#rat bedding

[littlealienproducts]

Handmade Fleece Guinea Pig Accessories by Gizmo and Co

[fbwzoo]

When it comes to rats, is it better to have fleece covering in their cage or dust free bedding? I've heard lots of people on rat forums say that they dirty fleece very quickly and it ends up smelling awful, but I also see a lot of people with fleece in their cages (esp in your rat enrichment tag). I just want something that's easy to clean and doesn't need to be washed every five seconds lmao

I think it mostly depends on personal preference. A lot of people will use fleece because it’s washable & reusable, but rats are quite messy & fleece can only absorb so much. It’s common for hedgehogs to sew multi-layer liners, but hedgehogs don’t chew their bedding like rats do. So I’m not sure if that’s as common for rat owners? 

Loose bedding is usually better at handling the mess & smell of rodents, but unfortunately a lot of the choices for loose bedding can have health drawbacks, since rats & mice are so prone to URIs from dust, and it can be a lot messier (in terms of getting everywhere).

A compromise could include lower levels with guards on the side of the cage that have loose bedding so the rats can dig (and forage!) in it & to help with the mess/smell build up, and fleece coverings on the ramps & higher levels? You could replace the smaller sections of fleece a few times a week, then do a weekly clean of the whole cage & remove the loose bedding at that time. Honestly, I like the idea of that for when/if I manage to get some ratties myself.

(Sidenote, I continue to be bitter that the US doesn’t have an easily accessible brand of cardboard square bedding for small animals. I have two different friends in Europe that have used it for small mammals & loved it, and I want it, dang it!)

[fbwzoo]

(Rat anon again) Great, thank you! Do you or your followers know anywhere that sells fleece covers that would specifically fit that cage or pans that I could use in the bottom that would hold bedding without it falling out everywhere? Thank you again!!

For fleece covers, check out Etsy! There are lots of shops that sell fleece bedding for various cages, including the Ferret Nation. :) They also sell sets of things for hiding/sleeping in, like hammocks, tunnels, huts, etc., which would be great for ratty sleep time.

And I did a quick search since I didn’t know offhand, and there are scatter guard accessories sold for the Ferret Nation! https://www.ferret.com/item/ferret-nation-scatter-guard/650415/ If you want something cheaper, you could get coroplast (you can usually find it with the glass & plexiglass panels of home improvement stores) or something similar & ziptie it to the cage.

And no problem, glad to help! :) You’re going to have very happy ratties, Ferret Nations are such good cages for them.

[charlysrats]

I'd love to hear what everyone uses for bedding in their cage and why, I'm heavily considering changing what I use.

[ringneckedpheasant]

okay. so i got paid today. which is good, great actually! but i NEED to limit myself on unnecessary purchases so.

i’m getting a haircut and the poe dameron comic (it’s $5) that’s it

[ub-sessed]

[rat-arsed]

Hi there! :D Your rats are absolutely adorable! I was just wondering if you could tell me what kind of litter you use in your rats litter tray? I have a burmese rat just like yours as well as a siamese and I'm currently trying to find a litter that isn't too dusty. I've not had much luck so far! Thanks in advance :)

Thanks!I hope I'm not responding too late! Tumblr never alerts me to messages :(Currently I am using "Tigerino Canada Cat Litter" and it's the best stuff I've used yet, it's dust free, unscented and 100% clay.Outside the trays I use Breeders Celect, which is recycled paper pellets - it's the best at reducing smell.(It's also exactly the same as Back2Nature except cheaper.)

[ratabulous]

Bedding for the boys

Since it's impossible to train my boys to use a litter box, (they just go wherever & I don't think fleece will be good for them because of this) I'm going to make a tray for my cage so I can switch back to aspen (since I have some already), then maybe a better option. Any favorites? I know about Carefresh but I'm not sure if it would be better for respiratory & cleanliness than aspen. It was kind of spendy so I'm kinda hesitant... What is your favorite bedding & why? Does it have any downsides like turning mushy or being a little dusty? (Them being older rats, I'm extra worried about their respiratory systems getting irritated :/) I appreciate any advice because reviews alone are hard to go by!! Thanks :D