Black rats changing colour & chewing cage bars | Fixing your rat problems

[@Empress_Moth]

Crumble: " head empty, no thoughts, only corn" XD

[@alainalamb3388]

You are doing so much good in the rat community

[@Emiology]

Thank you that means a lot ❤️

[@Ananda91809]

YES she is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@KimerableMoments]

8:05 A cheap (basically free) way to create a dig box is just getting a square shaped cardboard box and cutting an entrance and exit hole and filling it with bedding or shredded paper.

[@LB-ge8ih]

Regarding male rats peeing and staining carpet, the blankets are a great option. Another idea is using inexpensive shower curtain liners. They are naturally waterproof and can be duct-taped together at the edges depending on how much space you want to cover, and you can easily wipe them down with a cloth and a vinegar-water solution where the rats pee. Plus they are lightweight and easy to fold up and stash until the next time the rats are being free-ranged. They can also drape easily over furniture if you want to have ratties on the sofa or bed and avoid piddle soaking in.

[@sevenleaguesunderthesea]

My boy Baxter only chews the bars when I get near the cage bc he thinks he'll get attention from me - and he's right 😆

[@franceshopper2728]

Same! My gizmo will stick his lil nose through the bars but my spark will bite the bars. He only ever does it around feeding time or around their free roam times so it's deffinetly for attention 😂

[@MsLazyllama101]

Same! I've only had one rat who chewed on the bar. She would only chew when she wanted attention.

[@ameliehospedales-tata3649]

i just- crumble is so cute. how can one rat, be so p r e c i o u s.

[@epicDomXx]

my girls have never chewed their bars, but the boys... they will happily chew them until i get them out for some fuss and cuddles. i've just submitted to the fact that my £280 cage (LZV) is never going to be the same. it's just one of the things i am aware happens, so there is no point in getting angry or frustrated with them. the worst thing though, that i absolutely hate, is when i read stories (mostly in American-based FB groups) about certain breeders who will cull rats and even babies if they show any chewing behaviours at all (e.g. chewing bars. chewing plastic bases, chewing objects belonging to the breeder). because it is an "undesirable" trait/behaviour, and they don't find it acceptable. for me, the first thing that comes to mind when i think of rats is chewing and eating and foraging, like its literally one of their main naturalistic/intrinsic behaviours. anyway, love the vid, keep up the good work!. a lot of us in the rat community really appreciate them as it's been invaluable in educating new owners and people who may not have learned the ins and outs of rat ownership in recent years and how it's changed. it's really useful to be able to direct people here who are not sure about a specific issue. you should join us in some of the UK rat FB groups (i'd only really recommend one of them (Rat Care UK), as it's the only one i've come across that is very education/debate/discussion-driven and i think you would fit in absolutely amazing there), you could also find some great topics for future vids there too, as we get some quite interesting posts popping up every so often. xx

[@Emiology]

It really sucks because the American breeders that have such extremist views and are cull happy for even the slightest undesirable behaviour, likely aren’t helping by keeping the rats in boring fleece environments. You wouldn’t put a puppy down for chewing it’s crate bars or the carpet so it’s so bizarre to me that breeders like that don’t accept rats for having their own personalities

[@epicDomXx]

@@Emiology definitely, especially the "tucked feet" thing. like, why would you cull a rat for not picking its feet up when being held? like, there is absolutely no reason for it. even so much as nibbling fingers is considered aggression, and i've had arguments with people before who thought it was justified to say that rats should be euthanized for something so little as just nipping a child or biting through cage bars, even if it was the child's fault! (e.g. food on fingers, rough handling, accidentally injuring the rat, owners feeding treats and food through the bars or teasing with toys through bars), even if the rat was scared/nervous/reactionary, they still said it should be euthed for it. it's honestly shocking to come across it and my heart really does just give out for the poor rats who suffer as a result. i'll never understand the thought process of "it's not acting how i want it to, and i refuse to spend any of my time and/or effort on figuring out why, so i will just end it's life so it's no longer a problem". there are so many alternative things that can be done to manage, and sometimes even completely fix, most issues in rats, but it seems to be a worrying ongoing trend for people to just not even bother looking into it. especially when it comes to things like hormonal aggression and neutering! i was once told i was selfish and cruel because i got my hormonal foster rat neutered (which significantly improved his quality of life and made it possible for him to find a forever home with an awesome owner), since it's apparently cruel to put a rat through surgery and then force it to be happy. as if he would have been better off being euthed. just can't understand the way some people think and approach issues. xx

[@windy8544]

@@epicDomXx the reason is fairly obvious rats tuck their feet when they want to be picked up if a rat never wants to be picked up, it's not going to be a good pet and it definitely should not be bred further i assume these breeders don't want to sell bad pets but also can't provide good care for all the unlucky results

[@Hekateras]

Rats can be quite loud at night when they're young - I kept them in a one-room apartment so I know the pain. You really have to treat them like they're toddlers and wear them out in the evening before you go to sleep with some nice intense free ranging and playtime, then they stay quiet and you can get your rest. XD

[@lilyruth4186]

My worst nightmare is my boys starting to chew the bars, lucky they seem happy and have no interest in chewing!

[@zozo-9986]

Hi! I love s ur vids 😁

[@lily_3rinB]

I'm only 25 seconds in, and I already love the vibe of this video😩crumble is literally the goofiest rat in the world

[@LB-ge8ih]

Regarding rats chewing on walls, I had this problem and found the best way to protect the wall was using a barrier taped to the wall. All it needs to be is a smooth cardboard panel or something similar that covers that spot, and if the rat chews on the panel it is cheaply replaced before the chewing gets to the wall. Rats seem to like to chew on sections where there is more texture, just like they tend to “groom” rough dead skin or hangnails from our fingers, and if there is a rough or textured spot on the wall and they’ve been chewing there to “smooth it out,” they are expanding that spot as the paint edges peel back. A smooth sheet of cardboard taped so it is flat to the wall is difficult for the rats to get a grip on with their teeth, and they then usually leave the area alone.

[@suzannedeetlefs2665]

Just want to add in that litter size plays a big roll smaller litters have bigger babies from the start ... normally they can catch up to one another but that depends on various factors ...like you said food from petshops have much lover protein level ...alot of people for get that babies need alot more protein compared to older rats for the first few months while they go through growth spurts..i am a breeder and i can tell you that my babies probably eat more than my adults ...lol.. Another thing that can play a big roll that most people dont realise is cage size and the amount of rats in that cage...i have one person specifically that got babies from me a few times all from the same line and alof them are massive ... now this specific line is generally bigger than my other lines but hers are massive even compared to mine that i kept from the same litters... her cage to rat ratio is alot bigger than mine...so she has less rats in the same amount of space ... she also free feeds them where i only feed the recommended amount per rat per day to prevent obesity she uses the same food i do but thats just to show that even though food intake plays a roll its not the only factor....so even if the breeder has big rats they might breed bigger litters which results in smaller rats and also having a bigger cage can also help rats be bigger ...dont know why but im assuming they adapt to their surroundings and as a result the less space they have the smaller they stay...

[@mycrittercity]

Thankfully my boys have never tried to bite the bars. Even though they get 4h of free roam a day, in the beginning they would frantically run around in their cage. I’ve noticed that they stopped doing that ever since I provided them with a biiig dig box full of coconut soil. It’s very enriching and entertaining for rats so if anyone’s having problems with bar chewing or any other behavior that indicates that they’re bored try putting in a dig box!

[@jebwatersheep3458]

Four HOURS? Lucky boys!!

[@leximcgrath1163]

I second this! My girls get 4 hours a day as well, split into two parts, but one of them still started chewing the bars. I put a big Rubbermaid dig box in their cage, and now she only bites the bars occasionally when I'm late for playtime! I've even been treated to many more cuddles since they're all tuckered out from a hard day's diggin'. If you have the means, it's absolutely worth the mess!

[@Elmo_emilymcgovern2009]

I had to keep re-watching the video because I was so distracted with crumble he’s so cute

[@Salutstudios]

on the rat size difference question, the breeder's food could have been different, leading to larger rats. breeding food for rodents tends to be a bit higher in protein and fat, which helps increase their size for the rigor they need when breeding and giving birth. normal pet rat/mouse food will have a much lower percentage of these, which i would think may affect their size. just a thought though.

[@maryanned1994]

Home Depot is where the cement bins are from! (: I use one(it's a tight fit but it fits lmao) and my three girls absolutely love being able to tunnel between their buried hides (':

[@taradiane]

For the one trying to prevent pee on the carpet, they can also look for waterproof mattress protectors (the kind that just lay on top as opposed to fitting around the mattress sides). Since they come in different sizes, you can get them quite large, and I've seen them on US Amazon for as low as $20 for a king size.

[@jazz-axy9924]

Oh its called rusting! This happened to my black hamster around 1 yr too. His butt became totally brown and his face turned grey but I got him as a baby pitch black

[@RotfuchsXy]

It's not so easy to concentrate on what you are saying when Crumble is with you.😁 He is such a cute rat.😍 Love your channel, Emi!

[@bobbybiggins2197]

Honestly kinda happy cos I realised my college used one of your videos for one of the tasks we had to do. Honestly so fun

[@Emiology]

Why does that make me feel really shy 😂🙈

[@bobbybiggins2197]

@@Emiology it was so fun seeing it because I've watched your channel for so long

[@deplorabledave1048]

Cwumble IS super cute. There is no doubt about this!

[@lyndahandwisepeople]

Definitely going to send a submission in for mice!

[@katief427]

10:42 if there is Walmart where you live there are 50 x 60 fleece blankets for 2.50 (U.S) each. They are perfect for rats.

[@Ella-tv9yt]

One of my top rat tips is when your having a bath or shower keep your rats in the bathroom with you . The steamy air helps them so much

[@peon3908]

what does it help with? /gen

[@SquidgyWobble]

You're the person who made me want to get rats! :) Looking foward to it, but i dislike how long they live 2-3 years... well i will give them an awesome life when i get them. :D

[@jebwatersheep3458]

Beware, you’ll fall head over heels for them! On my first group of rats and I love them so much it’s insane!

[@dianecampbell3134]

Thanks for replying to my questions !! Glad to hear rusting is a normal thing ! I'm fine after covid btw 🤗 cheers !! 🐁🐀

[@timafiggy]

Crumbs is soooo cute. He's like a boyfriend is like * in his Hefty Smurf Voice*"I'm just here Don't mind me."

[@purpleunicorn9351]

this was super helpful just in general! crumble is the most adorable rat!,

[@r.charlie]

Crumble is such a cutie omg 🥺

[@freyarebecca3983]

You’re amazing emi! Your videos are so useful they’ve helped me so much with my own rats and my animal care course at college!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@marleyslifewithpets4649]

Love this series 💙 Crumble is so cute eating the corn!! 💗

[@anrichleroux4855]

Thanks em you touched on my question.

[@bonbonboy666]

Yay my favorite rat KZbinr posted! :3

[@Just-Darcy]

I love this series so much!! I have a rat Q- my boy Buzz got neutered last week and this week when I took him to my usual vet (he got neutered at a different place because my usual vet isn’t doing non Emergency procedures right now) she said that he seems to still have one testicle?! I called the place that neutered him and they basically said there was no way he still had a testicle because his chart said the vet removed two. Have you ever heard of anything like this???? He is going in for a *pricey* ultrasound this week to see if it’s really a testicle but I’m absolutely shocked that this whole situation has happened. Thanks! Darcy

[@Emiology]

I had a similar thing when crumble got neutered it got swollen in exactly the same size and shape that I did wonder for a moment if they’re forgotten one of his balls but it ended up just being an abscess that got quite nasty and needed antibiotics so I’d check with the vets that it’s not something similar if they’re really sure they took two of them out 🤔

[@Just-Darcy]

@@Emiology ooo that’s reassuring! I’m hoping the ultrasound reveals it’s just an abscess 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@LB-ge8ih]

I use fleece as the main bedding as well, so I made a dig box out of a large plastic bin and cut out a section of the lid for the rats to enter and exit. (When cutting plastic, make sure to cover the cut edges with duct tape so the rats won’t get hurt by any jagged plastic.) I alternate between using crinkle paper and coconut soil, and I mix in sunflower and pumpkin seeds with other goodies to encourage foraging. The dig box definitely is one of the favorite areas of the cage! Easy to make and inexpensive, and it is incredible how much it enhances their time in the cage.

[@sophienioche4949]

3rd!!! Love your channel so so’s much and love this series too

[@lal0ray]

Yay I’m early love you and your rats emi ❤️❤️

[@TheRisingIcarus]

I finally moved house and am allowed to get pets, and I'm SO excited to get rats again!! 💕

[@FinancialAnna]

Yes its home depot. I have one in my critter nation and it's great

[@cnhertzog]

❤️❤️❤️ great advice all around, Emmy. Re: dwarf rats: I currently have two genetically confirmed dwarf rats and they can be TINY. They live confidently amongst my Large-ish mischief (6-9) of girls and the only real difference is size. (We’re bringing home 2 more dwarves + 1 standard this summer as well.) They’re completely proportional, just shrunk down to ~1/3 size of their standard counterparts. Additionally, they seem to keep this baby-faced look through their senior months appearing years younger. One of our girls, AB, is our packs undisputed alpha. Another is bottom of the totem pole and a total instigator who finds joy in getting other girls in trouble. Very naughty. And even amongst dwarves there’s a size discrepancy. One is 1/3-1/2 the size of a standard while the other would be lucky to measure up to 1/4 of a standard on a really good day. She’s more like 1/3 the size of my other dwarf rather than 1/3 the size of my standards. So yeah, even amongst those carrying the dwarf gene, there can be a HUGE discrepancy when it come to full/adult size. Just offer a proportionally size meal (sometimes the dwarves can take a little extra due to a super high metabolism) and love them for the size they are. If you’re really distressed, a vet might be able to reassure you but I’d recommend going to the breeder first for advice (assuming you have a knowledgable ethical breeder). Good luck! ❤️

[@jamietrouble1440]

I LOVE your new baby rats there so cute💖 I love Crumble to.

[@nyxredfern5042]

Person with the rat peeing issue (not a sentence I thought i would write today). Your local hardware store should sell plastic sheets meant for painting. You can throw those down when they're playing and wipe/clean them between uses. Maybe with the fleece on top to avoid any leakage around the plastic.

[@aprilsanimals6287]

Oh the bar chewing!! I saw little damages in the bars at ONE spot and ran to the pet store, and emptied my bank account to buy them some new toys! XD

[@kinahthecat]

For rats that still kick litter out of their litter tray, even with access to a dig box, you can also look into getting a deeper litter tray. I use a plastic bin from ikea, the SOCKERBIT and it works really well for me. You might need to attach it to keep it from being tipped over, but kicking litter out of there would be quite a challenge.

[@nekomichii90]

Can you maybe do a video of tips for the summer? Because my boys are MELTING lmao 😂

[@lieselloneragan]

My black hooded rat has gone half brown, but I still love her!!! She is still georgous

[@lizzy1087]

Ty

[@floofyfroggy6914]

Your rats are so cute!

[@heatherdera]

I talked to home depot customer support a couple weeks ago because I've had no luck finding the large cement mixing bins in any of the home depots in the area since I moved nearly 9 months ago. They've apparently discontinued the product. :(

[@Eloise_Please]

I used a piece of linoleum (an offcut) for my ratties' freeroam area and it was great! I taped mine down but you could roll it up if needed :) Will definitely do it again with the next rats.

[@Chealder]

I have 4 females, the youngest 2 are husky sisters. One of them beige and white, the other dark grey and white. Now they're mainly white because of silvering. The dark grey one still has a patch of her colour near her tail and a few darker hairs. I knew this would happen, because their dad is a silvered husky as well. One of my older females is a bit chubby, the other fairly skinny. They've always been that way. I love seeing the differences in my ratties in appearance and character, trying to find out what kind of interaction they like. I often "tickle" one of the younger ones, who then races around in a popcorning sort of way, very funny to watch!

[@lucycusack3705]

What is the maximum time that rats can go with out free roam bc I’m going on holidays for 10 days and I was not sure if I needed to get someone to let them free roam thx 😊

[@sarahvictoriahunter545]

Lowe’s cement mixing tub ❤️

[@MotherOfWednesday]

The first question may consider changing up the cage layout and the furniture and toys in it frequently. That way the space is always different and in need of exploration.

[@Gigi-rd1wp]

💖🐀SO CUTEE!

[@clairejohnson9965]

Hi emi! I love your videos. But I would really appreciate if you had any suggestions on what I should do I have 6 rats and for the past few days one of the has been loudly dragging his tale along the floor I’m not to sure on why he’s doing it should I be concerned and take him to a vet?

[@Emiology]

That can be a sign of hind leg degeneration so it may be worth taking him to see a vet 🙂

[@clairejohnson9965]

Thank you for replying! I will book a vet appointment tomorrow, I read something about it mainly in older rats but he’s only 8 months old is there still a possibility it could still be hind leg degeneration? 🙂 sorry for all the questions.

[@juliakonovalov3828]

Could you make a video on mouse diet? I just got a mouse and there is very little information on mice as pets. Lots about how to kill them though:(. Anyways LOVE your vids❤️❤️❤️

[@lisabenson8402]

My rats LOVE to chew the corner of my wall, I find little teeth marks in the plaster!! The rat I had when I was younger used to strip the wallpaper - my mum was not a fan of that behaviour :P

[@levimain4552]

I love your new rats they are absolutely beautiful crumble still my fave!’

[@wolfymudkips4266]

For the people struggling with rat pee on the white carpet. You could use a tarp also to stop it from getting on the carpet

[@pompommania]

The rat chewing paint had me think of lead paint, which is sweet. Thats why kids also pick at it. I don't know if thats what she has on her wall but I wouldnt let him eat it, or any paint at all.

[@jasmincg1789]

@ 8:05 Something that I do for my mice is grow their own plants from their seed treats and coconut soil. Once they grow I put in a box and they dig and eat. It takes time to grow but they destroy them in a minute 😂

[@abimoran4359]

With the rat the doesn’t stop chewing the paint... my rat Otto Is obsessed with my hamster she is in a 4 foot tank and he won’t leave her alone he goes on top of the mesh lid. I move him off and he rans straight back on top. My hamster will happily let him lick her paws through the mesh but I don’t like him doing this. He can’t leave her alone haha xxxx

[@manonsouhait6902]

My breeder do some dwarf litters, they are really cute but I was like, nah, gimme the big ones !

[@beccathes]

My Moony was black too a year ago when I got her (she and her sister were 11 months back then) and now she is a mix out of brown and black. She is a very beautiful girl. 😍

[@turningred2019]

I had a black rat named Mooners

[@Unaestheticly_Toney]

i have that cement bin for my DCN and its great we did slice the ends off a little but every cage and every tub will be slightly different and im from canada and we bought it at home depot :)

[@DisloyalDesign]

i got 3 rats because you inspird me

[@pennygrimm5451]

I love your rats omg they are so pretty

[@the_lance_dance5576]

thanks i’ve wondered why one of my rats (my pfp) was so small for her age of about 9 months

[@brookem3232]

Thanks for being awesome

[@bill-eb3vi]

hi em! i’m moving to uni in a week and bringing my rats with me to my new house the ride is about 2 hours and i’m moving all of my stuff at the same time! do you have any tips on moving house with pet rats? i’ve never moved house before let alone with rats so i have no idea what to expect really or what to do. :))))

[@reshmapatel325]

Awwwww crumble . I love you sooooo much.

[@redcat5524]

Hi could you make a video on how u make ur mouse food? It would be so helpful bc I am thinking about getting some mice but I don’t know what foods to get them.

[@robinyourhouse2473]

do you have any tips on how to build a rat care routine? on the first problem you mentioned timing when you free roam them so they’re tired when you are. any other tips like this?

[@haleydonat3897]

Love you chonky crumble

[@katt2266]

Hi! I was watching one of your past videos that said to not get rats from the petstore, but I already saw one there and fell in love, what should I do?

[@lucycusack3705]

If my cat is not at all interested in my rats and there cage is up high can the cat and my rats be in the same room

[@giovannisingergs4159]

I never knew that rats have a lot of problems like this but now I know so I can tell you that own rats and they have any similar problems

[@MotherOfWednesday]

@emiology Why do you not like oxbow rat food? Is there something I am unaware of as far as how healthy it is for rats?

[@fraeni90]

Oh Crumble ❤️🥲

[@melissawaite6018]

What was that whimsey chew toy? My girls might like them

[@season_storm2480]

Hey, does anyone know were to get the plastic liners for the critter nation that you put at the bottom so you can add more bedding so they can burrow?

[@michelleblackburn5299]

Where do you get the mouse foraging toy?

[@monicamares9198]

I have the same color change in parts of my black and white hamster I'm wondering if that'a the same sort of thing

[@eanueklshos5225]

Good cage for 3 rats under 100 pounds?

[@hamandrats9424]

Hi I have two rats Kit Kat and Pretzal they are sqeking while they play and they are biting or licking each others neckes.... is this a problam or are they enemies . They are the same breed same age same litter and EVERYTHING. what do i do...

[@ArvyMinsk]

Hello! I just got three rat girls from a breeder a week ago and have some problems giving them their roam time. I try to get them used to me but it takes some time. One rat already climbs around on my shoulders but poops alot out of fear when i try to get away from the cage too much. I don’t wanna get them out the cage forcefully, is there any way to get them out so they can roam? They wont leave the cage by themselves either sadly

[@Chealder]

I have 4 female rats, the first 2 I got where both quite skittish. At first I just put my hand in the cage and wait for them to sniff it. I have also used babyfood a lot to lure them, because they have to lick it from my fingers they can't run off with it. After a while, I could lift them out of the cage while they were licking the babyfood and then I'd put them under a fleece blanket. When I had them both underneath there, I'd drape the blanket over my legs a bit so they could get to know me a little while they felt safely covered. I'd also let them run in the sleeves of my sweater. They're both still a bit more skittish than my younger girls, who've been very easy around me from the start. The olders ones do come up to me now though. One of them likes to do a bit of trick training and is ok with being picked up, the other one likes to go on her own way, loves to hoard the food I put around when free roaming and still hates to be picked up. It takes time for them to get used to you and know you're safe. Rats are naturally curious so I'm pretty sure they will come. Hope the tips are usefull!

[@kizetorri]

rats are so cuteeeeeeeee

[@lotte__unknown]

my rats chew the bars but they have a huge cage for just the 3 of them (4 times the space they need) a 4 double critter nation

[@audreywood3919]

I had an accidental litter and the 2 babies both are getting red tips on the fur on their shoulders and black on their noses. the mom was dark grey colored and the dad is white with light grey spots but the babies were born all white with red eyes. the male baby developed it at around 3 months old and the female started at about 4 months. do you think copper will help them as well?

[@sarahwood2308]

Hi I just got 2 girl dumbo rats they are so small I already have two normal girl rats I introduced them and they all loved eathover in minutes they want to hug me all the time but I don't know what to do they try to escape every time I leave them so please help me!

[@mostlyghostlie267]

hey! something stuck to me while watching this, if you dont mind me asking, why wouldn't you feed them Oxbow food? I feed mine Oxbow Adult Essential Kibble! ( + fresh food and veggies and snacks)

[@Emiology]

I prefer to feed a mix as opposed to a nugget as it's more enriching for them :)

[@Elliot.and.Jasper]

How do I ask you a question my rat Elliot has one eye which is almost always fully closed I don’t know what’s wrong he acts the same way as his brother and his eye has been like this since I got him do you have any idea what would be wrong I’m really worried

[@clairesanios5373]

Why do my rats bite so much? If I were to put my hand in there to grab their food bowl they would try to bite me. But they don’t do it as often outside of the cage.

[@eanueklshos5225]

What is the best size rat cage under 80 pounds or around that price I was thinking of maybe getting a bookshelf from IKEA that is around 80×30×100 and it is only 25 pounds and if I need a bigger one ikea do sell an extra shelf extension to go on top so that is my best option so far

[@overthewildlife4080]

my two girls really dislike their playpen. I've tried adding loads of hides and places for them to hide, but it doesn't seem to help. Any ideas?

[@personofaperson7814]

Harbor freight for the cement tray.

[@kateprowd5687]

Can be their teeth also needing to get them teeth down as their teeth never stop growing so chew toys lots of them help and free roaming with u in a room and watch out for things u don’t want chewed up , and have bedding u don’t mind getting holes in so much

[@deplorabledave1048]

One hour of play time is not enough. I give my four girls 8 to12 hours of free roam. Basically, if I am home, they free roam. Down side. Chewed up sheets and pillow cases. Lots of love nuggets (poo) when they are too lazy to use their litter box. I need to buy some more cheap litter boxes and scatter the boxes around a bit. I mounted a water bottle to a permanent outside the cage litter box. I set out a bowl of lab blocks, cheerios and pork chop and rib bones which they work on for days! They love those. Whisper NEVER leaves the bed and stays close to me up to 12 hours! The other girls are up and down and all around and then curl up for long sleeps in my underwear drawer. They don't pee on my underwear. I wake them up periodically and set them on their littler box and they pee then. When its time to go back, the three roamers are almost always sleeping together. I scoop them up. And then hunt for Whisper on the bed. She finds all sorts of great places to snuggle including inside a pillow case. So cute. Whisper is my fave. Its always a good practice to set any woken rat on a litter box to pee. What do humans want to do first thing after a long sleep? Right? Rats tend to be lazy and pee right where they are instead of getting up do it. Pee odor is just FINE with rats. LOL.

[@paradisepets7323]

I have another question, people told me to never feed my rats corn because they can’t digest it very well? Is this true? Because Crumble obviously is very healthy and he was eating a nice yummy bowl of corn :)

[@Emiology]

That’s not true ☺️ corn is fine for them!

[@paradisepets7323]

Oh good! I have plenty of corn to give them! :D

[@Icantchangemyhandlehelp]

As long as it's not dried :)

[@paradisepets7323]

@@Icantchangemyhandlehelp thank you!

[@Icantchangemyhandlehelp]

@@paradisepets7323 np!

[@0wywiwoeuru]

Ok I’m so confused 😭🤚 I have 10 rats, we just moved so temporarily they are in a cage the same as your old cage, (the two stacked) and I can’t free roam them because we’ve been moving, but they have loads of toys but still chew the bars 😭

[@pieter-jan1455]

Pet