We often get asked at ideas-4-pets whether rats should be kept in aquariums (glass tanks etc.) or in metal rat cages.  There seems to be plenty of books and information out there about the pros and cons of both but I thought it might help to list the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages of glass housing

Glass is easy to keep clean

Glass doesn’t hold on to any bad odours

Glass keeps your rat’s bedding mess contained

Glass also keeps droppings and any spilled food contained

Glass gives the rat owner a good view of their pets.

Some rat owners prefer an aquarium as their adventurous rats are unable to climb the glass sides

Disadvantages of glass housing

You cannot always get a large enough aquarium if you want to keep multiple rats, although the Arena 60 and Arena 80 aquariums are great

Certain rat owners feel that there is not enough air circulation in the glass aquariums so look for those that do have adequate ventilation in them

Others say that an aquarium has to be cleaned more frequently than rat cages but you could argue that your rat cage should be kept pristine whether it is glass or metal.

It has been reported that the temperatures inside a glass tank can be higher than the room temperature and that as rats suffer heat strokes very easily, this could be a huge disadvantage. One way round this would be to place the glass tank into a cool room so that the temperature does not get too hot for them.

Small glass tanks are not ideal as they are often are not wide enough for larger males to move around (18″ minimum is usually recommended).

Rats can chew and have been known to inject the silicone sealant that is usually used on glass tanks so care should be taken to make sure that this is not happening.

Glass tanks can be difficult to store as they cannot be disassembled

Some aquariums can be VERY heavy so an aquarium large enough for two rats could be much too heavy to carry alone. However, some of the more modern glass housing is supplied with a stand on castors which eliminates this problem.

Advantages of Metal Rat Cages

Metal rat cages are available in all sorts of designs and sizes

They offer lots of opportunity for adding hammocks, climbing ropes, ladders etc. and the platforms offer multiple levels

The bars allow for plenty of air circulation and also for the rats to climb

Like the glass aquariums, you would still get a good view of your rats

The temperature in the cage would be the same as the room it is situated in so is easy to regulate.

The metal rat cage is easily kept clean, as is the glass one, but can often be disassembled for specific purposes (ie. storage, moving to a new house etc.)

Disadvantages of metal rat cages

Your rat’s bedding can often end up on your carpet if the base isn’t deep enough at the bottom of the cage.

Galvanized metal can absorb rat urine so often owners have no choice but to throw the metal rat cage away after much use.

Chewing on galvanized bars can sometimes result in zinc poisoning which is potentially fatal in rats. It is always adviseable to ask what the cage is made of before purchasing.

Rats can sometimes hurt their feet, twist their ankles or even break their legs in the wires. Make sure that any platforms are solid to avoid bumblefoot.

They can sometimes be expensive but this often depends upon the style, size and quality of the cage.