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!)