How much time do you spend with your rats?

[sunshine9]

I figured I would start a poll!  How long do you guys play with your babies?  

[Ali]

I put 4 hours cos that's the amount of time they normally get out of their cage in the evening if we're not going out.

Of course, I don't get to play with them for 4 hours! I normally pop in every few minutes between chores, TV breaks, study breaks (lots of those!) etc for a quick cuddle and muck about.

Unfortunately the bf is in bed sick ( ) this evening so unless he gets his act together soon they won't be getting much of a play tonight - they're in the bedroom which is the only place they can play safely out of the cats' reach, and I don't think he could deal with rats sniffing his ears and peeing on his head at the moment.

I AM trying to be sympathetic, but... oh grumble grumble grumble  

[kmw]

I try to let each cage out for an hour a day, but since they all use the bathroom as a play area, and I have 4 separate cages, that's my whole evening!  Some nights they get 20 minutes while I do a quick cage cleaning.

[sunshine9]

Yeah, I aim to play with them as long as possible!  But often I can only spend 1 hours of quality time with them!    But I sneak a few minutes here and there while they are out of their cage at night!  Plus I interact with them all the time through the cage since I pass it at least a hundred times a day!

[JulesDoug]

I have mine out the cage for about 5 hours if we are not going out, which isnt often ..good babysitters are hard to find!! I also have them out on my shoulders when Im on the computer or wandering the house...every morning Babs jumps on for a walkabout first thing. Its harder now I have two seperate cages to entertain but hopefully that wont be for long.

[rogermerriman]

Mine normally come out about 2pm to 4pm then and 7pm till 10/11pm. not all ways actively playing with them sometimes they just watch me surf but other times we go and have look around the garden etc.

[Louise]

Our girls come out for about an hour or so in the morning, and then when Higgins comes down he gets to have free time too - the girls are back in their cage by this time.  After work and school either Higgins or the girls usually come out and quite frequently before bed on or the other comes up on our bed for a wild hour

[DebW]

The 2 cages of rats at school are out about an hour and a half per cage each day.  During that time they interact with kids as they finish their work or with me  or just play in their playground.

I have 4 cages at home and , like kmw, spend most of my evening playing and cleaning off and on.  The rats at home also have a playground and are usually out about an hour per cage unless I need to be somewhere.  Then they might only get out a half hour each.

[Ensie]

I love to spend every moment I can with my rat (soon to be rats). We play together every weekday for about 4-5 hours in the evening. On weekends, I goof off with my rat practically all day long, from the time I get up (9ish) to the time I go to bed (9ish). I just cannot spend enough time with this lovable, adorable, feisty little creature who trusts me so!

[scout]

My rats are getting older (youngest is 16 months). Although they're out for more than an hour a day, I frequently find them napping after about 45 minutes of free time. When I'm home on the weekends, they get a couple of hours in the mornings when they're more active.

[Yresim]

It really depends on the rats.  My old rats used to be out 1.5-2 hours per day.  Even Mocha was out over an hour each day.

Ennoia doesn't like to be held (even on a shoulder) for very long.  She is very much a loner, and didn't even spend much time with Mocha when they were together.  So, I total only 25-35 minutes with her per day.  But she still has her roller ball that I will put her in so that she can explore independently.

[~Lilly's mama~]

I've only been playing with my babies for about an hour a day.  I was worried about playing with them TO MUCH!  I guess I don't need to worry about it now, after seeing the other replys

[ckhs]

I have my girls out as much as i possibly can(i hate cages)in the morning for an hour or two and at night often times up to five hours.I spend about two hours actually playing....they decide.They are between six to eight months old and i too also find them napping.
ckhs

[Bonnie]

I only put one hour because that's how much I aim for as a minimum each day. They play on my couch, too, so after about an hour they are trying to create mischief on the bookcase and table next to the couch. If I have the day off I try and take them out in lots of one-hour-increments.