# My rat cage stinks!! help!



## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

So i have a rat cage obviously. i used to have just one rat in it and never had any problems, unless it was way over due for a cleaning. Guisepie as passed own and now I have two blue rats, chip and dale, about 4-8months old now, and matter what i do their cage stinks! I change the bedding, that doesn't really help. I have cleaned the whole cage and the smell is back in a couple of days! The smell isn't coming from the rat directly either. I checked with one of those calculators and they say the cage is big enough. I know two rats are gonna smell worst that one but this seems alot worse. I have a theory but i thought i would ask you guys. I don't have a water bottle for them. I just have the bowl that came with the cage. I haven't gotten a bottle yet because all of them have seemed to enjoy playing in it and dipping their food in it. I change it daily, or at least every other day, but they seem to spill alot, and them also sit in the edge of the bowl becuase it's the part of the cage closest to me. Also their sleeping hammock is right below the water and simetimes they get it wet. I tried changing it(i make them from old jeans myself) but that didn't help.
Is there an easy solution to the smell? Is the water the cause? Should I get a bottle regardless of it is the problem?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

water spillage can make a nasty smell. I have bowls in 3 of my FN's...but the bowl is on the highest shelf and is re-filled/cleaned morning and night. Once a day is okay, but I would advise getting a bottle...see if it makes a difference. You can give them a water bowl when they are out and about for fun.


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## marshmallowfriend (Apr 16, 2009)

I would definitely switch to a water bottle. Water bowls are unsanitary, especially if they're playing in it and putting food in it. Other than that, just step up the cleaning. If you're doing it once a week, try twice...


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

OK so I have tried the water bottle thing. I went and got one for them this morning, filled it all the way up,hooked it up, they were confused at first but figured it out fast enough. Then I left my house for a couple of hours and came back, and somehow chip and dale have managed to empty the entire bottle onto the floor of the cage! So now I have an entire cage of wet stinky bedding to deal with!!!! I love the irony, I got the bottle so they would stop spilling a little water and instead they spilled ALOT of water!!! I'm hoping this is a one time occurrence though. And of course they had to do it when I'm out of bedding so i have to go back out again. I'm not really sure how they even did that, the bottle isn't leaking?!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Are you sure its not leaking? Most waterbottles will not drain out like that unless you have a defective one. My best and cheapest watetbottles have been the 8 oz clear ones from Walmart


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

descartes said:


> I love the irony, I got the bottle so they would stop spilling a little water and instead they spilled ALOT of water!!! I'm hoping this is a one time occurrence though. And of course they had to do it when I'm out of bedding so i have to go back out again. I'm not really sure how they even did that, the bottle isn't leaking?!


This is why I love rats! Their creativity keeps us smart(er)


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

yeah thats where i got it at  I should have just read the directions. i didnt know you were suppose to squeeze it alittle to make some back pressure. Now it is working just fine and the cage smells much better. Thanks for the advice.


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## icecube730 (Mar 13, 2008)

Firstly, congrats on your 2 boys, they sound cute <3

Next, I think you shpuld buy a water bottle. It's just a breeding ground for germs, and that is NOT a good thing to have near anyone's cage. 

And then, they're males. I think it's them spraying and marking their territory that does it. You might want to check daily for soiled spots and just take out that bedding and just throw another handful in there.


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