File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
dear /an/,

I'm buying two pet rats tomorrow. Probably gonna name them Boots and Crono. But that's irrelevant.

I've read all about them and shit, but what do they sleep on? I plan on buying carefresh for the bottom of the cage. I also read they like to take naps in hammocks. But I never read anything about what they primarily sleep in. -____-
>> Anonymous
my ratties loved the edible igloos, and that should do fine as long as its not cold in your house
>> Anonymous
They sleep.. wherever they want?

They should have some kind of safe, enclosed thing. Igloos are good like>>246575mentioned. However, my rats would sleep just about anywhere. In hammocks, in houses, on top of houses, on the ledges, in the corner, in the middle, in the bedding, in my armpit, whatever is comfortable. -___________________________________________________________________________________________________
________sage for faces___-
>> Anonymous
Just go down to your local Co-op and get a huge bag of pine shavings. Should run you about 5 bucks. Then toss some used toilet paper rolls in there.

No sense in spoiling them.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>246609
Except that's a terrible idea.
>> Anonymous
my rats love to sleep in hammocks.

.........for a few days until they chew it up.
>> Anonymous
Carefresh is fine, but if you do decide on it, for gods sake freeze it overnight before you put it in their cage. Carefresh is notorious for having parasites because their packaging is crappy. It's no fun to have a bunch of itchy rats with mites. As for me, I usually go with recycled paper products in a well sealed package, and put it in a litterbox for them. As far as just sleeping goes, regular paper towels are perfect. They love to shred them and make their own nests.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
I love rats
>> BitterAnon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>246661
This anon is right. Carefresh is usable if you don't mind treating your rats for mites and lice all the time. If you do use carefresh (or its imitators) and your rats get lice, flick and tea puppy shampoo is fine to use as long as you don't go overboard with it. For my rats, I just bought a cheapo paper shredder and shred every bit of paper that I can. Junk mail, flyers, old magazines, "beautiful paintings" that I promised to stick on the fridge, etc.
The best rat houses are discarded cardboard boxes stuffed with newspaper. If you dump some treats inside, say, a mountain dew fridge pack box, then stuff some newspaper in it, more treats, etc.. it can provide hours of entertainment as well as sleeping and hiding quarters.

Remember, they're fucking rats. If its junk and you should probably recycle it or throw it away, they will probably it. (Caveat: make sure there are no chemicals or harmful stuff in/on said junk first. If you can lick the object and not vomit and/or die, then it is probably safe)
>> Anonymous
i used paper in the bottom of my tray (along with a sort of kitty litter made of paper) and the next day after the cage was cleaned, they'd trash it, rip up the paper, and make a nest out of it.

They'll sleep anywhere. If they don't like it, they'll fix it up
>> Anonymous
I have two pet rats and I've been told that paper with ink in it can be bad if your rat develops a taste for it! You can also use non-scented (and usually RSPCA) approved Pet litter (not cat litter), and the recycled paper form is the best as the clay based can be dusty and cause respiratory problems. Try to avoid wood/pine shavings as some of the chemicals are really bad for them too. You can get a lice/mite spray for rats from pet stores if you are worried about carefresh. Having boxes (I often use tissue boxes) is good as they like to have some where to hide to sleep
>> Anonymous
>>246609
Yeah because pine shavings have never been known to cause respiratory issues in rats. Fuckhead. This is when you research yourself and not listen to what Anonymous has to say.
>> jason
i bit OT, but how long do rats live?
>> Anonymous
>>247584
afew thousand years...
>> Anonymous
My rats live in a modified Ferret Nation cage with fleece fabric on the solid floors which gets changed out every other day. When washing, I use unscented detergent for baby clothes with absolutely no scents or dyes in it. Also no fabric softener. In their litter box I use Yesterday's News, the UNSCENTED kind. Also I buy it in the cat section as its the exact same thing as in the small animal section and a bigger bag for less money.
>> Anonymous
I used to have two rats also. Iris and Lily, but that's irrelevant. I bought some of the cotton-ish fluff bedding at a pet store. Also, put a house in their cage, because they will prefer to be "hidden" when they sleep. If you place the fluff bedding out in the open, they will put it where they want it, probably in the house.

That's what I did with my rats and they were quite happy!
>> Anonymous
do your rats a favor and DO NOT use pine or cedar wood chips in the cage. the natural oils in the wood is etremely harmful and even deadly to rodents. every friend i have that had rats would use those chips in heir cage, and they all got some horrible condition and died. i had rats before and used paper bedding, and they lived a log and healthy life.
>> Anonymous
>>246582
>-_______________________________________________________________________________________________
____
________sage for faces___-

Fuck off, this isn't /b/.
>> Anonymous
>>248080
Protip: /b/ isn't the only place where faces make you look like an idiot.
>> Demyx's Landmaster !!LRYbbMT7F9I
>>248082
complaining about people making faces makes you an even bigger idiot
>> Anonymous
>>248085
You seem to have missed the fact that I didn't complain. I contributed to the thread and threw in the sage at the last moment. In fact, nobody even brought it up until you and>>248080came along. Glad you felt the need to draw attention to it and foul up the thread, though.
>> Anonymous
Just use old cardboard boxes with toilet paper, unprinted paper towels, timothy hay, or 100% cotton rags. (You'll need to wash the latter regularly.)

Don't bother with plastic "igloos." If you want something like that, cut a hole in some old tupperware (if you don't have any, get some at the thrift store) or an empty ice cream tub and file down any sharp edges.

My experience with hammocks is that they chew it apart in a few weeks. If you want something like that, don't buy one - cut some old %100 cotton pants (or other articles of clothing) into manageable lengths and suspend them from the sides of the cage.
>> Anonymous
Don't buy shit for rats other than food and bedding and the occasional wooden rodent or bird toy. Give them stuff like tissue boxes. Oh, they like large PVC pipes, too.

Yesterday's News and aspen (non-pine/cedar woodshit) are fine for rats.

Motherfuckers love hammocks. Buy old T-shirts or some cheap soft fabric, cut two squares, and hang them together by the corners from the top of the cage with safety pins or paperclips. Instant ratbed. Also give them cloth and paper scraps or anything else that looks fun to destroy, and they'll be happy forever.