The above picture is of the cage I had to build for my boys. This cage is very sturdy, although at first I though the hardware cloth would make it rickety. To secure the cage to the pan, I used 4 cage clips from 2 old hamster cages. Will, the friendly gargoyle who sits on top of their cage is made from concrete so you can see the cage is stable. My boys are very happy there and they run, climb, jump, tussle and pounce when they play and the cage doesn't even shimmie.
Rats are intelligent, amusing, cost-efficient pet friends who tolerate a lot of human handling.
They are much more interactive, funny and docile than the readily accepted hamster. I've had experience with both small animals and would recommend that anyone considering a hamster, to instead try a rat. However, ratties want to be around you, and rarely, if ever, bite. As a sole pet or as one of a group, they are nothing short of adorable. They stand on their back legs and pseudo-punch like fighing kangaroos.