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What gets me is apparently they're using tanks because they own a cat that has ripped the rats' tails off and instead of choosing to own cats or rats or put their rats somewhere else, they decided that would be the best setup. It looks like a bad hoarder situation.  Poor rats.
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Jun 9, 2012 14:35
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Is there a reason not to use denim or other non-fleece fabrics for rat hammocks or tunnels or whatever?
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Jun 11, 2012 01:12
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Atmus posted:Is there a reason not to use denim or other non-fleece fabrics for rat hammocks or tunnels or whatever? Not a one. Just make sure it's not heavily dyed, or you might end up with blue/purple rat faces... 
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Jun 11, 2012 01:41
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A plaid rat would be awesome.
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Jun 11, 2012 03:50
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Atmus posted:A plaid rat would be awesome. Ludicrous speed rat.
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Jun 11, 2012 03:53
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I want an argyle rat. Introductions went well, but because I have 4 rats in the same cage I decided to add another one of these:  to the top-most ramp. Prevents crowding at just one. Also I am pretty stumped for things to hang in the cage and add because my rats have no idea what a hammock is for. I figure I'll add bird perches and such soon, not sure what else since the original plan was hammocks and tubes. I bet if I jerry-rig some cardboard hammocks they'd use them (until they chewed out the bottom, but still).
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Jun 11, 2012 14:11
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We finally splurged on a nice cage (Martin r-685) for our rat. I expect we'll get it sometime this week. I plan to continue to use Care Fresh litter for the bottom pan, but I'm curious if I should have anything for the upper levels? Do you just leave those bare or cover them with something?
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Jun 11, 2012 16:33
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I use fleece liners for the top shelf as well. Bear Rape – rats can be pretty picky about hammocks. I have three hanging in the cage right now, and one of them gets near-constant use, one of them is used occasionally, and one of them is basically ignored for sleeping purposes. I had a tube hammock up for a while that they all liked, but I took it down because Gypsy was being antisocial.
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Jun 11, 2012 16:41
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Invalid Octopus posted:I use fleece liners for the top shelf as well. Bear Rape – rats can be pretty picky about hammocks. I have three hanging in the cage right now, and one of them gets near-constant use, one of them is used occasionally, and one of them is basically ignored for sleeping purposes. I had a tube hammock up for a while that they all liked, but I took it down because Gypsy was being antisocial. I bought two ferret hammocks (one tube and one flat with little panels to crawl under) and the boys are iffy on both of them So far the only one they really like is daggerdragon's fleece one.Silly picky rodents. Their garbage-eating cousins would surely make fun of them for being such pansies.
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Jun 11, 2012 16:43
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RazorBunny posted:I bought two ferret hammocks (one tube and one flat with little panels to crawl under) and the boys are iffy on both of them The one mine spend the most time in is the Critter Space Pod, followed by the homemade cube hammock, leaving the corner triangle hammock I made to be ignored. Don't love any of them enough to stop sleeping in the liners, though.
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Jun 11, 2012 17:05
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I'm going to give the tube hammocks a try since I haven't used them yet. Also, does anyone know a a sleeping hut or something similar that can be wall-mounted? I haven't put stuff flat on the upper levels yet because when I do, they knock them down. That's fine usually, but I worry if they knock them down that it might hit a rat on the bottom level. Can bird cozies work for that?
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Jun 11, 2012 18:07
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Bear Rape posted:I'm going to give the tube hammocks a try since I haven't used them yet. Also, does anyone know a a sleeping hut or something similar that can be wall-mounted? I haven't put stuff flat on the upper levels yet because when I do, they knock them down. That's fine usually, but I worry if they knock them down that it might hit a rat on the bottom level. Can bird cozies work for that? My rats love their ceiling mounted 'orbital' as we call it. It looks like this: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/small-animal-sputnik-house-by-savic-36527
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Jun 11, 2012 18:18
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^^^ That one (in the larger size) is the Critter Space Pod I mentioned earlier – my rats love it as well. Bear Rape posted:I'm going to give the tube hammocks a try since I haven't used them yet. Also, does anyone know a a sleeping hut or something similar that can be wall-mounted? I haven't put stuff flat on the upper levels yet because when I do, they knock them down. That's fine usually, but I worry if they knock them down that it might hit a rat on the bottom level. Can bird cozies work for that? Not really a hut, but there's the wall-mounted Sleep 'n Ledge. In terms of things you could potentially mount yourself with a bit of tinkering, there's the Chinchilla Bath House. Haven't seen anything that specifically mounts to the wall, though. My rats knock stuff off the top level all the time and they've remained unscathed, I'd just make a point of only keeping light stuff up there.
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Jun 11, 2012 19:09
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Thanks for the suggestions, I've ordered the large critter space pod and it should be at the location I go to Wednesday-ish. I'm getting some hanging tubes and the sleeping ledge while I'm there. 
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Jun 11, 2012 19:17
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Our first rats Stuck on naming them - any suggestions? We're intending to add another 1-2 babies once these have grown up a bit, so it needs to be a theme rather than "pair" names.  They're a black and a russian blue rex, both girls.
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Jun 11, 2012 21:49
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Man, they really love these freeze dried grasshoppers. Favorite treat so far, way above peanuts and yogurt drops. Garrus has figured out that the sound of the jar means he gets a grasshopper, so if I shake it he will present himself at the corner of the top shelf right by where the door opens to get his. Then he retreats to the back corner, where the others go "What's that? Where did you get that?" and then come running up to get their own.
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Jun 12, 2012 02:59
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Made new liners today, and the bottom one has a wide strip in the middle they can sleep in, hopefully instead of chewing up and getting inside. We'll see how well that works. Razorbunny, the grasshoppers sound like a great idea, I'll have to keep a eye out for them. Now, what everyone's here for: rat pics!         
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Jun 12, 2012 03:58
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So.. after 3 months, I have a rat in the house again. Yes, one. She's a mom who was recently weaned off her babies & needs one-on-one socialization before being adopted out by the rescue I volunteer with. There were 2 moms who came in around the same time so there's a whole mess of adorable tiny rats (as well as some older ones who need homes). If anyone's in the central Florida area and might be interested in adopting babies or adults, let me know! Some pictures:   
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Jun 12, 2012 08:58
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So my little boy Gus is extremely awesome, he greets me every time he sees me, he jumps out of his cage onto me when its open, and today he had his first introduction to his soon to be cagemate Russell. He did pretty well, he though Russell was the most amazing thing ever. Russell was decidedly less enthusiastic, and ended up kicking him away. But all in all no aggression. I'm waiting to introduce him to Talbot because he has a nasty abscess that my vet and I are watching extremely closely. It's his second in as many months. I worry about him so much, he keeps getting sick in his old age.
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Jun 13, 2012 01:23
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I actually caught someone sleeping in the corner hammock today! 
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Jun 13, 2012 16:03
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RazorBunny posted:How do you keep your rats from chewing holes in the fleece and hiding under it? stop..? them??????? WHY?????  Delta-Wye posted:ceiling mounted 'orbital
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Jun 13, 2012 19:19
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Heh, yeah, I think I've given up on the idea. I just dump whatever ends up under the liner and wipe down the plastic. As long as I can reach in and get them, it's not really a big deal. I guess I just didn't want anybody to get stuck, or hide out under there and become antisocial. But since I started handing out the grasshoppers as treats, they've all gotten a lot more interested in being out and about when the cage door opens. This morning when I went to feed them they were all asleep under the fleece, but by the time I had pulled the empty bowls out, filled them upstairs, and come back, the rats were all waiting by the door. They're still far from excited to be picked up, but they're definitely less afraid of being scooped up and are tolerating being held with much less squirming. Joker will still take a flying leap if you let him  I need to remember to take that crappy carrier back and see if Petsmart will accept a return, and go over to Petco and get a real wire carrier like my old one. Garrus is getting big enough to jump up on the edge of the plastic tub I'd been putting them in for cage cleanings.
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Jun 13, 2012 19:32
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I used to be able to just leave the Critter Nation doors open when we were around, but Folly got the guts to start jumping down, so now we can't anymore (unless she's out). She jumps off the couch now, too. It's really a shame because the main room with the couch and cage isn't rat-proof at all, so I tried her out in the bedroom which is safer. She got stuck behind the bookcase and cried bloody murder when I had to pull her out...and then got stuck there again. Nice work, rat. The others I can leave in the cage when I clean it, as they tend to stay put, but I picked up a big ball for Folly to run around in, and she seems to be taking to it. Rat, why are you making this so hard for yourself? 
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Jun 13, 2012 19:37
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The rats haven't shown any interest in jumping out of the cage, but Leela has tried to climb in a couple of times, so I don't leave the doors open. Honestly I don't think she would hurt them on purpose, but given the way she jumps if they make the slightest movement I could see it going very badly if she managed to get in there. Nibbler, on the other hand, just sprawls out on top of the cage to watch them. The rats don't find either of them the least bit intimidating, nor are they at all bothered by Husker, who liked Mordin right in the face the other night when I had him on my shoulder and was kneeling in front of the cage to pick something up.
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Jun 13, 2012 19:49
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I've had my poor girls in this plastic box for over a week while I moved: They've been really good sports about it, but I've been feeling pretty bad about keeping them cooped up in there any more than necessary. Luckily, I just got notice a big heavy box has been delivered to my new apartment! I think the CritterNation they're going to get tonight will be a welcome upgrade!
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Jun 13, 2012 21:49
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You should take video of their excited scampering about and exploring when you put them in their new home
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Jun 13, 2012 22:08
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I have discovered a treat all of my rats will go nuts for, which really helps on recall training. They all absolutely adore cooked chicken. I fed them some scraps and trimmings from the chicken breasts I cooked for lunch, and I've never seen them stay so still and just eat. Jasper (my REW) usually dumps all new snacks into the food dish, but she didn't budge when i gave her a piece and had to eat OMG RIGHT NOW. The rats are all doing splendid which is awesome. Only issue i have right now is with my cage. I left out a wire-covered bottom so there's a really obvious gap between the pan and the cage. Should I put in that wire bottom or put liners on the cage or what? If I put down that bottom I'll definitely have to cover it with fleece, though. It's not mesh but it's still pretty awful. I was wondering why bedding kept getting everywhere.
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Jun 13, 2012 22:29
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Sorry to double post, but I needed some advice. Recently I acquired 2 rats off craigslist because the person trying to rehome them was having a rough time and I really wanted to help out because the condition of the rats' housing really bothered me (fish tank, pine bedding, nothing to climb on). Both of these rats are isolated right now. They're female, REWs, very tiny (I'd say even smaller than the 6 month old dumbo I got a little while ago) and they're tame and affectionate for the most part. One of them though is scared or confused or just traumatized. I have no idea. She sits in one of two spots all day. She eats and drinks okay, takes treats, and doesn't mind being touched, but she's very stationary and has a "deer in the headlights" stare almost constantly. When I do anything with the cage she rocks back and forth a little uneasily. Is this something that I should be very concerned about, or should I just wait for her to adjust? She is eating, drinking and eliminating okay, and I think this may be the first time she's been in a cage, ever. Her companion is much more active and climbing everywhere so her response (or lack thereof) kind of bother me. What I'm asking is, should I panic and run to the vet or give her a little longer to come around? It's been about 48 hours since I got them as of this post. These are also the last rats I will get for a while. Promised myself I'd stop at six, it just happened a lot sooner than I was expecting because I really felt bad for these two. Thankfully the lady was really understanding and said she wanted me to take them because I have rats and experience caring for them. Just hope everything turns out okay with them. 
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Jun 15, 2012 12:19
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Bear Rape posted:Sorry to double post, but I needed some advice. Recently I acquired 2 rats off craigslist because the person trying to rehome them was having a rough time and I really wanted to help out because the condition of the rats' housing really bothered me (fish tank, pine bedding, nothing to climb on). Both of these rats are isolated right now. They're female, REWs, very tiny (I'd say even smaller than the 6 month old dumbo I got a little while ago) and they're tame and affectionate for the most part. One of them though is scared or confused or just traumatized. I have no idea. She sits in one of two spots all day. She eats and drinks okay, takes treats, and doesn't mind being touched, but she's very stationary and has a "deer in the headlights" stare almost constantly. When I do anything with the cage she rocks back and forth a little uneasily. 48 hours isn't much. Give her at least couple of weeks to adjust.  As for your question about the wire bottom/gap between the pan and bars, I have the same situation. I removed the wire bottom and I just prop up the pan from underneath with a block of styrofoam. Maybe find something the right size and do that? I would avoid using the wire if you can. A nice pan with soft liners is better!
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Jun 15, 2012 12:26
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I went ahead and just liner-ed the hell out of everything, the liners help keep the pan up and keep the bedding from being flung everywhere. Thankfully my rats are not inclined to chew on it. It was kind of hilarious when I first got the cage because i didn't even realize there was a wire bottom so I ended up with only that left going "Huh wonder what this is, oh well." And then wondering why bedding was being flung everywhere. I have enough fleece to cover the entire wired bottom, but then I realized that would completely negate the pan, so...now it's just pan and fleece lining. Thanks also for the advice on the new arrivals, I tend to get panicky over dumb things (like when my guinea pig got an ear infection I completely freaked the hell out right up until I consulted things in the rodent thread). 
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Jun 15, 2012 12:34
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One of my rats (Gypsy), is still very, very skittish. She's better than when she got here, and we do try and make a regular effort to handle her, but she's skittish even of the other rats. When I had the tube hammock up it was as if she would spend all day in there, even if the other rats were hanging out somewhere else. If you have her out on the couch she's better, and will hang out with you, but she's still very squirmy if you try to hold her (despite our efforts). She's a lot like Liza when we got her (she came with Patti from a guy rehoming through kijiji), who has mellowed out considerably now that's she older. Liza's not my bro the way Angie is, but she's very sweet now and has no issues being held.
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Jun 15, 2012 16:06
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Baby feeeeeeeeeeeeeeets! 
Jin Wicked fucked around with this message at 18:27 on Jun 15, 2012 |
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Jun 15, 2012 18:23
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Jin Wicked posted:Baby feeeeeeeeeeeeeeets! I know!! They are the cutest, seriously. But SO MUCH ENERGY! It's unbelievable. I posted about them on a local rat forum as well and have had no inquiries. I really hope they all find homes soon.. the rescue has a good number of adults as well and I don't want the babies ending up as full-grown adults still waiting for homes. If a dog spends a few months in a shelter it's okay, but for a rat a few months is a long time.
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Jun 16, 2012 21:22
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Bear Rape posted:They're REWs... When I do anything with the cage she rocks back and forth a little uneasily. Sounds like she might just be swaying due to the poor vision that's common among red/pink-eyed rats. It looks weird as hell, but it's normal! It's the same as a pigeon's head bob. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax
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Jun 17, 2012 01:47
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Ahh yeah that definitely makes sense, especially since I was seeing her act like that before I took her in. I thought she was just nervous or something. She's beginning to take treats (before she would take them only if I left them for her nearby) and they both have firmly grasped the concept of climbing levels in their cage. I can hold them, but Puff (the one who has head bob going on) tends to poop/pee on people while she's being held. She's the only rat I have that's ever pooped on me while i was carrying them. At least she doesn't seem scared, though. Just full of poops. That means that I own two REWs with eye problems now, though. Jasper, my older female, has cataracts in one eye. She gets around fine (I'd even say she's more limber than my dumbos) but sometimes won't react to me holding a treat out to her unless I move my hand/the treat around. Other than that it doesn't seem to detract from her quality of life at all.
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Jun 17, 2012 13:19
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Wow, I just got my first rat that DOESN'T poop/pee on me. I was under the impression that all of my boys are furry(or naked) little poo poo tubes.
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Jun 18, 2012 01:31
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Maybe males and females are different that way? I don't really know, I've only owned female rats but some day I'd like to get me a pair of big, lazy boys. Not for a while though, seeing as six ladies is quite a handful already.
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Jun 18, 2012 12:19
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My original pair peed and pooped on me for the first couple of months, but eventually stopped. So far none of the current trio has pooped on anyone, and there have only been a couple of peeing incidents. All five were male, and about the same age when I got them, so 
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Jun 18, 2012 14:15
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We got a new cage with some stuffs for our girl this last week. The Martin cages are really nice. We decided she had plenty of room for a pal, so we got this little tyke on Saturday.   The little one (Zhora) is already acclimating well to both Pris and us. She was following in her big sister's footsteps and cleaning my hands while out last night. Speaking of poops, she does a lot of it. Pris doesn't at all, which is awesome. I'm hoping the young one just has to outgrow it.
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Jun 18, 2012 18:31
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So all of the initial introductions to Gus' future cagemates have gone really well. I am going to try to introduce him to the cage next, I expect it will be fine. Here are some pictures I took of the introductions!        His entire mission was to see how many times he could run under the other boys... and get peed on. Nice.
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Jun 20, 2012 01:40
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