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Post by LittlePaws(Cat) on Feb 4, 2009 21:27:54 GMT 10
My older boys don't like their hammock unless it has been thoroughly peed in LOL None of the others are as bad so I just leave them to it. Needless to say all my rats love hammocks and I think every ratty needs one I am still trying to find a litter that I am happy with but generally I pick up breeders choice or the cheap coles recycled litter. I use material from time to time as well, but because I don't go into the main part of town usually I am rarely able to pick anything up. I find that my ratties adore plastic plant pots - all shapes and sizes. I lay them in the cage on their sides and the girls tend to chew the bottom out of them (so they have a front AND a back door) but the boys just like to squish in as is. Or maybe they are too lazy to add the back door  |
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ceara
Aussie Rat Owner 
Posts: 129
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Post by ceara on Feb 5, 2009 18:27:27 GMT 10
Haha, it wouldn't surprise me if the boys are just too lazy! Mine are. They mostly eat, sleep and snuggle. My boys love their hammock, and the girls only lose theirs occasionally.
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Post by tigergrrrrl on Feb 5, 2009 19:30:35 GMT 10
Woo hoo! I was buying the breeders choice or coles brand litter all along and I had no idea that's what other people were using.
When I first got raties I was getting the paper bedding stuff from the pet store but that was working out to be way too expensive. I then saw that the Dr Harry's/Coles stuff was very similar for much cheaper so started to get that. Then when it wasn't avaliable for a while I started using the Breeders Choice.
Now for my new bubs I have Coles in the bottom of their cage and breeders choice in the litter tray.
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Post by jackalheadrats on Mar 21, 2009 13:21:53 GMT 10
Due to proper rat bedding being really exensive here, my rats live on shredded office paper. It's cheap (usually free), dust free, absorbant and many office will be more than happy to let you raid their shredding machine bin.
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saz
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 13
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Post by saz on Mar 23, 2009 19:07:33 GMT 10
I use breeders choice, and hammocks! My boys are fantastic and put every single poo in the litter tray, the girls prefer the hammocks to toilet in. And who ever said girls are the cleaner species LMAO!
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maesie
Aussie Rat Owner
I pee, therefore I am!
Posts: 115
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Post by maesie on May 10, 2009 18:53:40 GMT 10
I'm using the Breeders Choice in their litter trays (not often used as yet), newspaper under the bottom grates, carpet/material on top of grates, and plenty of fleece for beds and hammocks...
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nessie
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 47
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Post by nessie on Jun 2, 2009 11:46:37 GMT 10
Is there a reason why people don't use kitty litter that is not made of 100% recycled paper for litter?
These are my first rats so I am deciding what to use - when I had a cat years ago I used to buy the expensive kitty litter with the little beads - it clumps up wonderfully and is absorbent and cos you can easily just remove the clumps it is much easier to keep smelling nice -
but I was wondering if this kind of litter toxic to use with rats?
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Post by Kim on Jun 2, 2009 18:39:16 GMT 10
Basically clumping litters are bad for rats, they are either made of clay and therefore dangerous to the lungs of rats, or made from chemicals which again are bad for the rats lungs. Being born with Myco a condition that damages the lungs, its very easy for rats to stress rats or damage the lungs and cause the Myco to flair up.. This in turn can cause scaring on the lungs making the problem worse. Which is why the recycled paper cat litter is the safest choice when it comes to litter for rat cages...  |
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Post by christie on Jun 2, 2009 19:49:32 GMT 10
The Breeders Choice litter is actually really good at keeping the smells down. So don't worry about that.
Aside of the reasons Kim said about not using anything other than paper. I know my guys eat in there litter tray, they drop food there and then come back later to eat it. I would hate to think that anything that clumps getting stuck to their food and them eating it. It wouldn't be good for them at all.
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nessie
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 47
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Post by nessie on Jun 2, 2009 19:52:45 GMT 10
Thanks Kim, I suspected there must be a good reason! |
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Post by missdownunder13 on Jul 13, 2009 11:53:35 GMT 10
i use breeders choice just in the litter box, i use newspaper on the bottom (which she rips up soon enough).
and i use Lino on the shelves. i really want to get fleece but I'll wait until i get a new cage, which could be quite a while yet.
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Post by christie on Jul 13, 2009 12:30:06 GMT 10
i just thought to add that while toilet training my current guy, it was really hard at first to get them to go in the right place. But as soon as i changed there litter pan to a larger one they got it right away, there are no poops anyone else at all in the whole cage. So if anyone is having problems with training i would suggest trying a larger pan.
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nessie
Aussie Rat Owner
Posts: 47
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Post by nessie on Jul 13, 2009 12:39:55 GMT 10
I was lucky - all three of my rats just started going in the litter tray right away (I did place a few poos in there to get them started)!!
Although sometimes pikelet balances on the side of the tray and poos over the (wrong) edge, usually after I have put in a freshly laundered towel for their floor. I can't get angry cos as least she is very CLOSE to the litter! hehe.
I tried both polar fleece and old towels for the bedding and the ratties seem to enjoy the towels a lot more.
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Post by christie on Jul 13, 2009 23:34:09 GMT 10
Just be careful with the towels. If the rattys chew then it will frey and you don't want a ratty to get tangled in it.
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