# Fleece?



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Right I'm sick of stinking rats!
Lol what I mean is my 14 boys hum to high heaven.
I have to clean them out every 4 days.
I use Eco bed cardboard squares and under that I use newspaper to stop turds from sticking to the base.
They have a litter tray with breeder celect it's like biocatlet litter.
That gets done everyday but some still poo where they walk.
They get hammocks ect washed every two-three days and the shelves wiped daily.
It's mainly the base substrate.

I have just bought a small bag of carefresh as a tester I'm going to use this along with the Eco squares. 
Do I use newspaper under Neath do u think that's making the cage stink?

Anyway if all fails then I was thinking fleece to line the base?
But I know rats love to dig and using fleece stops this.
But also it would be easier to whip out and wash every couple of days.
Who uses fleece on here for there rats bottom cages?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I've used megazorb but that was a waste of money so that's out the question.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2012)

I use fleece at the moment until I get some metal trays, I have to wash them every 3-days or they really start to hum lol.

How come megazorb was a waste of money? Works great for my lot lol


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

It didn't mask the smells and it got everywhere! I can't be doing with the stuff.
I also found it quite dusty too.


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## tagalong (Jan 28, 2010)

I do -I used Carefresh for years then had 1 old ratty who had severe breathing problems and decided to try fleece (although i don't think the Carefresh was really a problem it is nowhere near as dusty as some substrates)
I now buy the fleece online from fabric shops and make them up myself by stitching two pieces together for thickness --yes they do get chewed -yes they do get a bit dug up but i place my litter trays -food dishes etc and 'houses 'on top to weight it down -i also line any houses etc -igloos -with paper towel too
You do need to wash every few days so need enough to have a spare set but dries quickly -will shrink so cool wash and tumble dry -
in my litter trays i use Back2 nature which is same as Breeders Celect

BUT my boys are all castrated and pretty good at peeing in either their tray or bed :yesnod: not on the fleece


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## xkimxo (Jan 4, 2010)

I love megazorb i use 2 sacks a week. I have 10 rat cages, 7 hamster cages and a degu cage, I use megazorb in all of them and line the bottoms with magazines. Only time cages begin to smell is on cleaning day (I do them once fully a week) and when the shelves have been peed/pooped on which I clean when needed. I have had a few odd bags of megazorb though, a couple dusty ones, some with large bits of wood and some with lots of cotton wool like stuff in. Why not give fleece a go and see how you get on. I still have my explorer to set up but I'm waiting for trays as I don't fancy all the fleece washing, doing the hammocks makes my machine smell bad enough 

Tap a drop in the room with most of my cages works pretty well too


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## Acid (Aug 8, 2011)

i dont have rats but i use polar fleece as a cage liner with added large (so wide they stop any sort of pouching) fleece strips strewn ontop when my hamsters are ill and they can dig and play around in it fine, it does start to stink faster though especially with my guinea pigs (cleanout every 5 days) i can only imagine rat pee is stronger and worse than guinea pigs too


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Of all the floor coverings Ive used fleece looked the best but smelt the worst, I couldnt be happier with what I use now, it doesnt get smelly, and it doesnt cost me anything. I use shreddded paper, all my neighbours bring me their unwanted paper/newpapers to shred and Im amazed how good it is for the job. Ive previously used fleece and aubiose and the aubiose wasnt bad, I only switched to the shredded paper when I couldnt get hold of a bale so I was desperate, Im glad I did though.


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

The best substrate I've used for keeping smells down is auboise. It's chopped up hemp, and each piece is like a little sponge so it absorbs urine well, and it has a nice smell.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I've used auboise and didn't like it.

Yes I found lumps of wood in mine and wasn't impressed.
2 sacks a week  blimey.

Sent an hour just cleaning out the cage and have mixed Eco bed with 14l of carefresh as a tester so here goes.

I'll scrap the fleece idea.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Me! I use fleece.
I converted when I still had my old cage, and I'm glad I did because it'd take me hours and hours to clean the new one out- I'd have to dismantle and rebuild it everytime!

Anyhow, I digress....
I've found the trick is to not just use fleece. my liners consist of a piece of fleece sewn on to a piece of towel- the fleece draws the moisture away from the surface and then the towel soaks it up.
I wouldn't like to use just towels since I've heard so many horror stories where rats have caught limbs in the little threads.

I only change mine once a week- the girls aren't even the best at going in their litter trays (they have 3!!) but I don't find it all that bad. And I know this will sound weird but I can fit into their cage so I lean in and get a right good whiff and I don't smell a thing for a week.

I'd definitely give it a try with the towelling if you can- I find it much quicker to clean out, it looks nicer and better for little ratty noses


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