Fall breakers are one of the most important things to consider in a cage when setting it up. Not only are they ways to “clutter up” the cage more and connect various other items together but most importantly they act as a safety net to catch your rats if they misstep or are pushed off somewhere high up in the cage. Even falling a little way can cause major injury if they land on something solid so when you’re setting up your cage you need to make sure there is something to catch them or something for them to grab hold of to soften the landing.
Looking at your newly set up cage from all angles and visualising a fall from each item you should ask yourself the question “if they fall from there what will they land on?” If it’s quite a distance or it’s on something solid then you probably should think about putting a fall breaker in to prevent a hazard. It’s often said in the rat community that you should be able to drop a ping pong ball from anywhere in the top of the cage and it shouldn’t be able to hit the bottom without hitting a fall breaker. While this is very true I would say it needs to be much less than this really, especially with larger double cages with no tray in the middle as top to bottom this is around a 4 foot drop which could be fatal to a rat if it falls. I’d say getting it set up to nearer the 12 inches mark would be much safer. Not only does this help protect the rats more but it also gives you the opportunity to clutter up their cages in weird and wonderful ways. Filling them up with nets, ropes and hammocks is what rats love and will be a lot of fun for them to clamber over and climb up.
So what Fall breakers are out there and suitable to put in your cage? Well the answer luckily is there’s many things that can be used. The list below will go through the different types that are more commonly used and where you can get them. These are just a few examples off the top of my head to get started however like everything you put in your cage you can get as creative as you want. Rats are not fussy so as long as it’s made from a safe material and there’s no risk of them getting body parts/nails stuck in it you can add in many different things.
Cargo Nets
These are probably one of my favourite additions to the scene lately. They are custom made fall breakers made from various different types of webbing material laid out in a grid pattern and stitched together. They come in many different shapes and sizes from small squares, long thin ramps and full width cage fitting ones. The square grid pattern on these means they will catch a rat if it falls and is also great for climbing up. The holes between each strap are big enough to let things like litter and substrate fall through so it keeps clean but small enough that the rats can’t fall straight through it. It’s strong and sturdy but also has enough give that on a fall it will cushion the blow a little. All in all a fantastic item and I highly recommend them. Mischief Made , Happy Rat Hammocks and Cosybedsandburrows are the best place to get these from.
Rope Nets
Very similar to the cargo nets but made from smaller rope. These have been available for a long time from Ratatat Toys & Things and were for a while larger squares than the webbing nets. They were still brilliant to climb up and were a great item for a rat to grab hold of during a fall however with the larger gaps sometimes they could fall straight through. Recently there has been a new one released with more rope involved and much smaller gaps in between which makes these even safer than ever which is brilliant to see. These are available in different forms from other businesses out there however for the sizes and choice offered with these I would say Ratatat Toys & Things are the best option for this style fall breaker.
Hammocks
Hammocks are not just good for places to sleep with rats, they also make fantastic fall breakers especially the larger more communal ones. Now obviously you’re not supposed to fill the cage will with hammocks as they need other things to keep them active and you don’t just want them sleeping all the time however things like the larger flat single layer hammocks can make fantastic ramps and double up as fall breakers. Angling them will deter them from being lazy and just sleeping on them and it will also give them something to land on if they have an accident. Strategically placing some hammocks around the cage in various places means you can double a sleeping spot up for something to catch them as well. There are a large selection already of hammock makers over on the shops and vendors section of the rat wiki website but I’ll use a few examples here of some very good fall breakers from. The Cosy Huge Multi-Bunk hammocks from Cosy Beds and Burrows, The 20×15″ flat hammocks from Fuzzbutt Cage Comforts and the HighRise2 20″ from RattieAngels are good examples of fall breakers.
Multi Use Hangers
Often called Tie hangers too these are relatively cheap to buy and make a great budget fall breaker for your rats. Easy for them to climb on and can be attached to the cage easily with chains or cable ties. The holes can be a little large meaning there is a chance of them falling through however these hangers are great for them to grab hold of and pull their selves back up a lot of the time too so well worth having one or two available in the cage. Ikea have been the best place to get these so far quality wise but others can be found at various bargain stores around.
Ropes
Ropes are a fantastic addition to any cage. They have lots of uses including providing walkways between areas, challenges balancing skills and can also help “clutter” up a cage and fill in empty spaces. Ropes are quite soft too especially the hand plaited ones or the enrichment ropes made out of fleece so provide a soft landing and an easy place to grab hold of and stop a fall. Even the tougher dog style ropes are still a much better thing to land on than something like a solid wooden perch so filling in any open areas with ropes will help make your cage safer. Lots of the small businesses on The Rat Wiki website sell ropes. Good examples of variety include the Plaited Ropes from RattieAngels and the Enrichment Rope from Mischief Made which is a large rope with hundreds of pieces of fleece attached to it for them to pull off and make beds with. Normal ropes designed for dogs can be used too and can often be found in places like B&M and the Range.
Make Your Own
Fall breakers don’t have to be expensive either. You can actually make your own out of anything you like. Things like old T-Shirts, tea towels or sheets can be used to create soft landings for them. A lot of people make hammocks out of old clothes too so don’t be afraid to get creative. Facebook groups like Crafty Rat Owners DIY and DIY Rat Toys are great places to join for inspiration on making your own things for your rats, including fall breakers.
So there you have it. The reason why we use fall breakers and just how important they can be. Hopefully that clears up a few questions people might have and hopefully will inspire you to take a look at your cage and make sure all basis are covered. Even after doing this for a lot of years now I still sometimes look and think “can I make that a bit safer” and if I can then the rats are much safer for it.
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