Rat owners! Question!

[*blackrose]

Since this is talking about bedding in a FN type cage....instead of starting a new topic I'm going to ask my question here and see if it gets answered. LOL

The girls are currently in a little wire cage. One story, I think it's 30"x18" or something like that. They have a shelf, a hammock tube, and we rotate out toys and other climby things so they don't seem unhappy in it, but when they come to live with me in August I was going to just transfer them over to one of the halves of the FN142 I have, since Dameon only uses half of it. (Their current cage is 1" bar spacing, so I'm not worried about them escaping.)

But, what would be the best way to line it? I won't have easy access to a washer/dryer, so I really don't want to use fleece over the entire cage...is there a way to customize the bottom try to keep bedding in?

[Greenmagick]

Most people who want to use bedding order bass pans to go in the bottom

[PWCorgi]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

Most people who want to use bedding order bass pans to go in the bottom

This.

Honestly, I don't wash my bedding, I chuck it. When I wash it (I've used Nature's Miracle and vinegar with it) it always makes my washer/dryer smell like urine. Plus, they like to make holes in it to burrow underneath and run around on the plastic pan (I could stop this with binder clips, but they have so much fun doing it that I feel bad ruining their fun)
For the bottom I use $4 towels from Target that come in like 15 different awesome colors! For the top shelf and hammocks I use anti-pill fleece.

I have a $15 Dirt Devil that I suck all the poops up every day (cause with 5 rats in one cage, there's a lotta poop!) and then I change out the bedding about every 2 weeks. I have only thrown one hammock away and that was because I needed a bigger one when the babies moved into the big girl cage!

[maxfox426]

Originally Posted by JessLough

What kinds of bedding do rats use? Would things like the level/floor covers be useful? Is there the fear of them breaking their feet in the ramps too (in CN/FN cages) so ramp covers? Do they like beds? blankets? hammocks?

Does anybody happen to have the dimensions for the CN or other popular rat cages?

THANKS!

When it comes to bedding... no pine/soft woods or sand. Aspen is good, I liked Carefresh for a while, and Yesterday's News. Another option (I think PW does this?) is to use layers of fleece.

As for ramps, fine mesh and ladder style (wide gaps) are fine, as well as solid ramps or covers.

Beds, blankets and hammocks will all be loved by rats. ESPECIALLY HAMMOCKS. For serious. They will love hammocks to pieces.

I had a Martin's Cage. The brand isn't known for being very pretty, but they are well made and I really liked it.


ETA: Clearly, I didn't ready all the other posts before my response. I think you're pretty well covered here!

[JessLough]

Originally Posted by maxfox426

When it comes to bedding... no pine/soft woods or sand. Aspen is good, I liked Carefresh for a while, and Yesterday's News. Another option (I think PW does this?) is to use layers of fleece.

As for ramps, fine mesh and ladder style (wide gaps) are fine, as well as solid ramps or covers.

Beds, blankets and hammocks will all be loved by rats. ESPECIALLY HAMMOCKS. For serious. They will love hammocks to pieces.

I had a Martin's Cage. The brand isn't known for being very pretty, but they are well made and I really liked it.


ETA: Clearly, I didn't ready all the other posts before my response. I think you're pretty well covered here!

thank you anyway

I'm making a suggie bedding set soon, SO EXCITED.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by maxfox426

I had a Martin's Cage. The brand isn't known for being very pretty, but they are well made and I really liked it.

I feel like I am so in the minority in the rat community, because I loved my Martins waaayyy more than I am enjoying this CN. There are a lot of things I love about the CN (size, full front doors, storage shelf) but I find it such a PITA to clean, poop easily falls out the sides, and I hate that I have to go to extra work if I were to want to use "real" bedding.

But anyway.

Plus, they like to make holes in it to burrow underneath and run around on the plastic pan (I could stop this with binder clips, but they have so much fun doing it that I feel bad ruining their fun)

Hahah! My guys do that too and I DID put a stop to it with binder clips I feel like a jerk but they were just using the bare shelves as a toilet and it was gross to clean and made their bodies REEK. I do provide them with other loose towels/scraps of fleece for burrowing in though so they still can, they just don't find it as fun as doing it the NAUGHTY way.

btw - I see your siamese girl (sorry I don't remember which name belongs to who!) had her points come in!! Reptar's nose smudge started to become noticeable about a week ago, and now it's super dark and can't be missed!

[PWCorgi]

I'm such a pushover with them, lol! They get whatever they want, plus I don't think binder clips would completely stop it as they sometimes just chew holes anyway, and I get worried they wouldn't be able to find their way out! I never find nasties under there though, just food that Petunia drags down she prefers laying under there to being in the hammock with the other girls.

And yes, Peony has gotten waaaay darker. Especially her back end, so cute!!

[JessLough]

Originally Posted by PWCorgi

I'm such a pushover with them, lol! They get whatever they want, plus I don't think binder clips would completely stop it as they sometimes just chew holes anyway, and I get worried they wouldn't be able to find their way out! I never find nasties under there though, just food that Petunia drags down she prefers laying under there to being in the hammock with the other girls.

And yes, Peony has gotten waaaay darker. Especially her back end, so cute!!

Pictures or it didn't happen