Different people prefer different kinds of cages. However, there are some general “rules” that I believe make sense. For instance, if you have large rats, you will need a larger cage and the more rats you have the larger the cage should be. That said a general guideline is about 2 cubic feet per rat, as a minimum.
I have used aquariums, but I have found them to be a pain to clean, heavy, and I don’t care for the lack of fresh air. That said, that is my preference and yours may differ from mine. They can be handy for older rats that might hurt themselves if they fall, or a mother that might be dragging her babies all over the place. Also, the one thing that is nice about them is you don’t have to worry about the rat getting out because of the bars not being spaced properly. A 40–60-gallon tank (5.35 cubic feet – 8.02 cubic feet) can comfortably hold two rats.
Another perfectly acceptable way to keep rats is in storage bins that have been modified. I have used these in the past as well. I loved the concept, but for long term use I always ended up with at least one chewer that would destroy the cage. They are nice for moving rats around and sometimes for mothers and babies though.
Wire cages with shelves are my favorite type of cage. There is lots of ventilation, interaction, places to hang toys and hammocks, and it is much easier to hang the water bottle as well. One thing you want to be sure of is that the spacing of any wire they would be walking on is made of ½ x ½ inch wire. I like ladders but prefer solid shelves and bottoms. It is recommended that you cover the shelves and bottom though. Some people use towels, fleece, etc. I like to use pillowcases, sheets, and even wood chips.
As an aside, I saw a post on Facebook (and I shared it) about how all women are boujee in some way and the ones that love them need to investigate what their boujee is. So evidently, I am a bit boujee with my rats. My favorite is one of the more expensive cages, the single critter nation and the double critter nation. (That said I’ve bought them on Facebook Marketplace a lot less expensive.) My daughter has this single topeakmart one, which is less expensive, and it is great too. She says she loves how easy it is to clean. (Note, I would remove the wire that is over the plastic.) There are lots of cages out there for many different budgets, so you just have to look around and see what you like.
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