# Rats wont use their wheel. Pee on me buckets too



## Pareeeee (Aug 2, 2008)

My 2 new female rats (first rats ive owned) do NOT like to run in their wheel or use their ball to run around on the floor in.   Is there ANY way to encourage them to use it?? Both of them will do the same thing. First when I put them in the ball they clean themselves, then they just sit there looking rather perturbed, eventually falling asleep!!!
I really wanted them to use the ball as there isn't really much of a place in our apt for them to free roam, there's big gaps/spaces under and behind the couch, the baseboard heaters, the tv stand, the fridge, etc. Dunno where to let em run around without em getting into trouble!!

The next thing is that I can't seem to get them to stop PEEING on ME. I don't want to have every item I own in the dirty clothes hamper! LOL. It's like they think it's funny or something. I don't mean they are scent marking me, I don't mind that much cause it's just a drop. NOoo... they pee BUCKETS on my lap.

How to stop this???


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Balls aren't really very good for rats. They block the rats sense of smell (their main navigational tool) and are shaped inappropriately for their spines. Most rats I know of are terrified of them.

As for the wheel, some rats run, some rats don't. Someone may know how to encourage it, but I certainly don't, my boys use theirs as a bed.

Edit: Forgot the peeing part. Young rats don't usually have as long of a time they can hold their bladders. Especially if they haven't gone before they came out. Maybe put them back in periodically to let them potty?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

My boys have never had a wheel. A wheel isn't essential. I also never bothered with a ball, as I figured they're too intelligent to want to run around encased in something, they would rather explore freely and climb etc. 

As for where to let them free range, how about a bed or sofa? You could cover it with something if you're worried about the peeing. I usually just let mine wander around the bed and they always go back in their carrier box (never trained them to) that I leave out to pee and poop. Or perhaps a bathroom? They don't tend to be hard to rat proof and if it's tiled it would make any accidents easy to wipe up.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

I was informed a few times, that rats dislike using their wheel / ball. This is because, ontop of many other reasons, they have to bend their necks and spines on an awkward, painful, uncomfortable angle to use them. 

Balls are very restricting for rats and personally I wouldn't use them, especially considering rat's intelligence and urge to roam around and explore. Balls deny them these sorts of privilidges... It's better, safer and less stressful for the rat if you let them roam around on a bed or sofa, or rat-proof a room and let them freerange around the floor.

As for the peeing thing, you can't stop it. It's just natural that they'll want to scent mark you. Are they fairly young ? I noticed that a few younger rats cannot seem to control how much urine they release when they scent mark. Either that or they feel the need to empty their whole bladder on you for a laugh as opposed to a few droplets, in their youthful ignorance :roll:


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

Everytime my baby rats pee on me like not dribble but actually pee i put them up. When theyre running around their cage is easy to get to as well so they eventually learn to jump into the cage to pee or no playtime  it works for me. Maybe if you cant have the cage accessable put a litter pan and then put them in it when they pee then put them in their cage. They hate being put up so it usually works. But be sure to reward them with a snack everytime you put them up and they havent peed so they dont get confused.


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## BoyzRcrazy (Feb 18, 2008)

My boys were afraid of their wheels when I first put them in the cage, but they use them more and more as time passes. One of my boys has the bad habit of pooping in his and then running in it in the middle of the night. It sounds like he's playing maracas. GROSS! And both boys will sleep in their wheels on occasion. But at least they enjoy them now. 

I've heard that the balls make great rat beds if you throw in a bit of fabric and anchor them to the side of the cage. There are quite a few pictures posted on the forum of rats laying in them. 

Good luck!


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## Pareeeee (Aug 2, 2008)

thanks everyone. pee problem is prolly cause they're young then. thanks for advice about the bathroom too, stace.


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## radlations (May 24, 2008)

My younger girl runs the wheel a bunch of times. While the older girl doesn't run as much. Both run though.


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## susb8383 (Feb 24, 2007)

My adult girls never used the wheel. But the babies started running in it as soon as their eyes were opened. I think it might be hard for rats to start using a wheel as an adult if they never have before.

There's a wheel called the Stealth Wheel that has a mesh track. Supposedly it means that raisins will fall through and not rattle around inside it.

I have a pet exercise wheel review on my blog (http://www.athingortwo.info/Wheels).

--Susie


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## viral013 (Nov 19, 2008)

I have only had one rat that has ever used a wheel, and it wasn't very often.oh well they hated the ball too!


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## DiscoAvenue (Dec 7, 2008)

i had a friend who owned many rats, and worked in a petshop. i asked her about the wheel. she answered: rats learn how to use the wheel, they dont do it naturally like mice do. so once they learn how to use the wheel they may or may not use it. but if you try teaching them how to use it your chances of them using it are higher.


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## Neuroticax (May 1, 2007)

Wheels and balls get much more activity used as beds. ;D


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## millieandnellie (Dec 9, 2008)

I have a whel and ball, Millie loves her wheel, and Nellie her ball, but it is rare to get rats to like those items, as for peeing I don't know, mine don't pee when they are out, at least no often.


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