Breeding rats

[FkNdRk]

So I decided to dabble with rat breeding on a small scale to see if I like doing it. I have 2 females and 1 male and was wondering, how often do I need to change the bedding? once or twice a week? Also, I hear that rats can be pretty smelly and was curious if just 3 would produce that much odor and if so, is there anything that can help with that? thankies in advance.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yes, they can stink to high hell...............
What are you using for bedding.
I was using shredded newspaper and had to change twice a week, now I am using kiln dried pine and change every week and a half or so.

[snakesRkewl]

What you keep them in and what bedding you keep them on will determine how often you need to change them.
Once a week is pretty normal for a 1.2 adult group, less often for a young adult group.

[FkNdRk]

Right now I am using some pine bedding that my wife has laying around for her dwarf hamsters. Does changing it one/two times a week help with the smell, or do they stink bad regardless? I dont think she will like them around if the smell is not manageable. They are a pets and their babies....food. Dont tell them that.

[Adam Chandler]

Right now I am using some pine bedding that my wife has laying around for her dwarf hamsters. Does changing it one/two times a week help with the smell, or do they stink bad regardless? I dont think she will like them around if the smell is not manageable. They are a pets and their babies....food. Dont tell them that.

Rats fairly clean creatures, they will only stink as much as you let them. Compared to mice their urine isn't all that strong. I keep mine on kiln dried pine and change the bedding (and rinse out the tubs) once a week every Saturday morning. I normally don't even start to smell them at all in the room until cleaning day.

The biggest factors I can think of on how long it will take rats to start smelling is:
- The type of bedding being used
- How big the room is they are being kept in
- How much ventilation is in the room
- The average temperature of the room
- Age and number of rats per enclosure

You may just want to play it by ear (or nose) and see how long they can go in your particular setup until the bedding produces a noticeable smell and plan your cleaning schedule accordingly.
But honestly I think if you keep your 1.2 on pine and clean twice a week I doubt you'll smell them all that strongly, if at all.

Like I said before rats do not produce a smell nearly as bad as mice, but if you still find the smell unacceptable you may want to consider ASF's as I've heard their smell is even less than that of a rats.

[snakesRkewl]

I keep hearing asf's don't smell as bad, I offer anyone who hasn't bred them to come smell a tank full of asf's

Less? maybe, but not much.

[FkNdRk]

Well right now they are in a my living room and the average temp is 73F. I doubt that will be their permenant location but regardless the the average temp and ventilation will be the same. I will look into trying pine pellets and cleaning the tank out once a week. Maybe twice if once is not suffucient. Thanks all for the info.

[wolfy-hound]

I used aspen bedding(same as my snakes that way) and if I cleaned once a week, it wasn't bad. I've heard you can add a drop of vanilla to their water to help cut the urine odor but I never tried it.