This isnt abuse is it?

I would be concerned about glass tanks outside, they can overheat easily killing your rats. Newspaper sucks as bedding, tried it once. It does not absorb the urine at all. The animals will be sitting in it and it can cause urine burns and lung issues. I buy pine bedding from a feed store where I get hay for my guinea pigs. I get two big bags of pine for the same price as one bag from a pet store. I use to feed dog food too, but recently switched to rodent blocks. Not only do the rats like the blocks more but they look healthier. Their coats are not greasy looking anymore and they have no more scabs. I know that your rats are only feeders and not going to be around long but healthy feeders makes healthy snakes. Also having the rats outside will attract wild rats and mice, which may have bugs and diseases that can be passed to your rats. If there is no way to get the rats inside, can you get a small shed set up for them. Make sure it is well vented with a fan too. Also don't be surprised if they stop breeding in the summer when it gets hot.

Alright. I did some weighing of options and I put some changes into effect.

1)I moved all the rats and enclosures inside(I got 5 more females yesterday! = P, but dont worry, im giving the male breaks between ladies.) Right now theyre in the living room, but If I do cage cleanings 2-3 times a week it should never smell THAT horrible. If my room mates put up a fuss, then I can attempt to put them in my laundryroom(but its connected to my room mates room so probably not) or I can try to put them in my room and finnagle enough space. The one concern there is im afraid the noise will keep me awake. but worst cage scenario I think I could do it.

2)Im still putting a few sheets of newspaper on the cage bottoms to catch anything that may soak down, but I bought a HUGE bag of pine shavings and am layering that over the neswpaper.

3) I started a breeding calander to outline the dates they were combined, when the females were removed, when I should theoreticly expect a little etc. etc. This should keep more more organized, and I can write out which days I want to clean too.


I know you guys think I should probably be BUYING mice, but my first year of breeding is actually going to be fairly large. ive spent the last year(possibly more, I cant remember) learning, and reading, and planning, and double checking over and over. Its finally time to put my plans into action and (with any luck) Ill have a lot of mouths to feed very soon. Not to mention my burm eats more than any being in my house @_@; So I really need to make this work. One way or another. As time goes on Ill have more space, and maybe Ill be able to rent out a second room for all my snakes when one of my room mates leaves, and I can commandeer another part of the house for my rats when they move their stuff XD so it really might not be long before it becomes incredibly reasonable.

Paper products is probably the worst bedding you can use, right up there with old torn up clothing, It holds the ammonia/urine in and makes the rats/mice breath it continually.
Kiln dried pine is cheap and works really well.

A 50 lb bale of aspen costs me arond

(dang phone) costs me around 5 bucks. They sell it as horse bedding at my local farm supply store

I have a 1:3 colony of ASFs, and 10 mice in my room and I don't find them that loud, even though their wheels squeak every once inawhile


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When I lived in Arizona, during fall to spring I was able to keep my rats outside. They were in rat racks, I used Pine bedding which I dusted with Food Grade DE every cleaning.

The temperature dropped in the 30's and they did very well though I brought nursing moms inside because the babies would catch a chill and die.

I never once had any bug problems with my rodents and the DE was a precaution not a treatment.

I built a shed on the property that was insulated and ran an AC in the summer during the day. Usually at night I just propped the door opened because it got cool. In the winter when i had the shed, I propped the door opened as well.

Now I live in NY and have everyone in the basement and in rat racks. There are a few females to one male per drawer and they stay in there and raise litters, eat harlan teklad, and are on pine pellets.

I don't see your setup as abuse at all except possibly a problem in summer in glass tanks.

I saw you moved them inside and got more. May I suggest building a rack. Space efficient, easier to clean, feed, water, etc

I wish I could get good aspen that cheap from my feed store. They only carry pine and cedar products.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

I wish I could get good aspen that cheap from my feed store. They only carry pine and cedar products.

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They carry pine in bags that big too but it's pretty dusty stuff. The aspen is the shredded type and I've been using it for years for the rodents. I was using it a while for the snakes too until I went back to newspaper again for them.

They fit perfecrly in my closet right now. Im using newspaper again but changing ir daily. Building a rack actively. Jist an update = D