What enclosure is best for rats?

A wire enclosure with a solid (not wire) floor is best for rats, as it provides good ventilation and will be relatively easy to clean. A solid floor is a must to protect rat feet from painful wear and a condition called bumblefoot, and all ramps and shelves should be solid, as well. Multi-level enclosures are best for rats, and cages should provide at least two cubic feet of space per rat, if not more. Bigger is always better when it comes to rat cages, so get as much horizontal and vertical space as you can. Some cages are even expandable in case your rat family grows!

Can you keep 2 rats in the same enclosure?

You can keep two or more rats in the same enclosure, and you definitely should! Rats are very sociable animals and will enjoy some companionship. Having multiple rats will encourage lots of healthy play and exercise and help keep your pets mentally healthy, as well. However, be careful about housing two unfixed male rats together because they may fight, and avoid an unfixed male-female pair if you don't want to wind up with rat babies.

Are wire enclosures bad for rats?

Wire enclosures are ideal for rats, but you must make sure the floor, ramps and platforms are made of solid surface material and not wire, as these can injure rat feet and cause a painful condition known as bumblefoot. Hard plastic is also better than solid metal for surfaces, so consider getting a cage with a plastic floor, ramps and shelves. You can also cover a wire cage bottom with a solid surface material and get ramp covers and liners for cages that have wire metal surfaces.