Rant about my rats

I'm really starting to hate my cute little rats. They are chewing machines. :mad:

I had my males and my females separated but my females chewed their way out of their cage. It was one of those cages you get at pet stores. So I had to put the females in with the males because I didn't have the money for another cage at the time. Well, it didn't take them long to start chewing a hole in the males cage. I've been trying everything possible to keep them from making a hole they can get out of, but nothing really stops them.

Last night they must have really really wanted out because they started on an untouched corner of the cage and by morning there was a whole big enough for them to get out of. All 4 were still in the cage thankfully, but this is just insane. I had to move them into a spare 10 gallon tank until Saturday. On Saturday I am picking up a rat rack from someone on craigslist. I would have made my own, but I didn't want there to be a chance I would mess it up and just create something they could easily chew their way out of.

I'm so frustrated with them right now. :rage::rage::rage::rage::taz::taz::taz::rage::rage::rage::rage:

I don't blame you for being frustrated! Sorry you're dealing with it...

One a side note, did you know that rats are capable of chewing through a concrete cinder block??? So good luck with your efforts! :P

What kind of food are you feeding? Do they have any chew blocks or toys in with them? Chewing rats can be an indicator of boredom too. A wheel would probably stop this.

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

I don't blame you for being frustrated! Sorry you're dealing with it...

One a side note, did you know that rats are capable of chewing through a concrete cinder block??? So good luck with your efforts! :P

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Thanks. :)

I did not know they could chew through concrete cinder block, but I believe it. :O

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Originally Posted by satomi325

What kind of food are you feeding? Do they have any chew blocks or toys in with them? Chewing rats can be an indicator of boredom too. A wheel would probably stop this.

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I feed them rat lab block (I think that's what it's called). They don't have any chew toys because they don't use them, it was a waste of money. Both cages originally had hammocks and they just chewed them to bits. I could put the wheel that came with the cage in, but something tells me they would just chew it. >_<

Edit: I forgot they weren't in the cage anymore, so I can't put the wheel in. >_<

Down side to chewers is they will chew and chew, any new additions will be taught to chew.

I breed for food and pets and my colony dont chew as any chewers are gassed off young

I finally just made the switch to racks with the morter tubs. I had success for a few years with rubbermaid and sterilite tubs but eventually they figured that they could chew out of them. It is frustrating, I feel your pain!

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Down side to chewers is they will chew and chew, any new additions will be taught to chew.

I breed for food and pets and my colony dont chew as any chewers are gassed off young

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Cool, something fun to look forward too. Maybe I should just gas these 4 off and start over. :(

I have a few snakes that prefer their rat pups to be alive and moving which is why I only have a few rats.

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Originally Posted by PghBall

I finally just made the switch to racks with the morter tubs. I had success for a few years with rubbermaid and sterilite tubs but eventually they figured that they could chew out of them. It is frustrating, I feel your pain!

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That really sucks, have you had luck with the morter tubs?

I have 4 pet girls in a tupperware bin with LOADS of possible chew places, but they don't. I agree with Rich, they learn to chew.

None of my rats in the rack chew either.

In my colony chewers become feeders with the quickness. My advice would be to get rid of them asap. If you have to start over by buying a few new ones, then so be it. It's cheaper than replacing chewed up tubs etc.

Id either feed them off or get rid of them, unfortunately once a chewer always a chewer!

I put my chewers in a tank. I know I know, everyone says "Tanks are bad for rats!" but so far they haven't had any issues, and they can't chew glass. They have chewed the sealant out of the corners! They are near a fan, so the air has good circulation, even down in the tank.

All chewers seem to just CHEW, and they'll chew tubs, cages, you name it. Unless you've got a metal bar cage with a metal pan, they'll chew out. (or glass, heh heh)

Put some untreated scrap wood in with them,if that doesnt help then feed them off........

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Originally Posted by Kinra

Cool, something fun to look forward too. Maybe I should just gas these 4 off and start over. :(

I have a few snakes that prefer their rat pups to be alive and moving which is why I only have a few rats.



That really sucks, have you had luck with the morter tubs?

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Morter tubs have been great so far! Easier to clean, the racks give them alot better air circulation to boot. Even see alot of them using the wire mesh for excercise. They hang upside down and crawl around on it. I would have made the switch a long time ago if I could go back in time.

I have a tub I've been meaning to replace that has a little chew hole in it from a group that got fed off for being chewers. none of the other dozens of rats that have been put in this tub have expanded on the hole... there was one girl that survived from the 'chewer group' that were all part of the same tub, teaching each other the fine art of tub destruction. She survived because even when the others chewed a hole and escaped, she opted to stay in the tub and mind her own business. She still hasn't picked up on chewing or escaping (knock on wood).

I definitely agree though.. if you want to keep them as pets and they mean a lot to you, invest in an all wire/metal cage (rat manor or critter nation are excellent, but critter nation is by no means a small space-conserving cage). If they are more of a novelty pet and you don't mind feeding them off, you're not likely to get them to stop being so destructive once they've figured it out.