Calculate the ideal living space for your pet rats and track their human-age equivalent.
1. Cage Capacity Calculator
Determine how many rats can comfortably live in your cage based on dimensions.
Inches (in)
Centimeters (cm)
Maximum Recommended Rats: 0
2. Rat to Human Age Converter
Rats age much faster than humans. Find out how old your rat is in human years.
Human Age Equivalent: 0 years
How to Use the Rat Calculator
Providing the correct environment for pet rats (Rattus norvegicus domestica) is essential for their health and happiness. Our Rat Calculator helps you determine the physical capacity of a cage and the biological progress of your pet's life cycle.
Understanding Cage Capacity (The 2.5 Cubic Feet Rule)
The general consensus among rat enthusiasts and experts is that each rat requires a minimum of 2 to 2.5 cubic feet of space. While some calculators use 2 cubic feet, we use 2.5 cubic feet as the gold standard to ensure your rats have plenty of room for enrichment, hammocks, and exercise.
Width, Depth, and Height: Rats are active climbers. A cage should have significant vertical height as well as floor space.
Bar Spacing: Ensure bar spacing is no larger than 0.5 inches for females and young rats to prevent escapes.
Social Requirements: Rats are highly social. You should never keep a single rat; they should always live in pairs or groups.
How Rat Age Conversion Works
Rats mature incredibly quickly. A rat is considered an adult by 6 months and is entering their senior years by 18 months. On average, 1 rat month is roughly equivalent to 2.5 human years, though the early stages of development are even more accelerated.
Rat Age
Human Equivalent
6 Weeks
10-12 Years (Puberty)
6 Months
18-20 Years (Adulthood)
2 Years
60-70 Years (Senior)
Example Calculation
If you have a cage that is 31 inches wide, 20 inches deep, and 36 inches high:
Total Cubic Inches = 31 x 20 x 36 = 22,320 cu in.
Convert to Cubic Feet = 22,320 / 1728 ≈ 12.91 cu ft.
Divide by 2.5 = 12.91 / 2.5 ≈ 5.16.
Result: This cage is suitable for up to 5 rats.
function calculateRatSpace() {
var unit = document.getElementById("rat_unit").value;
var w = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rat_width").value);
var d = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rat_depth").value);
var h = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rat_height").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("cage_result");
var ratCountSpan = document.getElementById("rat_count");
var volumeDetails = document.getElementById("volume_details");
if (isNaN(w) || isNaN(d) || isNaN(h) || w <= 0 || d <= 0 || h <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive dimensions.");
return;
}
var cubicFeet = 0;
if (unit === "in") {
// Volume in cubic inches / 1728 to get cubic feet
cubicFeet = (w * d * h) / 1728;
} else {
// Volume in cubic cm / 28316.8 to get cubic feet
cubicFeet = (w * d * h) / 28316.8466;
}
// Standard: 2.5 cubic feet per rat
var rats = Math.floor(cubicFeet / 2.5);
// Rats must be kept in at least pairs
if (rats 1) {
ratCountSpan.innerText = "0 (Cage too small)";
} else if (rats = 2.5) {
ratCountSpan.innerText = "1 (Note: Rats need companions)";
} else {
ratCountSpan.innerText = rats;
}
volumeDetails.innerText = "Total interior volume: " + cubicFeet.toFixed(2) + " cubic feet.";
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
}
function calculateRatAge() {
var months = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rat_months").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("age_result");
var humanAgeSpan = document.getElementById("human_age");
var ageCategory = document.getElementById("age_category");
if (isNaN(months) || months < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid age in months.");
return;
}
var humanYears = 0;
var category = "";
if (months <= 1.5) {
// Infancy to Puberty
humanYears = months * 8;
category = "Juvenile / Pup";
} else if (months = 18 ? "Senior Rat" : "Mature Adult";
}
humanAgeSpan.innerText = humanYears.toFixed(1);
ageCategory.innerText = "Life Stage: " + category;
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
}