# What do you house your Rats on?



## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Not sawdust, of course but previously I have put wood based cat litter under the wire bottom of the cage.

But I don't know what I saw in the rats at pets at home, it wasnt either.

So what do you use?

I am saving up for a big rat cage, or looking for some on ebay that I can DIY together as I don't like the ones that pets at home have they are quite small for two rats.

I don't know how long til I can get rats I may have to wait until the hamster has gotten old as OH doesn't really like rodents. But I was playing with the rats in pets at home today and really miss having them  so going to start collecting stuff now, ready for when I convince the OH! :lol:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I use aubiose, I use it for the rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils, it lasts for ages and is pretty cheap too (£9 for a huge bale).


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

What is it, and where would I get it from?


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## LyndaDanny (Jan 23, 2011)

I use Carefresh as the substrate and paper wool as bedding. I only have one cage and I am so strapped for storage space in my flat that I haven't got room to store a bale of Aubiose or Finacard. I think you can get Aubiose from horse shops, as it is horse bedding (correct me if I'm wrong guys!) and Finacard is chopped up cardboard squares that you can get online from Finacard. Rat bedding is very much down to personal choice, just stay well away fron sawdust/shavings.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Yeah my first rat had respiratory problems in his last few months  When I lived on my own he was pretty much a free range rat so wasn't really on his sawdust. But I moved home to my mums and not knowing what I know now about sawdust, within a month or so he had deteriorated 
He was nearly 4 and one day went in to him walking squint, with blood on his nose. While waiting for my lift to the vet he died in my hands :crying:


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

The last guys I had used Antimicrobial Non-Clumping Wood Pellet Cat Litter 8Ltr by Pets at Home | Pets at Home but they had a wire grill on the bottom of their cage so they couldnt eat it or anything.

The tank I will be using temporarily doesnt have that.


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## LyndaDanny (Jan 23, 2011)

I have used Biocatolet cat litter in the past, but it weighs a ton and apparently is now perfumed.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

I use Ecobed at the mO and don't really like it so once it's used up I'll be switching to auiboise I think 

Wood cat litter isn't great either its meant to be paper based litter but I use wood based in my litter trays without any problems


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Thanks going to get some shredded paper from OH work to use until I can order something.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

PoisonGirl said:


> Thanks going to get some shredded paper from OH work to use until I can order something.


I know a couple of people who use shredded paper and swear by it, I cant get hold of any or I would give it a go, make sure there is no chance of paperclips of staples though hun.


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## Acid (Aug 8, 2011)

you could look for a large bird/parrot cages on ebay and modify it by adding levels 

my friend did this with her rats and they have a lot of space and only cost her a tenner for a Melton Stamford 2 parrot cage 71 x 51 x 150cm (W x D x H)


you might have to mesh it though depending on what bar size the cage is


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I know a couple of people who use shredded paper and swear by it, I cant get hold of any or I would give it a go, make sure there is no chance of paperclips of staples though hun.


i used to get massive bags of it (for free) from B&Q for the pigs!
went in one day and there were a few big bags behind the counter they were throwing out so i just asked for it


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

metame said:


> i used to get massive bags of it (for free) from B&Q for the pigs!
> went in one day and there were a few big bags behind the counter they were throwing out so i just asked for it


I just got given bin liners full from the kids old school yesterday, I just happened to walk in when they were throwing them away


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I just got given bin liners full from the kids old school yesterday, I just happened to walk in when they were throwing them away


Yep, I've got 3 bin bags full from our school, the rats love it as it's another texture for them to sift through
I'm currently using Finacard, I like it as it feels softer on their feet than Ecobed, I've not tried Aubiose, IIRC is it a hemp bedding? Have used Hemccore once but it felt a bit straw like & I found out it has citronella added which I was worried would irritate ratty chests
For bedding I use a box of Asda Smartprice tissues, I take half the box out & give it to the boys & give the girls the box as they love playing with it & pulling out the tissues (the boys just pee on it & leave the tissues in it)
For litter I use Papelit (not that they ever seem to use it as a loo!)


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

simplysardonic said:


> Yep, I've got 3 bin bags full from our school, the rats love it as it's another texture for them to sift through
> I'm currently using Finacard, I like it as it feels softer on their feet than Ecobed, I've not tried Aubiose, IIRC is it a hemp bedding? Have used Hemccore once but it felt a bit straw like & I found out it has citronella added which I was worried would irritate ratty chests
> For bedding I use a box of Asda Smartprice tissues, I take half the box out & give it to the boys & give the girls the box as they love playing with it & pulling out the tissues (the boys just pee on it & leave the tissues in it)
> For litter I use Papelit (not that they ever seem to use it as a loo!)


Aubiose is great, its easy for me to get hold of, nice for them to walk on, and cheap, it is a hemp based product but isnt scented. I use the boxes of tissues too they get a box per section and they use the empty boxes to sleep in for some reason.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Aubiose is great, its easy for me to get hold of, nice for them to walk on, and cheap, it is a hemp based product but isnt scented. I use the boxes of tissues too they get a box per section and they use the empty boxes to sleep in for some reason.


I might give it a go if I can find a supplier, I really love the idea of fleecy floors but I think they'd get wrecked in no time & be costly to keep replacing


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

I did use fleece on my girls floor till tinker ate it


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## manic rose (Mar 12, 2011)

megazorb for my critters


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

Ecobed as the main substrate and paper wool for bedding.


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