rats smell

Pine is fine, cedar is NOT.

I think op meant 20 rats, not 20 tanks?

sent from my EVO

Sorry, I'm a tad bit retarded. I guess I'm using pine, not cedar. :D

You're going to continue to have issues with smell until you can move them out of the closet due to lack of ventilation. Proper air exchange is key in keeping the odor under control.

I heard Vanilla works.. in their water?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sammy412

Vanilla flavoring.......a few drops in 8 oz of water cuts the smell of ammonia in the rat urine. Been using it for years.

---

Interesting... but a little confused. After mixing the vanilla in with the water, where do you put the water? Is it the water that they drink? Can you emphasize a bit for us? thanks!!

Im up to try ANYTHING! lol

You put it into the water that you give them to drink.

As long as a person cleans regularly masking the smell isn't such a bad thing, but it doesn't replace the need to clean the bedding religiously.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mdfreak2

well right now im living at home with my parents so i have all my rats in my closet in 10 gal. tanks until i can get me a rack built for them. i dont have a lot of them just maybe 20 at the most m/f seperated from each other. i have 1 m and 1 f for my main producers these are just the offspring and im feeding them off to my bps so i dont have to spend 5 or more dollars on them each week since i have 4 bp its just easier to go that route. im using aspen bedding and it is stinking about half way through the week it starts getting bad in there. thanks

---

Try using CareFresh. It is much better at controlling the smell. I haven't been keeping my rat room long but I have 3- 10 gallon tanks, 1- 20 gallon tank, and 1 wire mouse cage housing 3 large rats, 5 mice and 22 baby rats. So far I haven't had much smell. I read you can train the rats to use a litter pan like a rabbit. They automatically like to poop in one corner. Just put your Care Fresh were they are pooping. I use cardboard as my base for my tanks and I give the rats paper towels, tissues, cardboard, and old clothes with holes to use for bedding I have also started using paper shredding from my shredder. The key is to use a different bedding for your "potty corner". Then I go in every day and collect the poop. The cardboard is free trash, and with three kids I have a never ending supply of "ratty" clothes for bedding.

I figured I was going to be keeping my breeders for a long time and it would be worth the time training them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakeman13

if you are useing shavings, that is the problem.
with rats, you need to use pellets. wood pellets absorbe so much better.
after changing, it is almost 3 weeks before they start to smell.

---

We use stove pellets and aspen in the mouse cages now, and it works well. The paper products we used before did not absorb the orders as well as aspen and pellets. The aspen gives them something to make a nest with.

My wife found a pelleted bedding for horses that we get @ tsc its cheap verry absorbent and covers up smell really well