
rats like to climb and to hide in things, so you can use things like ropes and bird perches to make climbing possibilities.they sell hammocks for rats where i live, they really like those. though you'll have to wash them frequently, and they'll chew them up, so don't expect them to last forever. if you're handy with a sewing machine you can even make them yourself. It's also a good idea to change the setup of the cage, put the toys and such in different places, change out the toys for other ones. that keeps the rats busy with exploring for a bit.

>>2205392
Thank you! I'm going to cover the wire on the platforms - I thought I mentioned that somewhere. If read about bumble foot etc, although I'm still a little worried about the ladders. We'll see.

I have an eye out on some hammocks and soft tunnels that you can hang up, the website where I'm getting the cage from has lots to choose from! I'm having a hard time deciding which ones to get haha.

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Bump, just in case someone has anything to add ^^

>>2205178
>And this is where my question lies - how on earth do I decorate the cage?

You go to your local dollarstore, and you buy whatever you want. Actually, Halloween is my favorite time for animal decor for my snakes. (I have rats too, but different set up). They have pre made baskets, and fabrics you can use for hides, plastic chain, dog rope toys make excellent rat ropes. Just get creative really.

>>2205388
Just don't. Dogs and rats have never really gotten along well in all of my experiences. No there really isn't anything a rat can pass to a dog, and vice versa. Keep your rats cage clean, your dog may urinate to cover the smell of the rats (unlikely, but a friends dog did this to her as soon as she brought rats home). Rats stress easily, they really need a nice low traffic area where a dog can't harass them.