Decorative rats won the hearts of many pet lovers. These are very smart, curious animals with their own character and habits, and the owners try to make their content as comfortable as possible. One of the conditions for this is that the animal has its own house. How to choose it or make it yourself - we will talk in our article.
What is it needed for
Does a rat really need a house? Experts insist that the animal should have its own nook. Let's try to figure out the reasons.
First of all, stressful situations that can happen to an animal due to many factors should be noted. A stranger, loud sounds, sudden movements - all this can frighten the animal, and he wants to hide.
In the absence of such an opportunity, even in rats, attacks of aggression and panic can occur, which in severe cases lead to health problems.
Providing comfortable conditions for the pet, the owners need to take care that the cage does not fall under the drafts. Rats can be very sensitive to them and often catch a cold. A house with windproof walls will allow you to take refuge inside and not get sick. Also in the insulated house, you can easily hide from the cold, even in an apartment where for some reason the temperature is quite low. When direct sunlight enters the cage, rats, on the contrary, can hide in a shelter from the heat.
In the shelter, the rat feels safe. This is especially important if the animal is not feeling well. Calmer males feel much more comfortable without a house, while girls, on the contrary, need security and a nook.
How to choose
When choosing a house for a rodent, you need to consider the size of your pet. He should be comfortable and not cramped inside. If the rat is taken into the house at a tender age, it will grow - this must also be taken into account.
If you plan to make a house yourself, the first thing you should build on is the choice of material. Consider the most relevant options.
- Wooden house - A great way to take care of the health and comfort of your pet.
- Plastic has a reasonable price, in addition, it may well be in every house among unnecessary things, and it can be used without compromising the budget. It is easy to clean, however, it can lead to stagnation of air and stuffiness inside.
- You can make a house of dense fabric. Such dwellings do not have to be placed on the floor, they can easily be hung up, and you will also get a convenient hammock for the animal. In addition, the fabric is easy to wash, and hygiene will also not cause problems. However, we must not forget that rodents try on the tooth almost everything in the immediate vicinity, and dense tissue becomes easy prey, quickly becoming worthless.
- Ceramic houses, unlike plastic, keep cool and are especially relevant in hot rooms or in the summer. When cleaning, you need to be careful, as the material is very fragile and easily beats.
- House of bark and branches rodents are especially appreciated, but, unfortunately, they are missing for a short time all for the same reason: pets sharpen their teeth about them with great pleasure.
DIY making
So, it was decided to make a house for a rat with your own hands. When choosing a material, the owners often opt for plywood. It is quite durable, the surface, unlike wood, does not require heat treatment. In addition, working with plywood does not require special skills and any person will be able to cope with it.
First of all, you need to figure out what the animal’s dwelling will look like, to determine its size and design. The location and methods of attachment in the cage are also important. Next, measurements are made and a schematic drawing that will help in the work. Using a jigsaw, the necessary parts are made.
Experts recommend thinking about ventilation. This means that, in addition to the entrance, you need to make a couple more small holes that will help air circulation.
The passage must be at least 5 centimeters wide and high.
Animal feces inevitably lead to an unpleasant odor. To minimize this problem, you can make a house without a bottom for your pet. Such a structure is placed directly on the floor in the cage. The roof can be protected with the help of plastic elements attached to it.
Keep in mind that in the manufacture of the house is very glue, varnish, impregnation and paint are not recommended. These materials may be toxic. In addition, the pet will certainly bite its home, and these substances can lead to poisoning.
Plywood is a great option for making a rat house. However, we will consider how to make a home for a pet from other materials, the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
From cardboard
This version of the manufacture of a rat house is the simplest and does not require financial costs. A box of equipment, shoes or food is perfect as a base. In addition, cardboard is absolutely safe and will not harm the pet.
Among the minuses, a very short service life of such houses should be noted. The cardboard gets dirty very quickly, deforms and starts to smell unpleasant, which means that it will need to be replaced every few days.
In order for the house to keep its condition better, you can leave no bottom on it.
From a plastic container
Plastic is not a toxic material, moreover, it is easy to clean and is not susceptible to absorption of odors. Accordingly, a house created from a food container can last a long time for a pet.In addition, the material is quite dense, and the rodent will not get hurt about it in the process of grinding teeth. Food containers are often opaque - this is their additional advantage, since rats like to be in the dark and may not feel too comfortable in bright light.
The manufacturing principle is simple. It is necessary to take the container and cut the inlet for the pet in it, if necessary, close the edges with electrical tape.
It is up to the owner to decide whether to remove the lid; the rodent will be quite satisfied with the option with or without a bottom.
From a plastic bottle
In this situation, improvised materials will be required. First of all, a plastic bottle, which is in almost any home. Suitable containers for milk, kvass or mineral water. In addition, you will need an old and unnecessary jacket of soft material, you need to cut off the sleeves from it.
To make a house, the neck is cut off from the bottle. There are sharp and not too smooth edges that the animals can get hurt, so you need to glue them with tape or tape. The sleeves of the jacket are also attached to the tape both inside and outside the house. It must be remembered that the use of glue is extremely undesirable, since its toxicity can be harmful to rats.
From wood
Experts believe that it is best to make a rat house out of wood. There are several advantages, the main one is environmental safety for the pet. Also, the animal will be able to grind teeth on the body.
The choice of material must be approached carefully, because not all varieties of trees can be used. Among them can be found and unhealthy pet. Fruit crops such as mountain ash, apple and pear are recommended. Birch, oak and linden houses will not harm the rodent.
Keep in mind that the material must undergo heat treatment, which is designed to help get rid of possible parasites. To do this, it is placed in a hot oven for 2-3 minutes. The temperature should be 100 degrees.
We can not say about the cons, the main of which is the ability of wood to absorb moisture. Rat waste can cause him serious damage, and the smell will be appropriate. Careful cleaning of the house and its periodic replacement with a new one will be required.
You can find out how to make a three-story house for a rat with your own hands by watching the video below.
