Home for the rat: how to choose and do it yourself?

Ornamental rats conquered the hearts of many pet lovers. These are very intelligent, inquisitive 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 - let's talk in our article.

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 a variety of factors should be noted. A stranger, loud noises, sudden movements - all this can frighten the animal, and he wants to hide.

Providing comfortable conditions for a pet, owners need to take care that the cage does not fall under drafts. Rats can be very sensitive to them and often catch cold. A house with non-blown walls will allow you to hide inside and not get sick. Also in an insulated house you can easily hide from the cold even in an apartment where for some reason the temperature is rather low. When exposed to direct sunlight on the cage rat, by contrast, can hide in a shelter from the heat.

The rat feels safe in the shelter. This is especially important if the animal feels bad. Calmer males feel much more comfortable without having a house, while girls, on the contrary, need security and a secluded corner.

Choosing a house for a rodent, you need to take into account the size of your pet. He should be comfortable and not cramped inside. If a 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 to start from is the choice of material. Consider the most relevant options.

• House of wood - A great way to take care of the health and comfort of your pet.
• Plastic It has a democratic price; besides, it can be in every home among unnecessary things, and it can be used without affecting 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 be easily hung upstairs, and you will also get a comfortable hammock for the animal. In addition, the fabric is easily washable, and there will be no problems with hygiene. However, we must not forget that rodents try to tooth almost everything that is in close proximity, and the dense tissue becomes easy prey, quickly becoming unusable.
• Ceramic houses, unlike plastic, keep cool and are especially relevant in hot rooms or in summer. When cleaning you need to be careful, as the material is very fragile and beats easily.
• Houses made from bark and branches they are especially valued by rodents, but, unfortunately, they are missing for a short while for the same reason: pets sharpen their teeth about them with great pleasure.

So, it was decided to make a house for the rat with his own hands. When choosing a material owners often opt for plywood.It is durable enough, the surface, unlike wood, does not require heat treatment. In addition, working with plywood does not require special skills and any person can handle it.

First of all, you need to figure out how the animal's dwelling will look like, determine its size and design. Also important is the location and methods of attachment in the cell. Further, measurements and the schematic drawing which will help with work become. Using the jigsaw to produce the necessary parts.

Experts recommend thinking about ventilation. This means that, in addition to the entrance, you need to make a couple of small holes that will help air circulation.

Animal feces inevitably lead to unpleasant odors. To minimize this problem, you can make a house for your pet without a bottom. Such a structure is placed directly on the floor in a cage. The roof can be protected with plastic elements attached to it.

It should be borne in mind that in the manufacture of the house is very It is not recommended to use glue, varnish, impregnation and paint. These materials may be toxic. In addition, the pet will certainly gnaw their home, and these substances can lead to poisoning.

Plywood is a great option for making a rat house. However, we will consider how a pet can be made from other materials, advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

This version of the manufacture of a rat house is the most simple and does not require financial costs. A box of appliances, shoes or food is perfect as a base. In addition, the cardboard is absolutely safe and will not harm the pet.

Among the minuses should be noted very short service life of such houses. The cardboard gets dirty very quickly, becomes deformed and begins to smell unpleasantly, which means it will need to be replaced every few days.

Plastic is not a toxic material, in addition, it is easy to clean and is not susceptible to absorption of odors. Accordingly, a house created from a food container can serve your pet for a long time. 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 added advantage, since rats like to be in the dark and may not feel too comfortable in bright light.

The principle of manufacture is simple. You need to take the container and cut the pet's hole in it, close the edges with tape if necessary.

In this situation, you will need materials at hand. First of all, a plastic bottle, which is in almost any home. Suitable packaging from milk, kvass or mineral water. In addition, you need an old and unnecessary jacket made of soft material, it is necessary 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, about which animals can get hurt, so you will need to glue them with tape or tape. Also on the tape are attached to the sleeves of the jacket, 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 the rat.

Experts believe that it is best to make a house for rats from wood. There are several advantages, the main thing is ecological safety for the pet. Also, the animal will be able to grind teeth on the body.

The choice of material should be approached carefully, because not all varieties of trees can be used. Among them can be found and harmful to the health of your pet.It is recommended to choose fruit crops, such as rowan, apple and pear. Do not harm the rodent birch, oak and lime houses.

It is necessary to take into account 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. Waste rats 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.