Although many rodents are social creatures, they should generally be kept in a quiet area of your home away from noise and vibrations from televisions and stereos. In the area where your rodent is kept, it should feel safe and secure rather than being continually disturbed by people or other pets. The area should be free from drafts to avoid your rodent contracting some sort of respiratory infection. The general idea in creating a comfortable enclosure for your rodent is often to reconstruct its natural habitat. Obviously, you may not be able to do this perfectly. However, you should choose key elements and reconstruct them. For example, if your rodent would burrow in nature, you should try to construct a habitat that can satisfy this behavior.

There are several types of housing available for rodent use. The type of rodent you have will generally dictate which sort of housing you will wish to use for it. Of course, space restrictions in your home may also help you make this decision. The aesthetic value of the rodent's house may be another consideration. Your rodent's enclosure should typically be large enough that your animal has an area where it can sleep, play, eat, and use the toilet. Many rodents are actually quite neat in their behavior of utilizing specific areas of their habitats for specific purposes.

The first sort of housing, which many people prefer, is an aquarium. If your animal is larger than a mouse or gerbil, an aquarium may be too small for it. However, such habitats can work well for smaller mice or hamsters. The most common sizes used are 10 to 20 gallon sizes, as these are the most manageable as far as cleaning is concerned. The complications presented by larger aquariums which must be cleaned weekly are the reasons why larger animals may be more easily kept in a cage. Plastic, glass, and plexiglass enclosures are all available, or you could even build your own out of wood. Many rodents readily chew wood, so you will need to take special precautions in using such an enclosure. It may be constructed with one or more glass sides to make viewing your animal easier. If you do decide to build your own, be sure that the wood has been waterproofed with some sort of non-toxic substance that will not prove harmful if the rodent chews it. A good example of a waterproofing system is fiberglass resin which will soak into the wood and then harden. You may wish to allow this to cure for a period of time so no fumes are released into your rodent's home. Also, the wood should be smooth with rounded edges. The flatter the wood is, the less likely your pet may be to chew it. Another prevention measure may be to try to avoid any edges within your rodent's reach. Aromatic woods should usually be avoided, as should plywood, since these can contain oils and glues which could poison your rodent upon chewing. Many people prefer to construct enclosures in which the floor is made of sheet metal so that the wood cannot absorb urine; however, your non-toxic waterproofing sealant should do a very good job of protecting wood against this.

If you are using a smaller enclosure, you may wish to purchase a glass aquarium, as your animal's ability to scratch or dig into it may be reduced. Plastic or plexiglass may be badly scratched by a rodent who sits in a corner and digs constantly. Generally glass aquariums have their joints or edges lined in water-proofing silicone sealant. Although this is non-toxic, rodents will often chew it out and you may not be able to use the aquarium again for any purpose that requires it to be filled with water. Completely sealed cages like aquariums can be hard to ventilate. Use a screen top in order to help remedy this problem. Window screen material is not good to use, since it has a tendency to trap wood dust. This can cause respiratory problems in your animal. It is also not strong and many rodents can quickly chew through it. Most people prefer to use a metal or mesh type screening with 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch (5mm to 12mm) openings. Remember that aquariums may become quickly overheated if left in direct sunlight so plan for this when designing your pet's enclosure.

Plastic habitats are another choice. Generally, these are only a good choice for smaller animals such as mice, gerbils, or hamsters. They are relatively small and animals who chew frequently can sometimes chew holes in them in a short a time period. Often these habitats are made of plastic tubing which connects modules. In such modules, your animal may play, sleep, eat, or drink and may allot one "room" for each purpose. Often, these come with a built-in exercise wheel. Some of these habitats may be used with an aquarium and will sit on top of it. You should be sure that the fit between the module and the aquarium is good to prevent escape. If your animals are breeding in a habitat, you may wish to choose an enclosure that contains only horizontal tubing. Young rodents could be born and raised in a module which only has access to a water bottle via a vertical tube which they might not be able to negotiate when they are old enough to drink. There are even plastic habitats, available for use with small rodents, which are vertically oriented and thin. They are intended for use with a substrate into which your rodent can burrow.

The other rodent enclosure is a wire cage. These are generally preferred for use with larger rodents. Often rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and squirrels are kept in wire structures. These enclosures are available in a variety of sizes and spacing. This will allow you to choose a size and spacing which is appropriate for your animal. Wire cages are very well ventilated and may leave animals susceptible to drafts, so you should use special care when situating the enclosure in your home. Some wire enclosures have bottoms that are made of wire. This may cause health problems in some rodents like foot injuries. It will probably be better to choose a cage with a solid bottom. Some wire cages have removable wire grates in the bottoms. These may also be a good choice to ease cleaning. Wire cages may be a bit messier than enclosures like plastic habitats or aquariums, because burrowing rodents can toss substrate out of the cage. You should be sure that there are no wires poking out in the cage and if it does have a solid bottom, you should make sure the edges are designed so your rodent cannot easily chew them and create an escape hole. Generally, wire cages that have top opening doors or latches may be most convenient, since it will be fairly easy for you to reach in and pick up your animal. Side or front opening cages are also available but they may not be as convenient but this choice is largely a personal preference. Large wire enclosures can be constructed either vertically or horizontally, so they may prove a good solution for a variety of rodents, both arboreal and ground dwelling. However, because the sides are made of wire, it may be more difficult for burrowing rodents to be satisfied in such enclosures. Plastic-bottomed wire cages may assist, as long as the sides are tall enough to allow a fairly thick layer of substrate. Also, for larger rodents, wire cages may also be constructed outside in order to allow the animal more room for exercise. They will not trap heat like solid walled enclosures can. However, predators may be able to reach through the wire so you should try to be sure that the animal is well protected. Many people construct their own hutches from wire and wood in order to house larger animals like squirrels, prairie dogs, or guinea pigs, out of doors. Out door play pens for indoor rodents may also be constructed in such a manner.

Rodents who are kept out of doors in climates with extreme weather will generally need a sort of shelter in the form of a box stuffed with nesting material like hay. In cold weather, this will become particularly important. Some sort of three or four sided, roofed shelter will often be needed in areas that experience precipitation. In summer, rodents kept outdoors need constant access to clean, fresh water. They should be kept in a cool or shaded location, as the sun can quickly heat it to a temperature intolerable to your rodent. Similarly, water can become hot and the stainless steel end found on most water bottles can become too hot for your rodent to touch if kept in direct sunlight. Keeping the water in a cool and shady location in the run or hutch may also have the advantage of encouraging your rodent to remain in such an area. Most rodents can tolerate cooler weather more easily than they can tolerate heat. In harsh weather, be it hot or cold, it may be best to bring your animal inside if it is regularly kept out of doors. Many people choose to keep their animals outside or inside depending on seasonal weather variations, moving them between the house and the yard on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

The last consideration in a rodent's enclosure is the locking mechanism. Certain rodents like prairie dogs or squirrels may become adept at operating latches or doors. In order to prevent your rodent from letting itself out of its enclosure, you can use simple clips like those used on dog leads in order to clip the door of the cage securely shut. These mechanisms can usually be cheaply purchased at your local hardware store. However some owners have had to resort to padlocks as these intelligent animals have learned to open other types of latches.

Rodents have much the same lighting and temperature requirements as you do. Some species whose coats are not very thick or some hairless species like hairless rats may need to be kept a bit warmer. Generally if the room temperature is comfortable for you, your rodent is probably comfortable as well. Daylight is generally appropriate from a window, as long as your animal's enclosure is not directly in the sun in a way that could cause it to become overheated. Similarly, rodents will need darkness at night to receive a good amount of sleep. Nocturnal rodents may have slightly different requirements. During daylight hours, they should generally be kept in dim or indirect light. They will also probably use a hiding place you provide for them to avoid the daylight. Too much bright light can stress them. If you wish to view such animals at night, a red light will be helpful. Bright lights or excessive lighting at night can also disturb or stress them. A location free from drafts and out of direct sunlight is usually the best choice for placement of any rodent's enclosure.

Although some rodents may prefer more humid environments, most should be kept in fairly dry enclosures to eliminate the possibility of heightened susceptibility to respiratory infections. If the climate in the area where the rodent is kept is inappropriate, many people find that humidifiers or dehumidifiers can work nicely to correct it. No matter what the climate, there should be clean water accessible to your rodent at all times. Most people will place a water bottle type waterer in their rodent's enclosure. Such water bottles hang from the cage and have a ball bearing or other object just inside the spout. This allows water to drip out each time the rodent moves the ball, but prevents the water from simply flowing constantly out of the bottle into the cage. Because these bottles are often plastic, rodents may chew them. Metal enclosures are available to protect plastic bottles. Especially in an aquarium situation, the water bottle holder should afford some sort of protection from chewing. In a wire cage, the bottle can be mounted outside the enclosure with only the tube sticking in for the animal to drink from. Many water bottles have stainless steel tubes that resist chewing quite well. If your animals play with the water bottle by leaking water out, the water may have to be refilled or changed very frequently. Otherwise, you should only need to freshen it about once each day or so unless your water bottle is malfunctioning. Experienced rodent keepers almost never use bowls for small rodents. Some animals may have difficult drinking from bowls and they are rarely useful. Small or baby rodents may even drown in water bowls. If you are using a water bowl for your rodent, you should try to find a bowl that is shallow and has sloping sides your rodent can easily climb out. Also, the bowl should be fairly difficult for your rodent to tip over to ensure that it has water available to it at all times. The water bowl will usually need to be checked several times each day, as rodents may habitually use the water bowl as a toilet. The water bowl can also frequently become filled with detritus like wood shavings or substrate or even food, and it may be much easier and more sanitary for you to use a water bottle. Dirty water may quickly make your rodent ill.

For bedding, many people prefer to purchase commercial rodent bedding. There are a variety of such materials available, and these include wood chips, wood shavings, or wood "fluff". Experienced rodent keepers will usually not use cedar, pine, or redwood materials, as these may be toxic to some rodents. Aspen chips or shavings are preferred by many people as an alternative to oily or strongly scented woods. Materials such as hay are sold and may be a good option for some types of animals like prairie dogs who can eat it as well as nesting in it. It is normally used for larger rodents and would probably not be as appropriate for a smaller animal like a hamster or mouse. Hay becomes moldy or soiled quickly and offers little odor control. For this reason, many people prefer to use it on top of a more absorbent base like paper litter, wood fluff, or wood shavings. That way, the base can be changed weekly while the hay can be freshened each day or two as necessary. Newspaper or unscented paper towel may work well in the bottom of cages for arboreal rodents or rodents who do not require a place in which to burrow. Additionally, these are cheap and fairly easy to clean. If you wish to make newspaper into a substance your animal can burrow in, you may wish to shred it but your rodents will shred it of their own accord.

Litters made from compressed paper shreds are also available or they can be purchased in the form of pellets. Often, these can be odor absorbent and may be nice for people keeping small rodents like hamsters or mice. Some people may prefer some type of plastic carpeting or even linoleum. This works especially well if you keep several pieces on hand, so that you can clean and dry one while using another. However, when cleaning these materials you should check them closely, because some rodents may have a tendency to chew on them and this can be dangerous, causing intestinal blockages. Although there are some animals which may be kept on sandy or soil substrates, it is generally not advisable to use such material. Often food will be dropped on the sand and can become coated by the grains. These are then ingested and can cause intestinal impactions in the rodent. Even materials which are supposedly digestible may cause digestive impactions. Some people will use toilet paper as a substrate for their rodent, although this can become easily ruined with wetness. Many people find that a combination of substrates works best; for example, litter or wood substances on top of a newspaper base may be convenient. If your animal develops skin or respiratory irritation with no other apparent cause, it may be an adverse reaction to the substrate you are using with your rodent. You may consider changing the substrate to see if the irritation clears up.

Some rodents like to have soft cloths or soft shredded materials kept in their beds or nesting boxes. These should be tightly woven materials like cotton flannel or receiving blankets. Stringy or loosely woven fabrics may catch and break the rodents' nails. You should also avoid using scented fabric softeners on these materials during washing, as such items can cause adverse reactions in rodents. Many rodents will do very well with nesting material in their enclosures in addition to what you provide in their nesting boxes. Strips of cloth, corn husk material, shredded paper, or even items like old socks may be used. Some rodents may have problems with cloth becoming clogged in their mouths, and in such cases you may wish to use a different or lighter material. In addition to nesting, other rodents may enjoy perching on shelves, branches, or any other elevated structure forming a flat platform.

Cleanliness is one of the easiest and most important tools you can use to help keep your rodent healthy. The substrate should be changed regularly. Once or twice weekly intervals are usually appropriate. The process is simple, depending on the type of enclosure you keep your animal in. You may remove the cage bottom, or turn the enclosure upside down and simply dump all the substrate out of the enclosure. Refill with clean substrate. At more frequent intervals, you may also choose to remove heavily soiled areas of substrate and leave cleaner areas; some rodents may choose one place in their habitat to use as a toilet. At longer intervals, the entire enclosure and all substrate should be washed or replaced. In order to help you clean your animal's enclosure, there are two types of cleaner available: mechanical and disinfecting cleaners. To remove dirt and generally visible soiling, use a mechanical cleaner. Next, a disinfectant should be used to kill germs. You should also use an anti-bacterial agent to wash food and water containers on a regular basis. After cleaning the cage and implements, you should be sure to rinse everything thoroughly. Remaining chemical residue can cause serious health problems in rodents. You should try to be sure that the enclosure is thoroughly dry before replacing all the materials in the cage. This will help avoid mold or bacterial invasions. If you are keeping an animal that hoards food, you should try not to disturb its store, though this may be impossible to avoid. If your animal hoards its food in a place you do not frequently clean or access, you may wish to check the food from time to time to be sure that none of it has spoiled or become rotten.

One of the most important items in your rodent's enclosure is a hiding place. Some arboreal rodents like squirrels may prefer a nesting type box located high in the enclosure, while ground - dwelling rodents may often be satisfied with a hut or hollow log on the cage floor. Smaller animals like gerbils, jerboas, hamsters, jirds, and mice can do well with a toilet paper roll or tissue box. These often need to be replaced regularly, as rodents may chew on their houses. Larger rodents like rats may do well with PVC tubes or joints. Some animals, like prairie dogs, may even prefer to sleep in harder, thicker enclosures like clay flower pots. Just be sure that such heavy items are well anchored so that a digging rodent does not excavate underneath the item and become harmed if the object falls on top of it.

When using an exercise wheel, try to obtain one without spokes, as rodents like mice and rats may catch their tails in spinning spokes and be hurt. Some enclosures will come with built-in wheels. For some animals, having a multilevel enclosure or an enclosure with shelving may be appropriate. Many wire cages have built in shelves and ladders. Larger rodents may be exercised by allowing them an enclosure or run, separate from the one they are normally housed in, where they may exercise or play. Also, arboreal rodents like squirrels may prefer ladders, swings, branches, or poles for climbing, jumping, and playing. Exercise balls may be purchased for smaller rodents like hamsters. Although they may seem large enough to place a larger animal such as a guinea pig inside, they should not be used for such a purpose. These items are designed for smaller rodents and can damage the feet, legs, or backs of larger animals.

Most rodents will need something designed to be chewed, a requirement that may often most easily be satisfied with wood. Wood chews or wood sticks can be purchased at your local pet supply. Some people find that their animals enjoy parrot wood chews in addition to rodent wood chews. Try not to use wood from your yard or the outdoors, since it may contain other living organisms. Pressure treated and chemically treated wood are not good choices for your rodent. Some animals, like squirrels, cannot tolerate small animal wood chews, as they can digest splinters from them.

Some people will include a food bowl in their rodent's enclosure. Some arboreal rodents, like squirrels, may prefer that their food bowl be placed on an elevated ledge or shelf. Other rodents may simply need their bowls placed on the floor of their enclosure. Often, rodents chew on plastic bowls so you may wish to use a ceramic or metal bowl. Also, bacterial growth may take hold on a plastic bowl while this can be a more difficult process on a metal or ceramic surface. However, if a ceramic bowl cracks, bacteria can quickly thrive, so you should replace it if it becomes cracked or damaged. Metal bowls should be heavy enough that the rodent can not tip them over. However, some rodents may tip any bowl you place in their enclosures upside down or onto the floor. The only use for a bowl in such cases may be to facilitate your measuring out and placing the correct amount of food in the animal's enclosure. Some rodents may use their food bowls as toilets, and for this reason it may be better to use a bowl small enough that the rodent cannot actually sit in. Also, some rodent bowls, which mount on the side of the cage, may be available. If your rodent eats hay, you may wish to get a hay rack which mounts on the outside of the enclosure. That way, if you use hay as the rodent's bed, it will have a cleaner source of food than the bottom of its cage. This can be appropriate for larger animals like guinea pigs or rabbits.

Most rodents have psychological needs that must be met in order for the animal to lead a healthy life. They should be handled on a regular basis and allowed lots of play time and affection. Some rodents, certain types of mice especially, have such intense social needs that they may develop psychotic behavior if kept alone. If you are keeping rodents together, it is best to combine only animals of the same species. Although some people choose to keep guinea pigs in the same enclosures as rabbits, larger rabbits may bully guinea pigs and stress them. Additionally, you may wish to consider the sexes of the animals you are combining; males and females may breed. Some males will fight with each other, as can some females; others will get along fine. Male hamsters are one example of a rodent type that may fight to the death if combined. You should check your specific rodent's care requirements to find out which cage mates should be appropriate for it.

When you introduce a new rodent into a place where other rodents live, it is advisable to clean the cage first so that there are no scents that could be interpreted as territorial markings. Also, you may wish to spread some food about the cage so that your rodents are focused on the food rather than each other. Some people suggest introducing the rodents to each other when they are sleepy. For example, diurnal rodents would be introduced to each other in the evening, and nocturnal rodents would be introduced to each other in the morning. Experienced rodent owners will keep a close watch on their animals at this time to ensure that no rodents are fighting or harming each other. If the rodents have negative reactions to each other, you may wish to remove the newcomer and attempt to reintroduce it later. If the rodents are fighting, consider using thick gloves so you are not hurt. Be advised, however, that larger rodents are often able to bite through even thick leather gloves. Enclosures which house multiple rodents should usually have multiple hiding areas.

Part One - Introduction	Part Three - Diet
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