Rats make cute pets. However, they can grow pretty fast. Plus, being social creatures, they need companions too. As a result, the cage you first chose for your rat can soon seem insufficient. Now, getting a new and bigger cage would be necessary in this case. But what if you could make it bigger? Here we talk about how to connect two rat cages to make one big one.
Connecting wire cages is quite simple and easy. You will need two cages, some wire cutters, cage connecting tunnels or tubes, duct tape, and some zip ties. With this equipment, you will join rat cages in no time. But make sure you are safe when working with sensitive parts.
If you are thinking about joining rat cages, then the following article can be helpful for you. Hopefully, you find answers to a lot of common queries.
Connecting Two Rat Cages: Step-By-Step Tutorial
It is quite easy to connect two rat cages. Investing a little time and patience can help you create the perfect abode for your precious pets. Although, you need to have a complete plan in the back of your mind. Otherwise, you might end up hurting yourself or, even worse, your pets. So, follow the guidelines below:
Step 1: Get the necessary equipment
The first step towards completing the project is assembling all the equipment beforehand. This will help you to work faster and without distraction. Because if you have to stop halfway and look for a piece of equipment, obviously the quality of your work will suffer.
Temporary cage: Before anything else, arrange for a container/carrier or temporary cage. This is where you will be keeping your pet rats when you prepare their new home. Make sure the temporary cage is secured enough to hold your rats. Remember, these creatures can escape even though seemingly small crevices. If you don’t want that to happen, be careful of the temporary cage.
Wire-cutters: For connecting wire cages, an essential tool is the Wire-Cutter. Get a strong wire-cutter because wire cages are pretty tough to cut. If you use a light cutter, your work will lack precision. If you fear you might hurt yourself when working, arrange for protective gloves.
Tubes: Another critical piece of material are the cage connecting tunnels. You can find such ready-made tubes in pet stores. Or, you might cut them out of plastic or PVC. In either case, you have to ensure that the tube’s diameter isn’t too big for your rats. Also, it can’t be so small that the rats get stuck.
Tapes and Zip ties: Lastly, keep duct tapes and zip ties close at hand. These are the materials that will connect two rat cages. You will also need to smooth out any sharp edges after you are done. So, you can arrange for a file or sandpaper.
Step 2: Set One Cage Atop The Other
This tutorial talks about the simplest way to connect two rat cages. In this method, one of your cages should be smaller than the other. So, putting the smaller cage over the bigger one will create a robust two-story structure.
First, remove your rats and keep them in a temporary cage. Again, make sure the temporary abode is secure and well ventilated. Then remove the other materials from the cell.
Open the top door of your bigger cage. If you prefer, you can permanently remove it using wire cutters. Use wire-cutters to create a hole if your cage doesn’t have a door on the roof. This is where you will put the tunnel through.
Here is something very important to remember- Do not cut the hole larger than your tube. Later in this discussion, you will see why that’s important.
You will then remove the base or floor of the smaller cage. Put it on top of the bigger cage. Secure the four edges of the smaller cage to the bigger one using zip ties. Cut out the loose ends of the zip ties using the wire-cutters.
Step 3: Cage Connecting Tunnels
Creating your own cage connecting tunnels can be quite a hassle. Plus, you can’t be sure if you have constructed them right. Therefore, the best course of action is to buy them. Hamster or mice cage connecting tunnels are readily available on Amazon. Usually, their prices range from $10-$24. You will get colorful and safe tunnels at this price.
These tunnels will allow your pet rats to move between the two cages. It will also keep them busy and contribute somewhat to their fitness routine. Plus, the cages will look more sophisticated and have more air passage when you use tunnels.
As mentioned before, you will want to cut the holes in your cages smaller than the diameter of the tube. If you see that your pipe doesn’t fit, you can always cut away a few bits of wire to adjust. In contrast, if you start with a big hole, you won’t be able to add bits of wire to make the gap narrower.
Setting one cage above the other and fitting a tube between them is the easiest way to connect two rat cages. However, you can also choose to put the line sideways. But this will require more cutting and engineering. Plus, it would take up more space.
Keeping your tube inside the cage also ensures that your rats won’t escape. On the other hand, a side tunnel can quickly provide an escape route if it somehow becomes loose.
After putting the “cage connecting tunnels” inside, you would want to secure them using duct tapes. Before attaching the top cage over the bottom one, you will want to do this. The tubes should securely fit inside the cage because your pets run fast and aggressively through these tunnels. So, if you don’t secure them, they will become loose in a few days.
Step 4: Finishing Touches
After you complete, shake the structure a bit to see how strong they are. If the tube immediately comes off or the cages detach from one another, you haven’t done much of a good job.
However, if you followed the instructions above correctly, this shouldn’t happen.
Put everything back into the cage only when you have cleaned the whole thing thoroughly.
Before that, you would want to smooth out all the rough edges. This mainly includes the area in the cage where you had cut the wires.
Now, you don’t want your little critters to injure themselves on anything sharp. So, make sure everything is smooth.
Can I Use Zip Ties To Connect Two Rat Cages?
Yes, you can use zip ties to connect two rat cages. These are your best options for connecting wire cages. First of all, buying a new cage can be expensive. Instead, you can use the money to purchase other pet care products for your pet rats.
When you join rat cages using zip ties, secure more than just the edges. This means finding other places in between to tie up the cages apart from the four points. But be sure to cut off the loose ends.
A significant benefit of using zip ties is safety. The alternative to zip ties would be metal wires. But these wires can be highly hazardous to your little pets. Moreover, they can rust and make the overall environment of the cage unhealthy.
The only issue with zip locks is whether your rats would take an interest in chewing them. Well, there are mixed opinions about it. Some owners report that their pets never even noticed the zip ties. On the other hand, some rat moms and dads find their critters gnawing at the zip ties. And yes, if your rat is keen enough, they can chew through the zip ties.
You should use multiple zip ties at various points to connect the cages because it is unlikely that your rats will chew through all of them.
However, if your rat has a lot of other activities and toys inside the cage, they won’t notice the zip ties. So, keep your critter busy to prevent them from chewing the zip ties.
Conclusion
A few simple tools, zip ties, and a lot of love is enough to connect two rat cages and give your critters a new home. You won’t need to spend significant money and still provide the best for your pets.
Lastly, be careful when connecting wire cages because it is easy to pierce or cut yourself on the sharp edges.
We want you to be able to create a nice and safe space for your rodent friends while keeping yourself safe as well!
