Aspen Shavings and CareFresh Bedding
Aquariums vs. Wire Cages
I can tell you right off that your best bet is to get a wire cage. But I'll start off with aquariums. A 20-gallon aquarium is the minimum you should get for a rat. Also, you would need a screen covering the top. The larger the aquarium, the heavier it will be. So keep that in mind when you clean it. An aquarium does not provide proper ventilation. Ventilation for what? Well, air circulation. Their urine has ammonia in it, and without proper ventilation, ammonia can build up in the aquarium. Also, aquariums can act like greenhouses, building up heat inside. Rats can't take heat very well, so never put an aquarium in direct sunlight. Wire cages provide more interaction with rat and owner. Also, it is easier to hang water bottles, and provide different setups inside (stimulation for your rats), you can put up shelves, hang toys, put up a hammock, among other interesting things for your rats. Rats love to climb, and they will definitely take advantage of that with wire cages. They are fairly easy to clean. But, being wire, your rats can make a mess around their cage with bedding falling out. Never get a hamster or gerbil cage, as those are way too small for rats. The space between the bars should not be bigger than 1", unless you want escapees.
Need a cage? Try Martin's Cages
Bedding
Never, ever, ever use Cedar or Pine!!! They contain phenol chemicals, which can cause respiratory difficulty, liver and kidney damage. Not only does this affect rats, but other small critters as well, so spread the word. Bedding you can use includes aspen shavings, maple, corncob, recycled newspaper, or CareFresh bedding. CareFresh is one of the top beddings that are available. It controls odors much better than wood shavings. Corncob is not very absorbent, and grows mold rather easily. I'm not sure about newspapers, although the ink may be toxic.
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Sometimes, rats like to use a different material to nest with. Items such as paper towels or tissues, or even pieces of an old shirt are good. Not to mention rats love shredding them.
Free Ranging
Now you could forget a cage altogether and let your rats run free throughout your house (or just one bedroom). Just like baby proofing a house, you need to rat proof the area where your rats will be loose in. Remove any unnecessary items that you don't want getting torn up. Remove electrical cords, or tape them up high on walls, or you could buy plastic tubing from a pet store and make a slit along the tube, and put in the cord. To prevent your rats from going places they shouldn't go, you can block off areas using bricks, pieces of wood, etc. To prevent your rat from climbing onto dressers or shelves, you can tape some cardboard so that it hangs over the edge of the furniture. Investigate the room(s) carefully, looking for any holes or cracks in the walls and floor. Make sure all windows are closed. Provide plenty of things your rats can chew on and toys as well, to try and prevent ruined furniture. If your rat constantly chews on things he shouldn't, you can use bitter apple spray, hot sauce, etc.
It may be a good idea to teach your rats to come when they're called. Also, you may litter train them so you don't have to clean your floors every day. Be careful where you walk and sit, we don't want any squashed rodents. Especially be careful when sitting in rocking chairs, recliners, or sofas. A rat may be inside, and..well let's not think about that. Don't let rats loose in a room with chemically treated carpet, a new carpet, or a room where an artificial deodorizer is used. Houseplants can be toxic to rats, so be sure to remove those as well. Even though other pets may get along well with your rats, accidents do happen, so never let your pets and rats loose in the same room.