# fleece for rats



## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## sully (May 3, 2008)

It might seem like a new toy for them to get excited to play with?


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Like I said in my original post, it's not for everyone. I've been very lucky that none of my girls chew it up, but I do provide wooden chewing toys. Do you have any of those? It might distract them


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

As you don't use fleece hammocks there bound to find this new fleece blanket lined at the bottom very interesting!


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

I've covered a wire shelf with a muslin cloth as they can be washed at 90 degrees. The rats haven't ripped it up or shown much interest in it. But then they do have fleece hammocks and cotton ones so they're used to material. 
I think a better solution for you would be to get some correx and make a barrier all round the cage from the tray upwards a few inches high. That will stop the bedding getting kicked out.


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## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

My boys seem to be obsessed with fleece. the have hammocks, towels etc, but when i recently gave them a snuggle safe heat pad with the fleece cover, they went crazy for the cover. I then covered that with a towel and they were pulling the towel away to get to the fleece  So I guess some rats are just obsessed with fleece


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

I have found that if I put stuff underneath they're really interested in it, but not with just fleece so I'd definitely give it another go with just fleece on the floor- although this will probably mean you'll have to clean them out more often.
Also I wouldn't give them Chinchilla sand as it's quite dusty and can irritate their respiratory systems.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

You shouldn't give rats chinchilla sand! As maltey says it can cause upset to there respiratory system. What you should've using is 100% paper cat litter either breeder select,back2 nature (both are made by same company but b2n is flattened for rodents feet) or bio catlet litter.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Oh gosh I'd just given mine bog standard cheap Tesco cat litter  I'm an idiot.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

No you should only use 100% paper cat litter and never the clumping stuff or woodbase as it breaks down into sawdust.
We all learn from our mistakes.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Can I use finacard as a temporary measure while I'm in hospital? I have loads of that at home. My eldest daughter is away on a trip and my 14 year old won't know what to get. Mum won't have a clue either as she's never had a cat and so never used litter .


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

A lot of people use finacard including me. 
it's only cardboard so no problems with it. I think Blade means if you're going to use cat litter you should only use those ones, but there are other options like finacard


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Thank you. Made me feel better.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue (Sep 11, 2012)

Chinchilla sand is still kinda dusty though, and not good for rats.

If your rats are digging up the fleece have you tried giving them things to shred?
I've had rats in the past and they always wanted to shred things and chew them up....so I'd give them phone books and stacks of paper at playtime (just to make sure they weren't eating it) and then I would hang up whole toilet rolls and cheap teatowels around the cage for them to destroy, they loved it.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I was just on about litter in trays cuz that's what I use but for the rest of the base I use Eco bed cardboard squares.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

They can get there claws stuck in the small loops in towels. Plus there not very absorbent and smell more.


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## salemsparklys (Jul 26, 2012)

Give them a whole kitchen roll to chew up:smile5:


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## MajeekaRevel (Nov 17, 2012)

I've heard the Bio Catolet is now perfumed so may not be suitable either.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

Shame it didn't work 
Out of curiosity though, if it doesn't work what will they live in!?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> Do you mean the bedding? I'm going back to aubiose for them, but in a deeper tray. Shavings is a no, care fresh costs the earth for the amount I need, and newspaper didn't work.


No what cage will they live in if the hack doesn't work?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## chrisd (Aug 25, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> Oh right, excuse my blonde moment! Well I'm hoping it will work, but if it doesn't they will be getting a new cage Very temporarily, I have a Savic Ruffy they can go in while I wait for a tray or a new cage to arrive.


Or you could just leave them in the current cage...


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> No I can't do that. Firstly I can't get a higher tray in it, so it won't solve anything, and second, I've altered stuff in the shed, so it will no longer fit upright. I need a cage that will fit in a certain spot.


I really think you could save yourself all the hassle and just keep them in the current cage. Then you don't need to spend any money, or have to do all the DIY.

Is the space/spot thing because you now have a new LH syrian hamster and two dwarves and potentially more dwarves coming? Or will they be living in the house?


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2012)

Micky93 said:


> I really think you could save yourself all the hassle and just keep them in the current cage. Then you don't need to spend any money, or have to do all the DIY.
> 
> *Is the space/spot thing because you now have a new LH syrian hamster and two dwarves and potentially more dwarves coming?* Or will they be living in the house?


I have been trying to sit on my hands but this has concerned me 
Wasn't it not so long ago that the OP was talking about rehoming some of her rats because she didn't have time?

Surely if you are struggling with time to spend with the current animals, the *last* thing you would be doing is taking on more 

I must admit I am still confused as to why it is such a big deal that the rats kick out the substrate, especially as they are housed in a shed. Just sweep up everyday would be my solution to that, but maybe I'm simplifying it too much :huh:

:nonod: :nonod: :nonod: :nonod: :nonod: :nonod: :nonod:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 22, 2012)

Nope sorry don't get it, they are in a shed so sweep up when you go in so that you don't collect it on your shoes -simples-


Well done for skirting around the main concern tho 
Never mind I thought you would, I shall now go back to my quite life :nonod:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

i thought you had a furet plus? the base on this is huge so less likely that bedding will be pushed out.


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I do, but I really can't help standing on it whilst I sweep up.
> 
> I don't have any other concerns any more, if you mean not having much time with them, I have sorted it, and managed to make more time for them by bringing them in the house to run around whilst I'm watching tv or ironing/ doing housework etc. Their happy with this, so am I , its working well.


I think what B3rnie means is the way you have avoided mentioning the fact you have more hamsters now because your dad said to 'get some' after your mum couldn't take you out for the day? I just wonder how you fit them all in the shed


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## salemsparklys (Jul 26, 2012)

Swap substrate for shredded paper/cardboard, issue sorted


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2012)

My concern is the fact you are collecting yet more animals even tho you moan you don't have time for the ones you have. But as I said previously you gave me the answer I have come to expect so don't worry about it 

As for the shed then place the brush by the door so you can sweep as soon as you walk in, surely that isn't hard to achieve or even (now here is a novel idea) just brush yourself off before you walk into the house orrrrrrr hoover up after yourself :wink:

As I said, I don't get it, and I doubt I will get in. Even after having an explorer with extremely shallow bases all I did was hoover everyday and they are in the house


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2012)

Micky93 said:


> I think what B3rnie means is the way you have avoided mentioning the fact you have *more hamsters now because your dad said to 'get some' after your mum couldn't take you out for the day?* I just wonder how you fit them all in the shed


What the actual F*** :huh:

Ok I'm out, back on ignore ya go...


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Seriously I don't get the issue with the megazorb etc on the carpets-brush your shoes off before you come in and problem solved-get one of those carpet sweepers and when you come in if there is anything on the floor then just sweep it up-takes 5 seconds.My rats don't kick substrate out-they're usually high up in the hammocks or on the shelves or ladders or bridges or ropes...maybe you need to give them some more things to interest them and keep them off the floor a bit?Try some ladders and ropes and as you don't like hammocks, some more sputniks.Put chew toys high up.Put the water bottle high up.Put a shelf in and have the food on there.

PS I'm a Mum and I have nicely hoovered floors-if bedding gets on the floors it gets hoovered up-no big deal.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

maybe have a different set of shoes for out doors, thats what i do. I change them at the back door :wink:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Micky93 said:


> I think what B3rnie means is the way you have avoided mentioning the fact you have more hamsters now because your dad said to 'get some' after your mum couldn't take you out for the day? I just wonder how you fit them all in the shed


That isn't what I put at all, I was meant to go to the hamster show in Kingswinford, but I can't as my Mum has just come out of hospital and needs looking after. As I'm a bit gutted about it (it was going to be my first show), my Dad said I could have another hamster to make up for it instead. That is not the same as what you put, which makes me sound about 5.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> Finally, I really don't get why people have a problem with me getting more pets, plenty here get them when they already have a load.


The difference being they don't moan about not having time for the ones they have and then get more :wink:

If you post things on *any* public forum then expect to have questions asked when people have concerns.

It isn't rocket science.


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles, I wasn't actually having a go when I asked about the space issue. I genuinly was curious if that was the reason you needed the cage to be a certain size, or if you just 'wanted' it a certain size. thats all.

And I don't think it's the fact of owning a certain amount of pets, its the fact that you've had to get rid of some in the past (rabbits, if im correct?) and then have said various times in other posts that you didn't think you had enough time for the rats etc etc. Great that you have worked something out for the rats being indoors but can you not see where everyone is coming from??


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

sorry to go off topic, but whats happened to the bunnies?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> Finally, I really don't get why people have a problem with me getting more pets, plenty here get them when they already have a load.


wow what a childish thing to say. many get more pets when they have loads of others because they have the money and the time to look after more animals. maybe its also because there is never a slow down of the ammount of rodents and rabbits that need to be rescued. 
when you moan you have no time for your current pets then state you are getting more pets what did you think people were going to think. and the i did it cus others do it dosent cut it. yesterday i had 26 rats, i went and got another 5 who were free to a good home. i had the room, i had the money and the time. i have 7 cages of rats and a hamster, i spend time with all of them.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

i now have 30 because i can afford to have 30. i have a mary, a freddy, 2 furet plus and 2 furet towers. 
you notice that the other people with 30+ animals have not been moaning that they havent got time to spend with their animals, you have, so getting more means they spend even more time alone. 
so will these hamsters be allowed in the house? or do they have to sit in the cold, dark shed with the rats?


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)




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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Do you have any pictures of said shed? So it all can be laid to rest.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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