Reducing Smell of Rats

I noticed there werent really any threads addressing this (I found one or two old ones but not much info). So I thought I would start one for reference, and also to get some advice!

I currently keep about 30.180 breeders in my basement, and will be growing out about 400 small-medium at a time.

Right now the smell isnt bad until day 5-7, so I may just start cleaning more than once a week (but when you have 32-40 LARGE tubs, and 60 smaller tubs to clean it can be burdensome :)

I have had a few suggestions, including adding Vanilla to the water, but for the most part the only thing Ive done to help is to include a small percentage of pine bedding mixed in with aspen to help absorb. Do they make any affordable absorbant/smell reducing litter that wont kill the rats if they eat it (my friend tried regular litter, oops :)

I dont think the feces is what smells so much, as much as the urine, but Im not sure.

Oh another thing to reduce the smell is to keep them around 65-70 degrees, I keep them near 66-68 degrees, and they tend to warm their tubs up a bit (will check with my temp gun later).

Any other tips or tricks? I also added ventilation to the room so that has helped some as well :)

thanks!

How about a room air cleaner with activated charcoal? The carbon should scrub the ammonia from the air, but I'm not sure how often you would have to replace it. Something to consider...

Do you know of any on the market that would work like that? Ive checked a lot of air filters and hadn't found any that guaranteed to reduce odors, just clean the air (which should go in hand in this case)

Thanks

I think this is what he is talking about.

I actually sprinkle some baking soda or kitty litter deodorizer on the bottom of my rats' cage when I clean, before adding a layer of clean bedding. I usually add quite a hefty sprikle in the corners, where they usually pee a lot....I have had tremendous sucess with this.

i place a few drops of vanilla extract(sp) in there water seems to help

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Originally Posted by 4theSNAKElady

I actually sprinkle some baking soda or kitty litter deodorizer on the bottom of my rats' cage when I clean, before adding a layer of clean bedding. I usually add quite a hefty sprikle in the corners, where they usually pee a lot....I have had tremendous sucess with this.

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There we go! i will try that too! thanks

What is kitty litter deoderizer?

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Originally Posted by gncz73

i place a few drops of vanilla extract(sp) in there water seems to help

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Yeah I am going to do that as well. I did the math and I think I will use about 1 gallon of vanilla extract a month... only $15 so I will give it a go.

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

I think this is what he is talking about.

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Ah, that looks promising... 4 of those in the basement and 1 in the snake room Would suffice.

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

Yeah I am going to do that as well. I did the math and I think I will use about 1 gallon of vanilla extract a month... only $15 so I will give it a go.

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lol How much vanilla were U planning on using per tub?? It dont take much. :)

Ive heard of adding vinegar to reduce smell. Only like 2-3 drops for 16 oz. Now I know it seems like that would just increase their thirst ... but the romans used to drink vinegar to keep themselves hydrated (I saw a show that mentioned it on the discovery channel ... If you want specifics PM me).

I dont like suggesting anything without having tried it first ... so I bought some tonight ... just havent decided which group to experiment with.

I have used vanilla in the past ... It does work to some extent ... you only need about a tablespoon per 16 ozs. To get it cheaper try checking out restaurant supply stores or ordering it by the case.

The ones that stink the worst are the tubs with babies ... something about the mom eating the baby crap and then getting it through her system makes for some stinky tubs.

Lower temps will help alot with less urine ... I really havent noticed alot of difference in water consumption with temps between 76f and 68f. Over 76 and they drink alot more water ... Under 68f it seems to affect reproduction rates.

Bryan

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Originally Posted by sweety314

lol How much vanilla were U planning on using per tub?? It dont take much. :)

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I was planning on 1 ounce per 128 ounces of water, so 2 tablespoons per gallon.

One thing that makes cleaning a LOT easier is to use a shop vac to vacuum the bedding out. No more removing the rats one by one and then putting them all back when the cage is clean.

Shelby I like that idea ... So once the bedding is gone you just dump more right on top of the rats? What about with pups in there ... can you accidently suck them up? And how do you keep the rats from freaking out and heading for the tub opening?

Even when using a normal vacumm to vacuum surrounding carpeted areas the mice and rats flip out ... the rats are all huddled in one corner on top of the babies ... and the mice get their heads stuck in the hardware cloth.

Thanks,

Bryan

Yes I just scoop the fresh bedding right in there with the rats.

If there are real small babies, I will usually pick them out and put them in a separate container. I do my best not to suck them up.. the babies don't take it too well (could be the 6 horse power vacuum though lol) I have vacuumed a few sub adults, and they didn't seem to mind. lol

Half of my cages are a freedom breeder rack.. I just slide the tub out half way, the rats all crowd in the far corner, they typically do not try to get out because that involves running past the scary vacuum. The other cages are lab style, and I just take the lid off, and lay it sideways over the top so it covers it halfway. The rats crowd under the lid to 'hide' and I can still get the bedding out.

Interesting. I'm still separating my mothers as Ive been having mass losses if I leaves babies in with other mothers/breeder racks.

I just did the whole vanilla thing, and put down baking soda, then a thin layer of pine, and then a good layer of aspen. It wasnt too bad this week, so Im hoping with these two additions my problem is mostly solved :) will update to give results.

I did go through 18 lbs of baking soda though :P

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

Interesting. I'm still separating my mothers as Ive been having mass losses if I leaves babies in with other mothers/breeder racks.

I just did the whole vanilla thing, and put down baking soda, then a thin layer of pine, and then a good layer of aspen. It wasnt too bad this week, so Im hoping with these two additions my problem is mostly solved :) will update to give results.

I did go through 18 lbs of baking soda though :P

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Might want to check out CostCo's or some other restaurant distributors prices for the b.soda!!!! lol

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Originally Posted by sweety314

Might want to check out CostCo's or some other restaurant distributors prices for the b.soda!!!! lol

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I got it for 44 cents a pound, arm and hammer through sams

I even went easy on it, but I have about 150 square feet of cage flooring to cover currently

I'm interested to hear how it works for you.

Does the vanilla extract have to be the real thing, or can it be the artificial or imitation kind? I thought vanilla extract was expensive.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

I'm interested to hear how it works for you.

Does the vanilla extract have to be the real thing, or can it be the artificial or imitation kind? I thought vanilla extract was expensive.

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I use the imitation vanilla extract, so far it works pretty good.

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..