THIS PAGE IS CREATED TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS ON CARE AND PLAY
TIME WITH YOUR FANCY RATS. EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE IS MY OWN
OPINION. MABIE YOU CAN GET SOME IDEAS. I HOPE THIS OFFERS SOME
HELP TO NEW RAT OWNERS.
Hello,
Where I like to find used cages is craigs list. Some will come with
toys,hammocks,latters, ect. You can find some really great deals on there
is ya just watch. Make sure you clean all used cages well including toys
and acceseries. Look for the largest cage you can afford. Add levels and
plenty of play area. Bedding is always a tough choice. The best is probably
the care fresh and stuff like that as it does not react to the urine. It can get
costly tho. I use un treated hard wood shavings I get from a friend. Its not
something you will find in a pet shop. I just lucked into some. You do not
want to use cedar or pine shavings as they will react to urine and cause it
to create and irritating gas. It will cause problems in the respatory track.
Keep those cages clean!!! All rats carry mycoplasma. Any stress or
irritation to the respratory track can cause your rattie to get sick. If ever
your lil rattie is sniffling or is making funny sounds other than the normal
squeek occasionally. It time to call your vet asap and get them started on
baytril or what your vet is recomending. Rats also make a teeth grinding
noise. That is a normal happy rat sound. Mine do it when they are happly
sitting on my shoulder.I think it is the sound of contentment. I don't spend
money on toys really. I give them things like plastic pop bottle caps,card
board boxes,salteen boxes,whatever they can chew up and play inside.I
just take them out and give them a new one when they have it a mess.
They love a peice of twine with a wadded up tissue tied on one end and
hanging down from the top of the cage. If you hang it just a few inches
above ground level they will play like cats with it. They will also chase a
string.I also use small branches in the cage. Things to climb on and hang
from. When you use a branch from outside always spray it down with a
deluted bleach soultion and put it out in the sun on a table or something till
its dry. Then its safe for your ratties to chew on and climb on. Mine love
the branches. An exercise wheel in my opinion is one of the things I think
every rattie should have. It gives them some place to get rid of some of
that built up energy from being caged. Sometimes they will use it alot other
times they sleep under it lol but all ratties will use it at one time or another.
I rotate toys. I try not to leave any one toy in a cage for more than a week.
They get board with it, If you take it out for a week and give them a
different thing to play with, I belive they play much more. Just give them
the one you took out orignally again on another week. Its like a kid with a
new toy. I make a play area for my rats when I take them out to play.I use a
card table in the middle of a room.I put on it a small cage with a place to
hide inside. Make sure there is water and a lil treat or food. This gives them
a place to feel very secure and non threatened. Then on the table I put
things to climb on under and over. Little lattace balls and stuff like that. I
also watch yard sales for little playschool houses and stuff they can climb
inside and poke out a window here and there.I put all those things on that
table then I pull up a chair. Ya have to watch them but most times they will
be very careful not to fall off the table. They will hide in the cage for a short
time. Then they will start coming out a lil at a time. Next thing you know it
will look like a rat disney world!!! Rats playing ,climbing,running, just plain
havin fun. When they tire they will start goin back in the cage to sleep.
Thats when ya can put them all away until the next play time. They will love
that play table.!!!!!! Food is one of those things every rat breeder has a
diffrent opinoin on. I choose to use a good maitnance dog food as the main
diet. I also make sure to give them a good variety of
veggies,fruit,beans,nuts and seeds in a treat cup every day. Frozen mixed
veggie's are a cheap and easy way to go. Just thaw a hand full a day.I like
to give them whole un cleaned nuts also. That makes them work to get
inside for the goodie and helps to keep those teeth filed down. Baithing
your rattie is not too hard. Start by running the water slowly and nice and
warm Not hot!! Let your rattie run around the counter top and get uses to
the sound of the water. Pick your rattie up and hold it on both hands
,cradling it. Slowly and with a firm but not too tight grip slowly start wetting
your rattie. Only wet them from behind the ears back until your rattie trusts
you so as not to make it a bad experiance with water in the nose or ears.
When it starts to panic just stop for a second and reassure him/her. Then
continue. When your rattie is wet. Add a small amount of shampoo to your
hand and gently rub it on while cradling your rattie. Rinse well in the same
fashon. Towel your rattie well and gently. Then let them go into a fresh
house inside their cage to keep drafts off. They will groom themselves till
they are dry. Your rattie will get used to bathing quickly if you keep it up.
Never use anything to shampoo your rattie that does not say right on the
bottle that it is safe for cats AND kittens!!! Well I hope this has been some
help to all.I will add things as I think of them.I now have a link to for the
most adorible rat and mouse snuggles. They are machine washable and
really a cute addition to any cage. Rats love them!! I belive she makes
some that hang also but the ones I have pictured appear to be ones you
just sit in the cage .Here is her link with more pictures and prices.
TIME WITH YOUR FANCY RATS. EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE IS MY OWN
OPINION. MABIE YOU CAN GET SOME IDEAS. I HOPE THIS OFFERS SOME
HELP TO NEW RAT OWNERS.
Hello,
Where I like to find used cages is craigs list. Some will come with
toys,hammocks,latters, ect. You can find some really great deals on there
is ya just watch. Make sure you clean all used cages well including toys
and acceseries. Look for the largest cage you can afford. Add levels and
plenty of play area. Bedding is always a tough choice. The best is probably
the care fresh and stuff like that as it does not react to the urine. It can get
costly tho. I use un treated hard wood shavings I get from a friend. Its not
something you will find in a pet shop. I just lucked into some. You do not
want to use cedar or pine shavings as they will react to urine and cause it
to create and irritating gas. It will cause problems in the respatory track.
Keep those cages clean!!! All rats carry mycoplasma. Any stress or
irritation to the respratory track can cause your rattie to get sick. If ever
your lil rattie is sniffling or is making funny sounds other than the normal
squeek occasionally. It time to call your vet asap and get them started on
baytril or what your vet is recomending. Rats also make a teeth grinding
noise. That is a normal happy rat sound. Mine do it when they are happly
sitting on my shoulder.I think it is the sound of contentment. I don't spend
money on toys really. I give them things like plastic pop bottle caps,card
board boxes,salteen boxes,whatever they can chew up and play inside.I
just take them out and give them a new one when they have it a mess.
They love a peice of twine with a wadded up tissue tied on one end and
hanging down from the top of the cage. If you hang it just a few inches
above ground level they will play like cats with it. They will also chase a
string.I also use small branches in the cage. Things to climb on and hang
from. When you use a branch from outside always spray it down with a
deluted bleach soultion and put it out in the sun on a table or something till
its dry. Then its safe for your ratties to chew on and climb on. Mine love
the branches. An exercise wheel in my opinion is one of the things I think
every rattie should have. It gives them some place to get rid of some of
that built up energy from being caged. Sometimes they will use it alot other
times they sleep under it lol but all ratties will use it at one time or another.
I rotate toys. I try not to leave any one toy in a cage for more than a week.
They get board with it, If you take it out for a week and give them a
different thing to play with, I belive they play much more. Just give them
the one you took out orignally again on another week. Its like a kid with a
new toy. I make a play area for my rats when I take them out to play.I use a
card table in the middle of a room.I put on it a small cage with a place to
hide inside. Make sure there is water and a lil treat or food. This gives them
a place to feel very secure and non threatened. Then on the table I put
things to climb on under and over. Little lattace balls and stuff like that. I
also watch yard sales for little playschool houses and stuff they can climb
inside and poke out a window here and there.I put all those things on that
table then I pull up a chair. Ya have to watch them but most times they will
be very careful not to fall off the table. They will hide in the cage for a short
time. Then they will start coming out a lil at a time. Next thing you know it
will look like a rat disney world!!! Rats playing ,climbing,running, just plain
havin fun. When they tire they will start goin back in the cage to sleep.
Thats when ya can put them all away until the next play time. They will love
that play table.!!!!!! Food is one of those things every rat breeder has a
diffrent opinoin on. I choose to use a good maitnance dog food as the main
diet. I also make sure to give them a good variety of
veggies,fruit,beans,nuts and seeds in a treat cup every day. Frozen mixed
veggie's are a cheap and easy way to go. Just thaw a hand full a day.I like
to give them whole un cleaned nuts also. That makes them work to get
inside for the goodie and helps to keep those teeth filed down. Baithing
your rattie is not too hard. Start by running the water slowly and nice and
warm Not hot!! Let your rattie run around the counter top and get uses to
the sound of the water. Pick your rattie up and hold it on both hands
,cradling it. Slowly and with a firm but not too tight grip slowly start wetting
your rattie. Only wet them from behind the ears back until your rattie trusts
you so as not to make it a bad experiance with water in the nose or ears.
When it starts to panic just stop for a second and reassure him/her. Then
continue. When your rattie is wet. Add a small amount of shampoo to your
hand and gently rub it on while cradling your rattie. Rinse well in the same
fashon. Towel your rattie well and gently. Then let them go into a fresh
house inside their cage to keep drafts off. They will groom themselves till
they are dry. Your rattie will get used to bathing quickly if you keep it up.
Never use anything to shampoo your rattie that does not say right on the
bottle that it is safe for cats AND kittens!!! Well I hope this has been some
help to all.I will add things as I think of them.I now have a link to for the
most adorible rat and mouse snuggles. They are machine washable and
really a cute addition to any cage. Rats love them!! I belive she makes
some that hang also but the ones I have pictured appear to be ones you
just sit in the cage .Here is her link with more pictures and prices.
