As YLL pointed out, they do need to chew. Hard wood chew toys are great. My ratties get toilet paper tubes, lab blocks, their Innova dog food, wooded parrot toys etc. to help keep their teeth in tip top condition. You rarely have to trim a rats teeth unless they do not have chew toys or they are elderly and are fed a moist diet. They do however need regular nail trims.


Wire spacing should be 1/4 inch for the floors and 1/2 for the walls. You can cover wire floors with burp rags, linoleum etc. if this is a concern to you. Do you have a picture of the cage?


What type of bedding are you using? Pine and Cedar are harmful to small animals as they release toxic phenols into the air and irritate the respiratory tract.


NOW for the most important part!!! What sex are your ratties? Please keep them seperated if they are male and female because they can and will become pregnant.