If anyone out there has pet rats, which is the best product to use for the cage? Bedding,etc.?
Posted March 31st, 2010 by admin
Durable dog beds, discount, large dog beds, pets beds
Find the right kind of dog bed for your dog from a large variety of pets beds.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
I use Yesterday’s News. Don’t buy it from the small animals litter section, get the big bag from the cat litter section. It is a better deal, and you will thank me later for the fewer trips to the store to restock.
It is awesome at absorbing moisture and odors, while avoiding crumbling - most of the time.
You can also use aspen shavings, but I noticed it makes mine sneeze, where YN does not.
They also like to play with it, picking out the biggest pieces and stashing it in different parts of the cage… I’ll dump their stash in the bottom again and the next day the same pieces (or they look the same) will be back up at the top!
Make hammocks from scrap fabric. What I do though is get a bulk pack of cheap terry shop towels from Sam’s and use those for most everything - hammocks, carpeting, pieces for nests/cuddling, etc. In the winter is when I get rid of my old towels by laying one on top of the cage for warmth at night. They enjoy ventilating the towel and pulling pieces through the bars, too.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
Rats are really prone to upper respiratory infection. The less dust, the better.
I’ve had rats for almost a year and a half and I’m always on the look out for better litter.
The best I’ve come across is called Alpha-Dri. Unfortunately, its hard to come buy and websites charge a hefty price to ship it to you. If you can find it in a physical store, this is what I recommend - I myself drive almost 20 miles just to get the stuff.
If you can’t find it, the next best thing seems to be a corn-cob litter. Don’t worry, they don’t eat it. :o)
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
a woodbased cat litter is good for the very bottom of the cage because it will absorb any moisture and carefresh pet bedding is very good, it stops the cage from smelling so bad. you can get it from most pet shops Please stay away from wood shaving because the dust is bad for rat’s breathing.
dont use newspaper because it gets soiled quickly and stinks! + the ink is toxic.
hope this helps.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
Well I don’t have rats, but I have Mice (same diff.) ask your local pet store what products they recommend. I found they can be really helpful.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
My family always had bunnies and ferrets and we always used ceder chips they smell good and keep the urine smell down.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
Aspen shavings - NOT pine or cedar! - are good, so, I hear, is Yesterday’s News, polar fleece strips are good, (I use these during the winter. It’s cheap, since all you have to do is wash and reuse them,) and newspaper printed with soy-based ink is okay.
I also make my own hammocks out of the same fleece. My Smokey loved curling up in a hammock. I haven’t seen Fudge (the surviving rat) in one since she died. But rats, in general, love hammocks. Given a choice, they’ll sleep as high up in the cage as possible - I think this is so that they can play lookout.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
Aspen is a good bedding material. DO NOT use PINE or CEDAR shavings. These products can leach out ‘phenol oils’ which can cause all sorts of of problems, including(or leading up to) death. There are many alternative bedding such as Carefresh and Carefreh Ultra. A layer of newspaper under the bedding makes for easier cleanup. I do not recommend corn cob bedding. You will have to try a few types of bedding and decide what works for you. Regular cleaning is the key to a healthy, happy animal!
dave<:3}~…OWNER/ SHAGGYMOUSE YAHOO GROUP
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
We use Total Comfort, Carefresh or Carefresh Ultra & occasionally aspen. Please, don’t use pine or cedar, I don’t know why they even sell that stuff as bedding.
For hammocks, we used to get the ones made for ferrets but it’s much cheaper to use fleece & clips, especially for rats who enjoy chewing fabric. We also hang cardboard boxes for them & attach some of their chew toys to the sides of their cages.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
forget the name, but its soft like recycled paper mixed with cloth. cedar and pine cause upper respertory infections due to the oils in the wood. Aspen is a perfect choice though. also dont forget to change the bedding often, because alot of urine creates toxic amounts on ammonia which makes little ones sick.
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
I like http://www.martinscages.com for cages, I suggest you put down a litter or cage liner to absorb urine better and therefore keep the cage a cleaner and healthier environment. A little secret: I’ll go to dollar stores or walmart and just pick up some extra absorbent puppy training pads and use those, it’s ultimately the same thing and I can save a buck.
I really think that carefresh or other pulp bedding is the best but you can also use Aspen but NO pine or cedar because it irritates their respiratory systems!
And just for nesting, I always get timothy hay and fluffy soft cotton, and fleece beds/hammocks!
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
There’s also yesterdays news, back2nature, hemp and cardboard squares (called bedmax or something you can find this usually in horse yards that sell stuff) or online.
http://www.thepetfoodco.co.uk/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?product=Horse%20Bedding&cart_id=5211444_13226
March 31st, 2010 - 11:07 pm
I have a female hooded rat named Honey. Well for bedding alot of people said the brand Carefresh bedding is the best and thats what I bought and it seems better than most other beddings. It is a little more on the expensive side, bought it last 2 times longer than most other beddings which is true cause my rat cage never smells and I clean it every two weeks. It also comes in diffrent colors, pink,grey,white,blue,etc. For a cage I would get ones with metal bars because glass aquriums are not well venelated and smell worse. For treats i reccomend yoggies my rat absolutley LOVES these. I heard that rat food is better for them than the rat and mouse food mixed bags but I dont know I have rat and mouse. My rat loves peas alot but I dont know why they are good for them but too many can be unhealthy ecspecially dont go oevrboard on the fruit. I hope I helped and if you ned any more help or have any questions you can email me.
And I almost forgot DONT use Cedar or Pine bedding it can cause infections and is very unhealthy.