# smells



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

This may seem like an odd question, but how do i get the cage from stinking? I clean it everyday, and I use the cage cleaner that is suppose to eliminate smells it doesn't work so much. I was just wondering if it would stink less if I used liners, and potty trained them or would it not matter?


----------



## Crezzard (Jul 20, 2013)

Litter training works really well but I've found they just pull liners out so I wouldn't bother with that. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

hmm I mean its not that bad of a smell, but when your friends who already think rats are gross, and shouldn't be pets smell it. it kind of does not get the point across that rats are good pets lol


----------



## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

All animals smell to some degree, the best you can do is keep on top of spot/deep cleans, and make sure you use substrate that is decent at waste absorption. 

Sometimes I think my girls are having a stinky day, but then I go to work, and practically gag at the smell a rabbit makes in a far smaller timeframe.

EDIT: I guess what I'm saying here, in a roundabout way, is get a rabbit, keep him in a separate room, and when people notice your rats' smell, kindly show them to the bunny stinkbox. It'll put things into perspective.


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

lol me and bunnies do not mix well I am allergic to them for some strange reason, and I had no idea they smelled *shrugs*


----------



## Actress (Aug 9, 2013)

Baking soda placed near the cage can eliminate odors, as would an air purifier (ionizer turned OFF), but I personally use a deodorizing spray from LM farms (or from natures miracle), and I have virtually no odor issues (I've asked honest friends who aren't accustomed to the smell and they agreed).


----------



## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Diet is linked closely to odor. With regular cleaning and proper diet, bad odor shouldn't be an issue.

What is their diet, exactly, and what is your cleaning regimen, exactly?


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

The bedding I use is the carefresh and when I clean the cage I scoop everything out, and I use this cage cleaner from the pet store that is safe on animals I wipe everything down the bars, the trays, the shelf their little igloo houses. I wait till it dries then I add the stuff back in their cage. 

Their diet is a new one from what the pet store was. When I went to the vet he gave me a recipe for a homemade mix he said use a little bit of lab blocks, then use multi grain cheerios, some grain puffs,and some dehydrated veggies. I haven't tried that mix yet I just been giving them lab blocks. I honestly am afraid to try homemade rat food because I do not know whats all good for them, and sometimes people put in uncooked pasta etc.


----------



## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

I don't recommend cleaning the cage every day because they will be encourged to want to pee on everything again. It will stink badly again within hours. See if you can squeeze 2-3 days out of it. Every time you clean put a handful of the dirty bedding in too so they don't want to stink the place up as much. Put a cup of baking soda near the cage. 

I don't know if I would recommend Carefresh either. I used it for a while and it got soggy and smelly very quickly and since then I switched to Vitakraft Fresh World and it works very well.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

I pick out all the turds every day, and spot clean any obvious other messes. An entire cage cleaning happens every 4 days for me.


----------



## botje77 (May 14, 2013)

i have a question about that..my mother in law bought me: beaphar, odeur stop..some sort of pouder ..you're suppose to clean the cage, sprinkle that stuff in a small layer and then your hennepviber on it..but I'm not sure it's safe, it says its save for all rodents en bunnies but i don't know..what do you think about that?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

I looked it up and managed to find the products and it looks safe to me. I've heard of people using baking soda in their cages with no ill effects and considering this kind of stuff is made with rodents in mind I don't see any problems. That is my opinion though. If you notice any of them sneezing or being bothered by it get rid of it.


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

I didn't know what else to use besides care fresh,but someone told me yesterdays news was good too since it seems to not give a smell to it, and it is pellets vrs the material of care fresh. I just thought I was doing, a good thing by cleaning it. I will try the 2-3 days thing it will be very hard since I have ocd lol.


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

mine is a spray I got at the pet store for cage cleaning


----------



## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Yesterday's News is what I use, in case anyone cares.


----------



## Shayla (Aug 16, 2013)

I might switch to that because the care fresh I just don't like it lol


----------



## Divit (Aug 5, 2013)

alexn said:


> All animals smell to some degree, the best you can do is keep on top of spot/deep cleans, and make sure you use substrate that is decent at waste absorption.
> 
> Sometimes I think my girls are having a stinky day, but then I go to work, and practically gag at the smell a rabbit makes in a far smaller timeframe.
> 
> EDIT: I guess what I'm saying here, in a roundabout way, is get a rabbit, keep him in a separate room, and when people notice your rats' smell, kindly show them to the bunny stinkbox. It'll put things into perspective.


Just wanted to defend rabbits here . I've kept rabbits indoors for years and they do NOT smell. They have stayed in the family room or even the kitchen and visitors never know we even have rabbits until they actually see them. (And I only clean out the litter box twice per week).


----------



## Divit (Aug 5, 2013)

Shayla said:


> I didn't know what else to use besides care fresh,but someone told me yesterdays news was good too since it seems to not give a smell to it, and it is pellets vrs the material of care fresh. I just thought I was doing, a good thing by cleaning it. I will try the 2-3 days thing it will be very hard since I have ocd lol.


There is a scented and an unscented version of Yesterdays News, so be sure to check the packaging.


----------

