Reddit reviews Prevue Rat and Chinchilla Cage 495 Earthtone Dusted Rose, 31 x 20.5 x 40 IN

Do you have a rough budget? also im sorry for the novel
The typical and most suggested cage is a critter nation (a single can work for 2 or 3). You can sometimes find them or similar cages on craigslist, or find them cheaper on other sites.
You can also use several Martin brands, here's a breakdown of all of the versions you can get.. I've heard that they can be a bit annoying to clean, since most of them only have one door that opens, as compared to the critter nation with its double doors, but they're a reliable cage.
You could probably even use a Petco or Petsmart brand one, such as the Rat Manor, but that only holds 2 rats. So if you wanted to expand your mischief, you'd need an upgrade.
The most important thing at the moment is that they cant escape.
This is a good cage in general but the bar spacing is good for younger rats, and its a bit bigger than a single critter nation.
Here's a general listing of good cages for rats as well. but make sure to do your own research on them, as they suggest the aquarium topper which isnt a good one. The bar spacing needs to be at least 1/2" for babies.

• The most suggested food is oxbow if youre in the USA. you're also going to have to feed them a small portion of fresh fruits and veggie every other day or so (but you can also give cheerios and stuff as treats, they can eat almost anything tbh).
  
  
• they're going to need hides, hammocks, toys etc. you can usually make them yourself with fleece, some sewing, or cardboard boxes. Many bird toys and small animal advertised toys and stuff are fine.
  
  
• decide what kind of bedding youre going to use. If youre going to use loose bedding like this, consider getting a cage with a deep pan. If you're going to use fleece, consider if you're going to litter train them or not, or sew absorbent liners. Most people recommend fleece.
  
  
• rats need to chew because their teeth grow forever. so theyre going to need wood toys or lava ledges.
  
  Here are some good cages.. Just to give you an idea.
  They will need to see the vet at least a few times in its life. So be prepared to find an exotics vet and start saving. Imo, you dont need to take them like you would a dog, once a year or whatever, but if they start breathing funny or get hurt it's difficult to treat that kind of stuff by yourself.
  uuuuuuuuuuuu its usually cheaper to buy food and stuff in store so find a pet supplies plus, or a petco/smart. You're also going to need to clean the cage about once a week or so. You can use a small animal cage cleaner such as Nature's Miracle, or use a dilute mix of vinegar and water.
  And yes, you're going to need a friend if you decide to keep them.
  I think that's a good basic rundown of what you're gonna need eventually. If you dont deck them out like immediately they'll live, so theres no huge rush.
  Oh, and keep an eye on their health. make sure their breathing is fine and that they dont have lice or fleas (they'll have a lot of scabs on their ears and shoulders and tail). Rats are very prone to respiratory infections.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Products-Chinchilla-495-Earthtone/dp/B001W8MDKO?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_6

There aren't any real set rules for cage size. The scientific community houses rats in quite small bins. Breeders usually don't provide as much space as pet-owners/enthusiasts. People often make recommendations based on how many cubic feet per rat. People generally recommend in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 cubic feet per rat. Cubic footage shouldn't be the only factor, though. the proportions of the cage and how the space is utilized also make a huge difference. There are very large cages that, if not used efficiently, may be less appropriate than cages that are be smaller.

Some people recommend that a starting size for a cage should be big enough to hold at least 4 or 5 rats even if it will only be used for a pair. I think this is a pretty good model. This would put the starting cage size in the range of 6 to 12 cubic feet.

The formula I like is a starting size of no less than 7-8 cubic feet for a pair of rats and an additional 1.5-2 cubic feet for each additional rat. Bigger is always better, though.

The only place I know about that has real hard-set rules about this is Switzerland where they require by law that a starting size cage should be a little over 12 cubic feet for up to 5 rats.

If you're in the US, I think the Rat Manor is really the starting size for a pair of rats. The Martin's R-680, PetSmart Rat Starter Kit, Kaytee Multi-Level Exotics cage, and large MCage would be the next step up for a pair (or maybe 3) rats. The Martin's R-695, single unit Critter Nation, Prevue Dusted Rose cage, etc. would be good for up to 4 or 5 rats. The double unit Critter Nation is good for anywhere between 2 and 8-10 rats. I definitely think that some of these cages are better than others but I think they're all acceptable. There are lots of other options out there, as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Chinchilla-495-Earthtone-Dusted/dp/B001W8MDKO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=prevue+rat+cage&qid=1567958075&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I got this for my guys. It's about the size of a single Critter Nation, but it's cheaper. I found mine on sale with free shipping, so you might be able to shop around a few sites. It ships to Canada though.
Only downsides of the cage are - it has just the door, not the opening front of the CN, so it's not as easy to reach some parts of the cage, and the bars are vertical rather than horizontal so it gives you less options of how/where to hang things. Other than that it has been a great cage.

Howdy! First off, let me thank you for doing research before you pick up your rodent friend.

First off let me get the disclaimers out of the way: If you were looking for a cheap pet, you have chosen the wrong animal. Rats have a fairly high upfront cost that begins to taper down after the first 3 months or so once the major growth period is over with. Almost any attempt to cut costs on things I'll bring up as essentials is most likely going to end up as a bad move in terms of your pet's health. There are lots of places to save some money, but what I'll lay out here is not the place. Rats are also a very short lived pet. They will live for a reasonable maximum of 3 years, so there will be heartbreak down the road.

Still interested? Good. Let's get a list going then:

1. Rats must be kept in a group. A pair is the minimum, three or more is better. Rats are VERY social animals, and need near constant interaction for other rats to stay healthy. This isn't just about mental health either; a lone rat is more prone to infections, tumors, and mental disabilities including aggression. Keeping multiple rats is no more expensive than keeping a single rat.
   
   
2. When looking for a cage, aim for 2 sq. feet per rat. Use this cage calculator to see if your cage is big enough. Watch your bar spacing! Rats are master escape artists, so make sure that the bars won't bend, and that you have 1/2" inch bar spacing or less. Popular starter cages include the Critter Nation Single or the Prevue Hendryx Rat/Chinchilla Cage. The Critter Nation is the most popular rat cage by far, but I can vouch for the Prevue Hendryx as easy to clean and set up.
   
   
3. Food can get pretty complicated for a first time owner, so I'll just offer easy suggestions. Feed Mazuri , Native Earth , or Oxbow. Oxbow is the most popular and most balanced, but tends to be the most expensive in smaller bags. In bulk, (20+ pound bags) the price is all about the same. I buy large bags because it's cheaper per pound and I never worry about running out. Then again I have 5 rats, so my situation is different than yours!
   
   
4. Lots of toys and hiding places! This is where you can save money by getting creative. Store bought rat toys can get expensive, but cardboard tubes and boxes are often free! Have one hiding place per rat plus one, preferably on different levels of the cage. Hammocks are a favorite hide for rats, as are boxes, bags, and tubes. If you want to get some store bought stuff, see if you have a bird shop in your area. Almost every toy in there that is safe for birds is going to be a blast for your rats.
   
   
5. Find a vet that is comfortable with rats. Rats don't need shots or regular flea treatments, so finding a vet can seem odd. But eventually, something will go wrong, or one of your babies will fall ill. Having a vet who's experienced with rats or at the very least willing to learn is a godsend. I'm very lucky to have a vet that is familiar with and loves rats. Because of their size and common problems, rat visits are usually very cheap when compared to a dog or a cat. I spend no more than $45 when Juniper or Sugar have a myco flareup.
   
   
6. Don't stop researching. Subscribe to this sub. Check the side bar. Ask questions. (Feel free to PM me, I'll help you as much as I can..) Watch videos on YouTube, like The Rat Guru. Rats are a very "addictive" pet, and it's easy to fall into an obsession with the cute little boogers.
   
   
7. Post pictures when you get them.

How about something like this?

I like the Martin 680, but after shipping, they're about the same price, and this one APPEARS to be more cage for the money. I'd have to put something on the floor, since from what I understand, a mesh floor is bad for rat feet.

This is the cage I had in mind.