Reducing Smell of Rats

Imitation vanilla extract has the same chemcial that makes it taste vanilla, but it is extracted from wood instead :) which contains the chemical (from what Ive been led to believe).


Half a gallon of imitation vanilla was $5.72 at Sams

Figured Id update on the vinegar. I have seen no ill effects from using it on about 100 rats. I couldnt really tell a difference in smell but my wife did complain less (Her dad used to raise rats and mice and shes not too fond of them). I also didnt notice any difference in water consumption.


Much cheaper than vanilla ... I put about 3-4 tablespoons in 4 gallons of water.

Bryan

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

Imitation vanilla extract has the same chemcial that makes it taste vanilla, but it is extracted from wood instead :) which contains the chemical (from what Ive been led to believe).


Half a gallon of imitation vanilla was $5.72 at Sams

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Interesting....never knew that imitation vanilla only imititated the plant not the chemical.......

Good idea for a thread SSS!

So how are all the tricks working for you Bryan?

The vanilla has reduced the ammonia smell. The week I used baking soda like 6 rats died, none have died in the few weeks since, and none had died in a few weeks leading up to that, so Im holding off on baking soda for now.

Going to be picking up a few air purifiers and if those help it should be at a manageable level.

Is your rat room temp controlled? I find if my rats get over 80 degress the consume tons more water and ammonia gets worse. I ventilate the room up to 80 degrees and air condition if temps get above 80. Seems to help. :)

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

....The week I used baking soda like 6 rats died, none have died in the few weeks since, and none had died in a few weeks leading up to that,.....

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Very interesting! I wonder if they inhaled the powder and irritated their lungs? I wouldn't have thought of baking soda as being harmful to anything, but I would take your story as evidence enough that it should at the very least be used with great caution around small animals.

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

Is your rat room temp controlled? I find if my rats get over 80 degress the consume tons more water and ammonia gets worse. I ventilate the room up to 80 degrees and air condition if temps get above 80. Seems to help. :)

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I keep it around 68-70, I agree about the heat thing.

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Originally Posted by JLC

Very interesting! I wonder if they inhaled the powder and irritated their lungs? I wouldn't have thought of baking soda as being harmful to anything, but I would take your story as evidence enough that it should at the very least be used with great caution around small animals.

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I really don't know. Someone mentioned it and I used it without second thought.... I really dont see how it could have harmed them... (its not like I used vinegar in my water and it gassed them :).

I am tempted to call it a freak occurrence, but i really dont want to re-test it again right now. The only thing I can think of is what you said, it being dusty somehow affected them. I used it in the mother cages as well as the breeder cages, and 2 pregnant females died, and 4 regular breeders..