# Messy ratties!



## georgiaae (Mar 3, 2013)

Hello! 
So i put down felt fleecey coverings on the rats upper stories of the cage. the bottom is that recycled paper litter!

the fleece was great until my messy little rats decided to mark it with everhthing possible!

they grab their food from downstairs and rush to the fleece and eat it. it makes the fleece sooooooo dirty and crumbs everywhere I feel like I should wash it everyday! 

Any ideas on how to keep fleece clean?? 

I gave them dark chocolate today and come home and theyve layed in it and its melted through their fur -_- so messy hahahah!!!!


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## zurfaces (Jan 16, 2013)

Nothing you can do to prevent it lol mine like to flip over babyfood and leave it jn a puddle on their fleece. They're just messy little boogers lol

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## georgiaae (Mar 3, 2013)

haha babyfood everywhere!!!! 
gosh theyre little buggers
they like to poo in a corner then flick it all out! 


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

The only way is to have multiple sets of liners. I end up switching mine out every other day and storing them in a garbage bag, sprinkled with baking soda, until I have a full load of them to wash.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Another tip is put their food bowl over a piece of tile (I do this instead of putting it under their water bottle). so If they do spill something like baby food, it's easier to clean up. Though it only works with liquid foods they can't run away with (unless your rats are like my boys which if it's something yummy like pasta they'll just crowd around the bowl eating it), but it also keeps their nail trimmed which is good.


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## PeachPeach (Jun 22, 2012)

There are also some crocks that are wider on the bottom than the top, like a dog dish but out of heavy ceramic. By both shape and weight those are much harder to flip over. I usually end up picking up food detritus no matter what I do, but they don't generally tip or flip the heavier bowls!


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

My boys are gross. They're messy, lazy and well...teenage boys at their finest. They pee on the ledge of their hanging baskets so it runs down the side of the cage and on to the stand, same with the litter box, they pee on the edge so it runs down the side. They poop in their box and then kick everything out of it. They lay on tomatoes, drag carrots covered in honey through the cage.

It's one of the joys of having rats, they're so silly and sweet.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

JLSaufl said:


> My boys are gross. They're messy, lazy and well...teenage boys at their finest. They pee on the ledge of their hanging baskets so it runs down the side of the cage and on to the stand, same with the litter box, they pee on the edge so it runs down the side. They poop in their box and then kick everything out of it. They lay on tomatoes, drag carrots covered in honey through the cage.
> 
> It's one of the joys of having rats, they're so silly and sweet.


I laughed so hard reading through this!

I love my messy boys!


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> I laughed so hard reading through this!
> 
> I love my messy boys!


I'm glad someone can relate. The pee down the side of the baskets...I swear under my breath cleaning it up, but really, the sweet curious "love you mom" faces that peek out when i do it...worth it every single time.

ps...I could use some Isaak pictures, it's been a while.


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## WinonaGun42 (Feb 2, 2013)

Haha. I know what you mean. Part of my rat's diet is made of cereals (Cheerios, puffed rice, total cereal). You know where they like to eat it because there is a big pile of crumbs. I also find broccoli bits, smooshed berry smears, pea innards, pumpkin seed casings and nut shells everywhere. If the fleece has a food smear I replace it. For the crumbs and removable food particles, I have a small dustpan and broom set I got at the dollar store. I try to sweep up as much of the crumbly bits as I can from the bottom of the cage. The shelf liners come out and I shake those off into the garbage bin I have near the cage. 

I found a few food dishes in the bird section that lock to the side of the cage. 
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5950+14403&pcatid=14403
I cut a used gallon milk jug to make a scatter shield. While they are not big bowls, it keeps the girls from tipping them over. I also have a few wide ceramic dishes I used to use for my cats. They can't tip those either, but they can knock them off a ledge. Both of the dishes can go in the dishwasher if need be.

My boy is a mess. I find food everywhere. It's in the hammocks, on the ledges, in the hidey holes and even in the litter pan. I am currently feeding him baby food off a spoon or my fingers for trust training, but I have to dab a little on the Oxbow or he won't eat it. Baby food smears everywhere! I swear he is a little budding modern artist, using food as his medium. 
Picky and messy. I have to clean out his cage and replace the fleece a lot more than for my girls. *sigh*
He does make up for it when he comes up to my face and gives me "kisses" though.

I love my rats, messy or not. They are so worth it.


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## TachisMom (Oct 17, 2012)

HA! This thread makes me feel so much better about my girls!!! Strangely, my boys are my neat and tidy ones lol. My girls manage to pee outside the cage, smush poop into any fabric they can and I'm pretty sure "RIP ALL THE THINGS" is their life long motto


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## WinonaGun42 (Feb 2, 2013)

TachisMom said:


> HA! This thread makes me feel so much better about my girls!!! Strangely, my boys are my neat and tidy ones lol. My girls manage to pee outside the cage, smush poop into any fabric they can and I'm pretty sure "RIP ALL THE THINGS" is their life long motto


You mean like this... 
http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/35937404.jpg

My boy is very similar. I just think it is because he is so bored by himself.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Llloooolll "rip all the things" .... My girls stash their food everywhere and pee in their hammocks! Now they pee out the side of the cage too ! Drive me crazy


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