My rats cage sits on a table and we have always left his cage door open to give him the freedom to roam around?

on his table. i have had him for almost 2 years, and he has never jumped off his table, until recently. i hate closing him in, but i cant have him roaming my apt either. why all of a sudden is he jumping off to explore?My rats cage sits on a table and we have always left his cage door open to give him the freedom to roam around?
He probably got tired of exploring the same area over and over again. After 2 years I imagine he got a bit bored. Once he decided the floor is more fun, there is no way to keep him from going down there. Try making a barrier to put around the table.My rats cage sits on a table and we have always left his cage door open to give him the freedom to roam around?
Wow! rats are naturally curious, so I am not surprised. What I am surprised about is that he hasnt tried to jump down earlier. My rat races around my room everyday (and chews up all my blankets =p) Is his cage big enough? Maybe he is feeling closed in and wants to explore. I also bring my rat downstairs everyday to run around on the sofa. You can try to make him a maze(my rat loves his) out of old cardboard boxes.





Good Luck!
Hi!





That doesn't surprise me - rats are highly intelligent creatures and want to explore!


Why not buy a playpen for him to run around in? You can buy them from most pet shops or even build your own! (Mine's made out of corrugated plastic and duct tape! Really easy! Mine can't roam about my house either, I don't trust my OH not to step on them!)





Now he's figured out how to get down there, as Emmyjak1 says, you'll not be able to keep him away. Invest in the play pen as soon as you can as rats do need 'free range outside' time away from their cage otherwise they'd go mad!





Good luck!
dont take a chance, my rat broke her leg, trust me THEIR LEGS ARE DELICATE AND BRAKE VERY EASILY!!!!! We had to spend over 100 and get her a cage,. But still give her FREEDOM!! put the cage on the ground, or put a mat under it or somethings. On congrats to you for letting your rat run around!!!
Haha I once had a hamster who actually opened her cage door and went roaming around my house,and that happened more than once.He just wants to explore,but don't let him for to long.
Well, I'm surprised it's taken him 2 years to do so! Rats (whether male of female) love exploring. Maybe try putting a little play pen on the table so he can't escape anymore.





Good luck!
he just wants to know what is down there
why do you have a rat anyway they are nasty
If he wants to roam,try getting him a harness to take him for walks or tie the harness to something. here is a guide to rat harnesses.





At first leave it on for only short periods of time, and offer lots of (healthy) treats and affection when it's on. Let them stay in your lap or nearby just wearing it until they're familiar with it.





And rats aren't likely to ever enjoy ';walks';... their eyesight is very poor, so they rely more on their nose and whiskers. They prefer to stick close to objects and walls, not open spaces.





But mine would never stay in any of their harnesses for long. They're just too agile. I only used harnesses if I had to take them out somewhere, like the vet or when traveling.











They will never use it like a dog. You could try just letting them wear the harness until they get used to the idea (pet rats are pretty mellow) but they have teeth like scissors, and they may just cut it off. I doubt that they make the harness or leash of chew-proof material. Maybe you could treat them with Bitter Apple to keep the rat from chewing at it. They have no idea what it's for.


You are not supposed to walk the rat on the leash. It's only purpose is to keep the rat from running or jumping away. But frankly, I've never had this trouble with pet rats. They may want to explore, but they don't panic and run or jump.














Although rats can be trained to walk on leashes, it's not the same as walking a dog. Never lead your rat around on the leash; instead, let the rat guide you, using the leash to ensure he doesn't go into out of bounds areas. Exercise caution when walking a rat on a leash, as rats have been known to squirm out of them. Remember to keep an eye out for dangers to your rat, such as other animals and people, as well as items he might try to eat, or holes he might try to escape into.





Some rats don't like to walk on leashes because it impedes their movement. The trick is to let him get used to it slowly, doing short leash sessions and offering plenty of treats. One leash I've had success with is the Super Pet Comfort Harness and Stretchy Stroller. You can also make your own harness.





If you're well prepared, day trips can be a fun and memorable experience for both you and your rat. For my own personal accounts of traveling with my rats, check out Tales of a Traveling Rat.


hope I helped!